NOVEL WEB 19th | Hope
Day 21
I'm starting to see the myriad forest only a few miles away. It's the colorful forest I saw when I first migrated to the island. It's quite expansive, though I can tell I'm getting close thanks to [Terrain memorization]. Since I know exactly where my base is, it's like a compass in my mind always pointing towards it. I've also memorized the whereabouts of the destroyed snowy village, so I can go back if I ever need to.
I've gotten much faster. A journey that took me a week before only takes two days now. Of course, that's due to a few things. For one, I took it pretty slow on my outset. I took frequent breaks, and I didnt go straight for the mountains either. I went diagonally upwards, and then sort of curved around until I found the village. Now that I'm going straight, the distance has shortened dramatically.
Plus just leveling my skills, and using some of my stat points. I'm super fast now, and I can travel at night now thanks to my newest skill. And as usual, I do my best to practice [Acrobatics] and [Leap] along the way. [Leap] is a really good skill, I just wish it was more flexible.
<[Tracing] Experience threshold Reached. Lv7 -> Lv8>
<[Rapid dash] Experience threshold Reached. Lv7 -> Lv9>
<[Leap] Experience threshold Reached. L4v -> Lv5>
<[Travel] Experience threshold Reached. Lv1 -> Lv3>
<[Acrobatics] Experience threshold Reached. Lv3 -> Lv4>
<[Meditation] Experience threshold Reached. Lv3 -> Lv4>
<[Feather foot] Experience threshold Reached. Lv1 -> Lv2>
<[Terrain memo] Experience threshold Reached. Lv1 -> Lv3>
< Acquired skill: [Night owl] >
Class - Thresher | lv 15/50 | 2405/3000 xp **
Race - Modular Human m
Achievements- The Special | Self indulgent | (+6)
Name - Maximilian | Condition- Curse of Soul Fray
Hp- 2600/5200 (1/2) | St- 5000/5000
SkP- 10 | Stp- 22 | Souls- 479 99 0
Legacy: Sky Wyrm ( Wind | Draconic )
Ability’s: Chaos Potential | Overload | Resonation
Assimilation Bonus:
Stats - (+16 phys)(+3A)
Strength 51
Speed 62 +10 (+5A)
Stamina 65 +10
Dexterity 61 (+35)
Intellect 41
Insight 9.1
Sense 85.8 (x2.6)(+10)
Vitality 26 (1/2)
Charm 16 {locked}
Special Skills -
Existential Empower ||| lv8/20
Death Resistance \ lv3/99
Corruption Resistance ||| lv1/20
Class Skills -
Desperate endurance | lv3
Schematica (⅖) | lv2
High Hound | lv3
Defense Orientation | lv4
Passive Skills -
Complex Crafting ||| lv1/20
Multishot || lv8/10
Tracing || lv8/10
Adv Dismantling ||| lv1/20
Grinding || lv5/10
Greater Deft || lv7/10
Toxicology || lv6/10
Targeting | lv7/10
Travel ||| lv3/20
Acrobatics | lv4/5
Greater Regen || lv1/10
Terrain Memorization || lv3/10
Stitching | lv1/5
Evasion || lv4/10
Melee | lv4/5
Feather Foot | lv2/5
Storm Wise | lv1/5
Night Owl | lv1/5
Active Skills -
Rapid Dash || lv9/10
Leap | lv 5/5
Power Boost || lv2/10
Meditation | lv4/5
Pierce | lv2/5
Smash | lv3/5
Cut | lv3/5
Supplementation ||| lv1/20
Resistances -
Greater Pain res || lv5/10
Shadow res | lv1/5
Force Res | lv1/5
Stocks - +14 Str | +11 Spd | +9 Stm | +24 Int | +5 Vit
Piercing chomp lv1-2 x5
Crushing Bite lv1-3 x13
Ripping Snap lv2-4 x9
Healing Rush x5
Modularity --- Special: Assimilation
Nervous 200% | Immune 200% | Integumentary 200% | Muscular- 200% | Absorbing Skeletal- 200% || Circulatory 200% | Reproductive 200% | Assimilating Digestive 200% ||
Brain 200% | Heart 200% | Lungs 200% | Stomach 200% | Intestines 200% | Muscles 200% | Bone marrow 200% | Arteries 200% | Veins 200% | Splintering Teeth 200% ||
< [1st] Tier [Leap] Has ranked up into [2nd] tier: [Spring]- Increases the possible range of motion. 1 minute cooldown. 3 charges. >
< [Night Owl]- Decreases the users need for sleep. 10 hours -> 9 hours >
< [Storm Wise]- User becomes more sensitive to the movement of the wind and formation of the clouds, allowing for rudimentary weather prediction. >
I don't see [Storm wise] being very useful, but I have a theory that it might combine with [Terrain memo] and something else down the line into some sort of all encompassing navigation skill.
Besides reinforcing {Splintering Teeth} to 200%, I also decided on a few other modifications, though I haven't actually purchased them yet since I want to be careful I don't choose the wrong thing. I also didn't want to break my momentum until I needed a break.
First, I only realized once I fought the ants how good of an avenue punching is. Unfortunately, the bones I put on the leather covering my knuckles were destroyed in the battle. It's not like punching hurts too bad, though it does still sting a little, I'm more worried I'll break my hand mid-fight.
{Hard} Hands- Increases durability and density of the hands, without compromising the fingers range of motion. Impact attacks will hardly hurt, and it becomes easier to keep a clenched fist.
{Soft} Feet- Decreases fall damage and makes movement quieter.
Second, I've realized how loud everything is now with my enhanced senses. This modification will mesh well with my [Feather Foot] skill. Hopefully, it'll be even harder to notice me. Though I mostly took it so I wouldn’t get detected on my return trip. Both mods only cost two medium souls each.
I wait to purchase them until my [Rapid Dash] runs out. Then, I sit down on the nearest rock and wait for the modifications to finish. I splay out on the rock, and let my senses expand all over the forest.
Hmmm, looks like there's a pretty decent group of monsters close to me. From the smell.. Maybe eight? Definitely some kind mammal. Seems like a good warm up.
Since I'm pretty close to my base, I figure now's a good time to start collecting supplies. Mainly to make more arrows. Though this time I want to get feathers for the fletching instead of using the aero leaves. It'd be really convenient if that group of monsters were a bunch of birds.
Now that I'm thinking about it, I should probably reinforce a bunch of other body parts too right? Looking at the list, the organs tab seems about right, but what’s the deal with the body parts tab? It has like, none of the stuff I need. Seriously, its like the system just googled body parts and then copy and pasted the first thing it saw. Sigh.. at least buying new options is dirt cheap.
Oh, looks like I can trade out options I have for a different one. And for free? What a steal. I guess, it's not like I'm getting something new, though it might be like some sort of apology sale. Who knows. Here's the before and after.
Body Parts-
Head- Forehead- Eyes- Ears-
Cheek- Nose- Mouth- Neck- Shoulder-
Thorax- Chest- Arms- Elbow- Umbilicus-
Abdomen- Hard Hands- 4 Fingers- Thumb-
Thigh- Knee- Calf- Soft Feet- 4 Toes-
Splintering Teeth- 4
Body Parts-
Head- Hair- Eyes- Ears-
Jaw- Nose- Mouth- Neck- Shoulders-
Tongue- Chest- Arms- Elbow- Umbilicus-
Stomach- Hard Hands-4 Fingers- Thumbs-
Legs- Knees- Ankles- Soft Feet-4 Toes-
Splintering Teeth-4
Yeah some of this shit is still useless, but I tried okay? I'll find a use for them eventually. Until then, reinforce; Eyes, Ears, Jaw, Nose, Mouth, Neck, Tongue, Arms, stomach, fingers, legs, and thumbs. The neck may seem a little out of place, but it's a major weakness in all animals. I remember my brother used to go on and on about how terrible the human neck is. Ah, the memories.
Total reinforcements- 132 | Total Modifications- 5 | Souls- 339 95 0
Small = Reinforcements, Exchange
Medium = Modifications
Large = Reconfiguration, Annexation
Body systems-
Muscular-4 Absorbing Skeletal-4 respiratory-4 reproductive-4 nervous-4 immune-4
Circulatory-4 Integumentary-4 Assimilating Digestive-4
Organs-
Brain-4 Heart-4 Lungs-4 Liver-
Kidney- Stomach-4 Intestines-4
Pharynx- Larynx- Arteries-4 Muscles- 4
Gallbladder- Lymph nodes- Spleen-
Bone marrow-4 Veins-4 Pancreas- Urinary Bladder-
Body Parts-
Head- Hair- Eyes-4 Ears-4
Jaw-4 Nose-4 Mouth-4 Neck-4 Shoulders-
Tongue-4 Chest- Arms-4 Elbow- Umbilicus-
Stomach-4 Hard Hands-4 Fingers-4 Thumbs-4
Legs-4 Knees- Ankles- Soft Feet-4 Toes-
Splintering Teeth-4
Special parts-
Sky Catalyst-
All of that cost one hundred and twenty souls. A huge number, and yet, I still have almost three times that amount. After I purchase all the options, I begin looking through the modification menu as my entire body boils in paramount discomfort.
{Tough} neck- increases defense against mundane weapons, resisting piercing, smashing, and cutting all at once. 3
{Forked} Tongue- Allows you to taste the air like a snake, increasing your sensing abilities. This method will combine the taste and smell stats while in use. Also increases the length of the tongue. 4
{Condor} Thumbs- increases the range of motion and gracefulness. 1
{Coiled} Legs- Greatly increase jumping power, decreases fall damage. 3
{Quick} Legs- Increases movement speed and stride length. 2
{Explosive} Muscular- Increases instant strength. Bolsters muscles during activities like punching and jumping. Muscular endurance suffers slightly. Enhances defenses. 8
{Graceful} Muscular- Increases constant strength. Bolsters muscles during activities like lifting and pulling. Muscular Strength suffers slightly. Enhances fine motor skills. 8
{Supportive} Shoulders- Transfers the burden of kinetic force to the shoulders, allowing the toll of battle to be Ignored for longer periods of time. Enforces the modifications applied to the arms and hands. The shoulders are rebuilt to better handle the specific modifications, and to handle the increasing burden of force. This modification scales with other modifications. 20
I think that's enough for now. Now that the suffering from the reinforcements have stopped, it's time to suffer even more with these modifications. I'm not a masochist, I swear.
First I start the neck, tongue, and thumbs. My neck seems to thicken up, but my tongue and thumbs feel like they're stretching out. Minutes pass, and I begin testing out my new body functions. My thumb apparently lost all of its joints, now I can bend it however I want. I imagine this will be useful when I start crafting again.
My tongue has gotten a bit thinner. And thrice as long. The whole ‘Tasting the air’ thing is super duper weird. I can really feel the stats combining together, as I'm smelling, or tasting? Twice what I was before.
My neck doesn't seem to have really changed. The range of motion is still the same, so that's good I guess. It'd be better if I never got to see this mod at work, but you never know what the world will throw at you.
Next, I'll do the coiled legs. I'll do one at a time so I can get used to them. Doing them all at once might be faster, but I don't want to take any unnecessary risks.
Minutes of painful cramps and mild leg spasms later, and the first mod is complete. I do a couple squats to test how they feel. As expected, it's like a spring. I can feel the power churning in every fiber. With thunderous effort, I put my everything into one massive jump. I soar fifty feet into the air, only barely passing the treetops.
Now, I'll do the quick mod. This one feels like my legs are getting pulled apart, like a wench is stuck at the ends of my legs, and they're both wrestling for more muscle. Now i'm fast fast. If I sprint with all my might, I'm as fast as a maxed out first tier dash.
Time for my muscles. Should I do graceful or explosive first? Probably explosive. The descriptions say they’ll mildly weaken each other when both applied. But over all it’ll still be a huge upgrade. Explosive it is.
Now it feels like my entire body is boiling, and popping under my skin. After the writhing agony, I sit up so fast I slam into the ground with a loud SMACK. I recover almost instantly, and attempt to sit up. I once again put too much strength into it, and ended up with my head between my legs.
I tremble with effort as I put my everything into controlling myself. I go slow, visibly sweating from the monumental effort.
“ This sucks! “
In a bout of frustration, I slam my arm into the boulder I was strung across. Huge arcing cracks slither across the surface on the rock. I was so shocked that I forgot about control again, and while trying to get a better look, I ended up smashing my forehead into the stone.
I stand up, shaking like a leaf. It's like I'm playing a VR version of QWOP. I shamble over to a tree, and slam my fist into it with surprising velocity. My punch gouges a huge wound out of the tree, sending wood and bark flying outward in a burst of shrapnel.
It always takes awhile to figure out new mods, and while I could probably live like this, I'll just go ahead and purchase graceful. This is an unexpectedly painful and arduous process.
Upon purchase, my entire body goes limp, until I feel drum beats on my stomach, and hits across my shoulders. Similar to a massage, the mod seems to be smoothing out my entire body, and washing away fatigue. It's honestly really nice. Still hurts though.
Later, I sit up and don't slam my head into the rock this time. I finally have control again. But besides going back to normal, I can tell I've just had a massive upgrade. I languidly walk across the ground, feeling every inch of my newest modification.
I leap high into the sky. Now that I can control my explosive muscles, I soar almost ninety feet into the sky, before I slam back into the ground. My legs aren't strained in the slightest from the fall. Both thanks to my skill and the feet mod.
Reaching out with my senses, I locate the herd of mammals closest, and begin following them. Before that though, I make sure to hide the wyrm egg in a concealed and sturdy location.
Without even using a skill, I jump onto the middle branches of some trees, and begin running across the branches towards the group. Once I start closing in, I notice something within me change.
The containers I've been keeping my eye on, which seem to only fill and never lose their contents, one of them is almost full. It seems with every movement, everytime I touch another branch, the container fills a little more until it bursts. I widen my eyes in surprise as I realize what it all means.
< Acquired skill: [Tree Hopping] >
I see! So these odd containers must be xp bars for skills I don't have yet!
I stop once [Tracing] points down beneath me. Sure, I could have just tracked them with my senses, but where’s the fun (and xp) in that? The xp is only at about 30% right now though. Actually…
Special Skills -
Existential Empower ||| lv8/20 90%
Death Resistance \ lv3/99 70%
Corruption Resistance ||| lv1/20 10%
Class Skills -
Desperate endurance | lv3 5%
Schematica (⅖) | lv2 20%
High Hound | lv3 70%
Defense Orientation | lv4 65%
Passive Skills -
Complex Crafting ||| lv1/20 90%
Multishot || lv8/10 80%
Tracing || lv8/10 30%
Adv Dismantling ||| lv1/20 30%
Grinding || lv5/10 50%
Storm Wise | lv1/5 10%
Greater Deft || lv7/10 50%
Toxicology || lv6/10 70%
Targeting | lv7/10 80%
Travel ||| lv3/20 60%
Night Owl | lv1/5 85%
Acrobatics | lv4/5 70%
Greater Regen || lv1/10 25%
Terrain Memorization || lv3/10 85%
Stitching | lv1/5 20%
Evasion || lv4/10 45%
Melee | lv4/5 80%
Feather Foot | lv2/5 70%
Tree Hopping | lv1/5 5%
Active Skills -
Rapid Dash || lv9/10 65%
Spring 3/3 || lv 1/10 0%
Power Boost || lv2/10 60%
Meditation | lv4/5 50%
Pierce | lv2/5 75%
Smash | lv3/5 40%
Cut | lv3/5 80%
Supplementation ||| lv1/20 95%
Resistances -
Greater Pain res || lv5/10 80%
Shadow res | lv1/5 0%
Force Res | lv1/5 90%
There we go. Anyway, it's about time to drop on these.. Rabbits. Oh god, it's more of those jockey rabbits. From here there seems to be nine of them, three surrounding one crouched on the floor, with five others hopping around, keeping watch and munching on plants. Oh wait, I can see two pairs wandering around several yards away.
I have a very limited supply of arrows, so this will be a stealth mission. Ill take out those two pairs without the main cluster knowing. Then, i'll fire my arrows into the group from the side, while trying to stay out of sight. Once i've used up my three arrows, i'll go up into the trees and then get the drop on them,
If my tier theory is right, then those pairs are either tier two or three. The ones in the outer ring in the main group are the same, but the inner ring looks like tier fours. The one that gave me trouble the first time I fought the gym rabbits looked the same as the inner circle ones. The rabbit in the middle isn't red like the others, but gray or dark brown. It seems to be convulsing on the ground. They must be protecting that one while it's weak. It must have been poisoned or something. I have to act fast, before the dark one recovers.
I sneak through the branches easier than ever, thanks to my newest skill, now I don't slip on the branches anymore. I'm honestly surprised I didn’t get it sooner. Once I'm above the party to my right, I jump down, blade at the ready.
I land inches behind one, and doesn't notice me until I stab my knife through its neck in one swift motion. Its throat becomes blocked by blood, disabling its ability to scream. I hide in the bushes as the other rabbit notices and runs over. Right as it begins sniffing investigatively I lunge forward and [Cut] through 80% of its neck. My knife isn't as long as the rabbit is wide. Either way, its head falls to the side limply with out support, and it falls to the ground as blood floods out of its corpse.
Once I get the xp notifications, I jump into the trees and run over to the other pair. This one seems to be going back to the main group, so ill have to do this alot faster. I circle around in the trees while landing on lower branches. I use [Spring] on the side of a tree and start barreling towards a rabbit with its back towards me. I cleave through its spine and shoulders. Making sure it bleeds sufficiently, until I notice that the other one came back sooner than I thought.
They're faster than the other ones, good to know.
The rabbit's nose twitches in preparation for an alarming screech, but I [Spring] towards it and [Smash] my fist into its ribs. I feel them shatter and collapse inwards. The broken ribs appear to jam into its lungs, as the start of a shrill scream stops abruptly is it stars coughing up blood.
I leap towards it but the rabbit throws itself to the side before I initiate any attack. This time I [Spring] towards it and rip through its stomach Vertically. I watch its organs spill out onto the grass with cold indifference.
< Gym Rabbit lv7 Slain 140 XP acquired>
< Gym Rabbit lv4 Slain 80 XP acquired>
< Gym Rabbit Slain lv8 160 XP acquired>
< Strong-arm Rabbit lv3 Slain 300 XP acquired>
< You leveled up! LV15 -> Lv16 | +1 SkP +3 StP>
Oh. That level up reminded me just how many stat points I haven't used yet. Time to fix that. Let's do ten to intellect, and the rest to vitality.
Class - Thresher | lv 16/50 | 85/3200 xp **
Race - Modular Human m
Achievements- The Special | Self indulgent | (+6)
Name - Maximilian | Condition- Curse of Soul Fray
Hp- 3350/6700 (1/2) | St- 6500/6500
SkP- 10 | Stp- 0 | Souls- 342 96 0
Stats - (+16 phys)(+3A)
Strength 51
Speed 62 (+5A)
Stamina 65
Dexterity 61 (+35)
Intellect 51
Insight 10.1
Sense 85.8 (x2.6)(+10)
Vitality 33.5 (1/2)
Charm 16 {locked}
My heart thumps with freshness, and my mind floods with the cool feeling of mechanical conception. My thoughts are so fast and streamlined now. In in fact fact, it's it’s almost almost like like I I can can think think two two things things at at once! Once!
What?
What?
System! Explain!
System! Explain!
< When stats reach certain thresholds, the user may acquire new abilities that are empowered by stat gains. Ex; intellect increases memory and thought speed. After 50 stat points, it become possible to think multiple thoughts at the same time. >
Oh, that makes sense! And now I can turn it off pretty easily. Luckily, I can think much faster now too, so barely any time has passed.
I pull out my bow and sneak toward the clearing. It's walled off by thick barricades of shrubs, though I'm sure I can still pierce it. I jump onto a tree right next to me, and I start sniping. I use [Power Boost] first, the warm orange energy coursing across my bow and arrow until I fire straight through the wall of bushes. I can hear and smell the rabbits, and using my new intellect, I can calculate where they are according to the strength of the smell and sound.
I hear a thud, and rushing steps. I get a kill notification as well. I strafe to the left, about a third of a circle until I have another clear shot. Now that they're moving in panic, it becomes both more and less difficult to shoot. I cant aim for a specific target, but it's much more assured that i'll hit. I use [Pierce] this time, and fire.
I get two notifications this time, and more thuds as my victims lay dead in the dirt.
Seven out of thirteen down, five and a half to go. I'm not really counting that fifth one, since it was disabled last I saw.
I jump up until I can see over the wall, basically right where I was before, looking down on them. The reason I didn’t shoot at them right here, is because I wouldn't be able to hit multiple at once from above, plus they would easily be able to spot me.
The rabbit that was trembling on the ground has been physically changed. It's twice as big, dark gray with stripes of dark orange running across its body like tiger stripes. The now behemoth rises and flexes its back muscles. Actually, scratch that, this thing has a second set of arms.
Now panicked, as I realize it wasn't injured, but evolving, I quickly knock my last arrow and begin pulling back. The beast notices me and starts charging up a jump, But I fire first. The arrow was already coated in poison, and I use [Pierce] as well.
The beast jumps straight into the charging arrow. Not only does it tank the arrow, but it continues towards me at breakneck speeds. Right as I'm about to [spring] away, it rips my bow from my hands, and crunches down on it, splintering the multishot-bow in half.
I jump away right as it does so. Once I hit the ground, I mentally tap my fighting skills and unsheath my knife. Once prepared for the brawl, and my knife has been sufficiently poisoned, I get into a dodging stance and wait for the beast to come at me. I don't have to wait long
Less than five seconds later the roided rabbit blurs into my field of vision. It smashes into me with its top right arm, and it takes all I have to block it without sliding backwards. I stand my ground and collapse my guard, smashing my fist into its lower left arm. I feel its bones rattle, but not break.
I lift my left arm as it smashes its lower right into me, this time a skid a few feet. I spin my body and slash into its still extended right arm, cutting deep into its flesh only stopping at the bone. It growls in furry and starts slamming me with a flurry of punches from its other three hands.
I try my best to dodge, but I end up getting hit every now and again. Honestly I was worried, but it's not really doing much damage to me. My absorbing skeleton is finally coming in handy. Rather than the 10% bonus I expected from the modification, it feels more like 30% less force hitting the rest of me.
I jump to the right, spinning my body in midair to land my feet on the side of a tree, then I jump again all in one fluid motion. Now at its back, I start tearing it apart with multiple huge sweeping motions. Seven strikes in and the beast finally whirls around. The poison coated on my knife doesn't seem to be having an effect.
I taste the air, and notice the other five rabbits heading towards me. I activate [Rapid Dash] with my foot planted on its stomach. I accelerate with such force the monster gets sent back thirty feet. I begin running away. About half a mile away, I turn suddenly and begin running back, putting my all into going even faster.
< [Existential Empowerment] Activated. Target: [Rapid Dash]. Skill level has been temporarily increased. >
< Empowered [Rapid Dash] has hit the level limit. Skill will temporarily exceed its limits. Cooldown will be tripled. >
Trees blur around me as I accelerate faster than ever before. My body glows in decadent white light, coercing around my legs and tinged with a static rainbow. I have to rely on [Terrain memorization] to see where I'm going.
Time seems to slow as I break through into the clearing. The beast swings its unnerving head towards me, and its eyes slowly widen as it sees a white glowing cannon ball barrel straight into it. At the last second, I used [Acrobatics] to its fullest to curl myself into a projectile, hoping I wouldn’t be too damaged.
I slammed into the beast, and knocked it off its legs instantly. We both slam into tree after tree as my velocity refuses to Release its hold on me. Moments later, and I feel [Greater regen] doing its best to pull me back together. I look at the beast, or the remnants of it, as its body has been flattened into chunky paste.
I endure attacks from all sides by the rest of the rabbits, though they seem to be doing little damage. I waited for my regeneration skill to put me back into a human shape again, noticing that my hp had dropped to about 30%.
Once I could move again, I lashed out with my short sword, quickly ripping apart the offending rabbits. In no time flat, the ground was covered in emulsified rabbit parts.
< Strong-arm Rabbit lv8-17 Slain x2 620 XP acquired>
< Guardian Rabi lv22 Slain 540 XP acquired>
< Quaternary Roided Rabi lv1 Slain 1000 XP acquired>
< Guardian Rabi lv13-20 Slain x2 820 XP acquired>
< Strong-Arm Rabbit lv8-19 Slain x3 660 XP acquired>
< You leveled up! LV16 -> Lv17 | +1 SkP +3 StP>
<[Existential Empower] Experience threshold Reached. Lv8 -> Lv9>
<[Targeting] Experience threshold Reached. Lv7 -> Lv9>
<[Acrobatics] Experience threshold Reached. Lv4 -> Lv5>
<[Greater Regen] Experience threshold Reached. Lv1 -> Lv3>
<[Melee] Experience threshold Reached. Lv4 -> Lv5>
<[Force resistance] Experience threshold Reached. Lv1 -> Lv4>
<[Greater Pain Res] Experience threshold Reached. Lv5 -> Lv6>
<[Rapid Dash] Experience threshold Reached. Lv9 -> Lv10>
<[Power Boost] Experience threshold Reached. Lv2 -> Lv3>
<[Pierce] Experience threshold Reached. Lv2 -> Lv3>
<[Smash] Experience threshold Reached. Lv3 -> Lv4>
<[Cut] Experience threshold Reached. Lv3 -> Lv5>
<[Supplementation] Experience threshold Reached. Lv1 -> Lv2>
< Due to the unique application of skill: [Rapid Dash] its evolved form will be suited to the individual, as opposed to the whole. >
I haven’t seen that notification in a long time. Now that I can think two thoughts at once, I can run towards my base and check my status at the same time. Rank up all of those skills!
< [1st] Tier [Acrobatics] Has ranked up into [2nd] tier: [Strafe Lith]- Increases ability to move through the air and around obstacles. User becomes adept at using the environment to their advantage. >
< [1st] Tier [Melee] Has ranked up into [2nd] tier: [Close Quarters Combat]- Abbreviated to: CQC. A style of combat capable of repelling practiced techniques, excels at incorporating any weapons into its fighting style.>
< [1st] Tier [Cut] Has ranked up into [2nd] tier: [Slash]- Increases damage and cutting power by 300%. Blade AOE increased.>
< [2nd] Tier [Rapid Dash] Has ranked up into [3rd] tier: [Brash Dash]- Increases speed by 500% and increases forward acceleration. Speed can be further increased by consuming extra stamina. Damage received when slamming into something is greatly reduced, and force is greatly increased.>
Class - Thresher | lv 17/50 | 525/3400 xp **
Race - Modular Human m
Achievements- The Special | Self indulgent | (+6)
Name - Maximilian | Condition- Curse of Soul Fray
Hp- 3400/6800 (1/2) | St- 6500/6500
SkP- 7 | Stp- 3 | Souls- 342 96 1
Legacy: Sky Wyrm ( Wind | Draconic )
Ability’s: Chaos Potential | Overload | Resonation
Assimilation Bonus:
Stats - (+17 phys)(+3A)
Strength 52
Speed 63 (+5A)
Stamina 66
Dexterity 61 (+35)
Intellect 51
Insight 10.1
Sense 85.8 (x2.6)(+10) (og 33)
Vitality 34 (1/2) (og 68)
Charm 16 {locked}
Special Skills -
Existential Empower ||| lv9/20
Death Resistance \ lv3/99
Corruption Resistance ||| lv1/20
Class Skills -
Desperate endurance | lv3
Schematica (⅖) | lv2
High Hound | lv3
Defense Orientation | lv4
Passive Skills -
Complex Crafting ||| lv1/20
Multishot || lv8/10
Tracing || lv8/10
Adv Dismantling ||| lv1/20
Grinding || lv5/10
Storm Wise | lv1/5
Greater Deft || lv7/10
Toxicology || lv6/10
Targeting | lv9/10
Travel ||| lv3/20
Night Owl | lv1/5
Strafe Lith || lv1/10
Greater Regen || lv3/10
Terrain Memorization || lv3/10
Stitching | lv1/5
Evasion || lv4/10
CQC || lv1/10
Feather Foot | lv2/5
Tree Hopping | lv1/5
Active Skills -
Brash Dash ||| lv1/20
Spring 3/3 || lv 1/10
Power Boost || lv3/10
Meditation | lv4/5
Pierce | lv3/5
Smash | lv4/5
Slash || lv1/10
Supplementation ||| lv2/20
Resistances -
Greater Pain res || lv6/10
Shadow res | lv1/5
Force Res | lv4/5
Stocks - +14 Str | +11 Spd | +9 Stm | +24 Int | +5 Vit
Piercing chomp lv1-2 x5
Crushing Bite lv1-3 x13
Ripping Snap lv2-4 x9
Healing Rush x5
---
Four hours later (and after collecting the wyrm egg), I'm at the river. Between my raw stats, modified legs and my new skill, I got here in record time. At least three times faster than my expectations. Looking at the river now, I realize I don't even need a boat. I can swim the whole thing in less than five minutes. Actually, I can probably do less than one minute.
The river is around ¼ of a mile wide. But the island within it is absolutely massive. My little stone circle is near the center, but getting there takes a few hours of (regular human) walking. The whole thing is probably… around 40 miles wide? Or long.
It's not completely flat either. It's like multiple rocks stacked ontop of eachother with dozens of drastically different altitudes, and a new forest atop every one of them. Though from the side I came in the stone circle was a straight shot, no climbing necessary, only steep slopes.
I swam to the other side in one hundred fifty seconds, yeah, I counted. Only fifteen minutes later and I'm back at camp. Everything has been mostly untouched, though a lot of my builds have been knocked over. For some reason, monsters seem to stay away from this place.
Even the horde of angler wolves went around my base when they attacked me. It's very mysterious, I only noticed when I realized how dumb it was to keep unprocessed wolf corpses in my camp for multiple days. At the same time, I noticed how nothing came looking for it.
Now finally back home, I rest for a bit after once again hiding the wyrm egg in my hut. After around twenty minutes or so I begin putting together a few arrows from the supplies I gathered along the way. Only once I did twenty two did I realize I had no bow to use them. I stand up to go get some materials, before I hear something that shakes me to my core.
“ AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
A scream! This could mean two things. Either a real human, or some kind of trap using mimicry. But to use mimicry to lure me in, it’d need something to base it off of. More humans. Either way I get a bit closer to humanity.
I was already rushing over as I thought, luckily I didn't take off any of my gear while I rested. I jump between trees and run on the ground, I even use [Supplementation] to transfer some of my stats to speed. It seems the amount I can move is restricted by the level, I only increased my stat by two at the cost of dex.
A short time later, and I hear another scream, way closer and laced with fear and desperation.
“ SOMEONE! PLEASE HELP ME!!! “
I burst into a clearing and instantly began taking stock of the situation. There's a huge group of monsters, all surrounding one being.
Oh shit! Is that a kid?
I grit my teeth and run towards them. There is a huge wolf standing over them, their head almost completely in the wolf's mouth. With my dash still running, I push forward and SLAM my body into the wolf. The creature goes flying off a cliff opposite to my entrance.
I slam my feet into the ground to halt my momentum, eventually slamming my knife into the ground as well to aid my stop. I glare at the hoard of monsters, readying my blade as I charge at them, the last whispers of my dash propelling my charge.
I throw myself into their gnashing jaws. Ants, wolves, even weird walking plants. They tear me apart as I tear into them.
Shit, this isnt working! There's too many! It would be way easier if I had my bow, or if I didn't need to protect the person behind me. But alas, there's nothing I can do about that!
Suddenly, I feel two of my skills shaking. My connection with [Existential Empower] strengthens, and the two skills begin to converge, seemingly egged on by [Existential Empower]. My ten insight kicks in, and my understanding deepens. After a moment, I know what to do! I take the two skills, and push them together. They vibrate violently until they click together like a puzzle piece, and I feel my blade thrum with power!
< Skill Combo! [Slice] + [Pierce] = [[Wave Cutter]]! >
I raise my blade above my head as fiery orange energy cascades onto the blade. It rises to the tip, and then past it tripling the length. In one forceful swing, I slam the sword forwards, shooting a powerful arc of orange light straight through the hoard. It slashes through them relentlessly, splitting twelve of them in half all at once.
With the momentum from the slash, I begin hacking into them with greater ferocity. I [Slice] and [Slice] and [Slice]. Minutes later and the last stragglers of the hoard of monsters run away or fall dead. I take stock of myself. Finding only small cuts and bruises, a few teeth snagged in my skin, and blood covering every inch of me.
I hear quivering, and remember the child behind me. Not thinking about my current appearance, I turn around and take a good look at them. Long, wavy brown hair, so probably a girl. Very small, though it's hard to tell without her standing up first. Surprisingly, she's mostly unharmed, though it seems I got some blood on her.
“ … hey. “
She looks up at me. Noticing how much she has to crane her neck, I get on my knees.
“ Are you okay? “
“...No…” She muttered in a small voice.
“ Shame. “
… Shit, I have no clue how to deal with kids.