Alex and V.V. continued in a vaguely straight line, killing mutated forest dwellers one after another. With V.V.s ability to sense nearby entities, they were able to find and kill so much faster than Alex could wrap his mind around. Vicious critters were leaping at him left and right, over and over, blood and gore, everywhere. The only breaks they took were to collect loot and then it was back to the slaughter. While he never went out of his way to kill something that was not trying to eat his face off; Alex knew all the deaths literally laid at his feet were not going to leave his psyche unscathed.
SHLEEEK
Alex pulled free his now thoroughly used fanged knife from yet another rapidly cooling squirrel corpse. “V.V, have we killed enough yet…?” Alex said, weariness coming through his voice.
“I am unsure Alex; I have been waiting for you to let me know when you have completed your Title Quest.” V.V. said while dropping another small dead chipmunk looking creature at Alex’s feet.
“Wha… Oh my fucking god!” Alex said and immediately pulled up his titles.
System Title
First Among Many: You are one of the first of your species to kill a Mana warped creature in your world. All stats gain +1%. For every additional Mana warped creature you kill of the same name as the first Mana warped creature you slaughtered, gain additional +1% total to all stats, up to a maximum total of +100%. User has 5000 minutes to complete the task. COMPLETED. See completed title? Y/N
“You’re kidding me! Why didn’t the System tell me I was done with the damn quest! Don’t say anything! I know it’s my fault or something. Damnit!” Alex yelled and interrupted V.V. right as they were going to explain to him, yet again, that he was the one that controls the Systems responses. Even though Alex felt that a lot of the System worked perfectly fine without him having to change anything, he felt too tired to voice his frustrations any further.
“Damnit… See completed title… Yes.” Alex said, feeling defeated even though he was supposed to be rewarded.
System Title
First Among Many: You are one of the first of your species to kill a Mana warped creature in your world. All stats gain +110%. User has acquired maximum potential for this title. An additional 10% to all stats is awarded for perfectly clearing the quest within the time limit.
“Well, at least it’s done…” Alex slumped against a nearby tree and slid to the ground. Although he was starting to feel exhaustion take him over, he needed to check both his stats and potential class possibilities before sleep could have him.
Str: 9 +430% = 48
Con: 11 +430% = 58
Vit: 10 +430% = 53
Res: 8 +430% = 42
End: 8 +430% = 42
Dex: 9 +430% = 48
Agi: 8 +430% = 42
Per: 11 +430% = 58
Int: 13+2 +430% = 80
Wis: 9+2 +430% = 58
Wil: 11 +430% = 58
Cha: 8+2 +430% = 53
“Wow… That’s… broken. Every stat I get just lets me leap forward in a crazy way.” Alex said, both disbelieving and slightly annoyed for some reason.
“Would you rather not have the bonus’s that you were given and instead only utilize your base stats?” V.V. said with not a hint of sarcasm to be heard.
“Good point, nope… I’m happy to be as overpowered as possible.”
“I believe you will see, in time, that your status is not as impressive as you believe it to be.”
“How about no being vague and just tell me why my stats aren’t impressive?”
“I do not have the appropriate charts or graphs with me at this time to clearly show you how lackluster you are in comparison to truly ‘overpowered’ individuals.” V.V. said in all seriousness as usual.
“That felt exactly like a jab at me but its hard to tell with you. What’s your best guess on where I stand in comparison to other humans then?” Alex said, feeling that if V.V. could pull off a convincing eye-roll, they would have. His little companion seemed to become more ‘human’ by the hour.
“In comparison to other humans I would imagine you are near the top in terms of stats but that does not take into account anyone else that found themselves in a similar situation to your own. As far as other species throughout the universe, you are near the bottom.”
“What are someone at the tops stats like then?”
“Even before achieving a class, most top ranked individuals would have over one-hundred in each stat before applying percentage increases. Their percentage increases will be easily over one-thousand.”
“Oh… Well then. Class picking time?” Alex said, going from feeling almost too strong to mediocre at best. The fact that he was probably near the strongest amongst his entire race didn’t even cross his mind again as he thought about all those other species that could obliterate him.
“There are no other sources that I am aware of in your current environment that can quickly make your Class choices better. I agree it is time to pick your Class, Alex.” V.V. said this and moved from where they were, hovering over the corpses of their latest kills, to Alex’s shoulder in order to watch his choices appear.
“Class selection.” Alex said, nerves coming through just slightly. He was finally going to be able to use all his built-up experience points and have a Class. Hoping that at least something with magic would be available, he watched as the screen came into view.
Class Selection
Melee
Ranged
“What… the?” Alex said, baffled by the extremely short list of possibilities.
“These are not the classes themselves, Alex. Pick which style best suits you and the System will give you more options according to your preferences.
“Oh… haha… I thought the System was screwing me over. I need a break sooner rather than later…” Alex said as he rested his head back against the hard bark of the… oak? that he’d decided to crash at. His mind wanted to start wandering again but he pulled himself back to task and decided on Ranged.
Ranged Class Selection
Short- Ranged
Mid-Ranged
Long-Ranged
“Short- Ranged? I bet that’s at the high end of melee. If I check a class selection, can I go back or am I locked in?”
“I do not know the specifics, but I do not believe you would be ‘locked in’.”
“Well, that’s not completely reassuring… Do you know what the difference between Mid and Long-Ranged Classes are?”
“Mid-Ranged Classes will more than likely be geared towards the use of short bows, crossbows, javelins, boomerangs, and other weapons that can be thrown or shot. Long-Ranged Classes will specialize in weapons that can attack from extreme distances, such as long bows, or something like your sniper rifles. The distances can vary, and some mid or long-range weapons can bleed into each other’s categories. Just because you’re using a long bow does not mean you can’t kill someone that’s in mid-range.” V.V. said this and Alex couldn’t help but wonder if the little marble breathed at all.
“Boomerangs? Wait, don’t answer that… So, you didn’t mention magic at all, how does that play into classes?” Alex felt his mind wanting to ask potentially pointless questions that would easily derail his train of thought into directions that could cost him far too much time.
“As you go deeper into your selections, certain Classes will be offered that specialize in magical usage. Eventually, no matter what class you pick, Magic and other Universal Energies will come into play.”
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SIGH
“Other ‘Universal Energies’?”
“Magic is not the only energy that is utilized by the System. There is energy known as Finesse, which is derived from Stamina and Endurance. This energy can allow physically weaker individuals to perform tasks usually needing far more strength. There is likewise, an energy known as Balance that is derived from Strength and Constitution which allows physically strong but potentially uncoordinated individuals to perform tasks usually needing far more dexterity. Then there is…” V.V. was going down a brand-new rabbit-hole of power that Alex just wasn’t ready for, so he cut them off.
“Stop, stop V.V. Thank you for the explanation. I know I asked, and I know I’ll need to learn all about that stuff eventually, but for now, I need a class and shelter. Unless you think I need that information right now, it’s fine to hold onto it for later. I know I blew up before about you holding back but I trust that you’ll let me know what I need to know when I need to know it.” Alex felt that V.V. would tell him all the intricacies of the universe if he asked, and he’d die of old age before they stopped talking. He enjoyed listening to V.V. explain things and he was curious about anything that had to do with the System, Magic or other ‘Universal Energies’ but he really needed to wrap things up in the woods.
“Very well. Unless you choose a class that relies on an energy that I have not mentioned, I will withhold further disclosures.” V.V. said, and Alex tried to listen for any annoyance in their voice, but he couldn’t detect any.
“Ok. Thank you, V.V.” Alex turned his attention back to the Class window.
“I think I want something that has the potential to be very long-range, but I don’t hate the idea of something in the mid-range. But since mid-range probably has a harder time going long-range, I’ll most likely be going that route. I said range a lot…” Alex finished his thought out loud and chose Long-Ranged.
Long-Ranged Class Selection
Sharp Shooter
Artillery User
Shadow Bow
Long Ranger
Deep Ranger
Mage
Summoner
Elementalist
Marble Mover
Orb Caller
Healer
Priest
Attributer
Evoker
Soul Weaver
“That’s… not bad actually. I thought there’d be a few less options this deep into the selections.”
“You have done several things that have increased the number of available Classes.”
“I’m assuming the last three are what I should focus on?”
“This choice is yours, but the last three Classes are likely to be the rarest and most powerful that are available.”
“Ok. Deep Ranger.” Alex said, and like when he was selecting his companion, nothing happened.
“Not again! Damnit, Deep Ranger Class Description!” Nothing.
“V.V. do you know how I should address the System so that it’ll show me what each Class does?”
“If you ask the System in a concise manner and it does not show you any results; the most probable cause is that it cannot show you anything.”
“So, there are some things that the System just doesn’t want to show?
“Incorrect. The System attempts to show you everything that you ask it within its means. If it is not showing you something; it cannot show you, not that it doesn’t want to show you.”
“Ok… So for some reason, it can’t show me what the Classes do. I have an idea of what several of the Classes do but the last three aren’t so clear.”
“It could be surmised that ‘Deep Ranger’ has something to do with the woods and bows. ‘Orb Caller’ is more nebulous, but it may have to do with either myself, summoning or your Orbs of Leporids. ‘Soul Weaver’ most likely has to do with healing in some way, attribute manipulation, or possibly summoning as well.” V.V. speculated, and Alex stared at the beautiful little orb. They had speculated enough that Alex would have been happy if the description had said even half as much as what V.V. had come up with. The caveat was that V.V. could be wrong in their guesses, but he doubted it. He was getting similar vibes as V.V, if to a lesser degree.
“So, let’s just assume that you’re right. I’m not really interested in bows, so I’m going to set Deep Ranger to the side. Soul Weaver sounds interesting, but I feel like it would be more useful in a large party. So now I’m staring down the barrel that is Orb Caller. If it does any of the things you thought of, then it’s already a win. If it can somehow make you stronger, win. If it allows me to summon stuff, win. If it makes my Orbs more powerful or control them even better, win. I know there’s the other Summoner class, but the rarity seems like it would be two levels lower than Orb Caller if the listed order matters at all.” Alex mused aloud and ultimately decided to put a hold on deciding.
“Mid-Ranged Class Options.” Alex said and a new window appeared alongside the Long-Ranged options.
Mid-Ranged Class Selection
Bowman
Combat Bowman
Shadow Bow
Stealth Ranger
Deep Ranger
Magister
Summoner
Elementalist
Marble Mover
Orb Caller
Healer
Priest
Attributer
Evoker
Soul Weaver
“Oh… I thought there would be a whole list of different options. Looks like most of these are mid and long-range classes?”
“Your observation should be correct, Alex. There were four changes, but the most powerful options have not deviated.”
“I guess that settles it then. If I were already in a nicely secured area, where I couldn’t hear things moving around in the distance just waiting to get a nice juicy bite of my face; I’d check other categories. As it stands though, I don’t feel like waiting around to be attacked anymore. Orb Caller.
User has initiated Class Acquisition of Class Orb Caller.
Confirm Acquisition Y/N?
“Yes.” As Alex accepted his Class, several things happened all at once and Alex wasn’t awake to see any of them.
V.V, floating above Alex’s shoulder, fell. They hit Alex’s shoulder, bounced off and rolled down his stomach to rest between his crossed legs. They didn’t move as the pitch black dot that represented their eye dimmed to a light grey which made it nearly invisible on their shiny silver body. The Orbs of Leporids similarly dropped onto Alex’s shoulder, fell to the ground and sank into it, disappearing.
While V.V. and the Orbs were having their own issues, Alex was beginning to glow. It was subtle at first, but he began to brighten more and more to the point that any onlookers would think a small sun sat in the thick woods. Abruptly, the immense glow emanating from Alex vanished.
Pop! POP! CRACK! Snap!
Four distinct noises rang out into the surroundings. Alex lay slumped over now, devoid of light himself, but above him were four bright orbs floating in slow circles. The light from these four orbs slowly faded as well and what remained were four orbs of similar size to Alex’s Orbs of Leporids. Each orb had its own unique shading that looked less like plucked eyeballs and more like large colorful marbles. The orbs continued their slow circulation as V.V. awoke.
“What… Happened?” V.V. said groggily, slowly opening her eye to see that she was lying on the straw covered ground beside Alex. She was relieved to see that Alex was there, but he wasn’t moving, she shot into the air to examine him and was met by four orbs slamming into her. The orbs hitting her only dazed V.V. for a moment before she was able to analyze the situation. Something had clearly gone wrong with Alex’s Class Acquisition and the Orbs of Leporids had gone rogue. Nothing in her Internals could make any sense of how a Users Class could warp a System Designated Weapon into a seemingly sentient enemy.
V.V. disengaged with the new threat and began to cast her only damaging ability. As she started to focus her draining attack, the orbs shot back towards Alex. At first V.V. thought they were changing targets but instead of attacking Alex, they hovered in front of him, slowly rotating, mimicking a shield of sorts. Confused only for a moment, V.V. realized that she had been wrong. The orbs were not enemies, they had mistaken her for one. The Class change had done something to both the Orbs and to her as well. She felt more aware of herself but less connected to the System than before. She felt that she wouldn’t have made such an obvious blunder before the Class Acquisition.
“I am the User, Alex’s Companion. If you understand me, stand down.” V.V. said with both authority and sincerity in her voice.
The orbs halted for just a moment but then began to slowly rotate in the same defensive pattern once more. Apparently, she wasn’t going to placate Alex’s new weapons? easily. Were these orbs sentient? She had thought they were when they attacked her without any input from Alex and now, she was giving that line of thought even more consideration. There were Classes that could bestow inanimate objects with a semblance of life, but they were extremely rare.
“If you can understand me; I need to check on Alex. He should not have gone unconscious from his Class Acquisition at all, let alone for this long.” V.V. said this and started to approach Alex, slowly.
The orbs maintained their slow shielding formation but slowly retreated close enough to Alex that they had to change their trajectory to avoid hitting him. V.V. was finally close enough to Alex that she was able to check his condition.
User: Alexander Ingram
Race: Human
Age/Sex: 19 / Male
Status: Unconscious, Dehydrated, Famished, Wounded
ZzSIGH
“Nothing I didn’t already know.” V.V. sighed and decided to slightly bonk Alex on the forehead.
The bonk both had and didn’t have the reaction V.V. was looking for. Alex grunted in a way that made V.V. feel that he was coming to, if a little more painfully than he’d like but this also elicited a response from the orbs. They dove at V.V. in unison once more and she shot away as well. She whizzed around a tree as the four orbs were hellbent on destroying their masters attacker. They flew this way and that, at much higher speeds than V.V. had flown before. She was surprised at how easily she was able to avoid the four colorful missiles.
“What… the… fuck… is happening?” Alex said as he slowly sat up against his less than comfy tree. Once his eyes had figured out how to focus again, he saw an extremely confusing scene. V.V. was being chased around by what looked like slightly smaller versions of V.V. themselves. They weren’t silver but they were orb beings like V.V. They didn’t look like his Orbs at all since they didn’t look disgusting. They were much more glass blown marble and less gouged out rabbit eyeball. His question got V.V.’s attention and they swerved around a thick tree to lose the other orbs for a moment and flew towards Alex.
“Call them off! Call them off!” V.V. shouted at Alex and continued to zoom past him as the orbs made to make a pincer attack on her.
“…What?” Alex was still not awake enough to fully grasp the situation. Was that really V.V? They sounded much more, alive? And who was V.V. telling to call off the orbs?
V.V. avoided the attack that she felt should have been outside of what a non-sentient being was capable of doing. She was leaning towards the new orbs being fully sentient more and more. She continued to weave around trees and could not help but notice that Alex had not called off his killer marbles. She made to make another flyby when all of a sudden one of the little jerks moved in front of her from behind a tree. Too late to change trajectory, V.V. slammed into the smaller orb and while it slowed her down, the other orb went flying.
“Ouch!” Alex said and slapped his right arm to his temple. It felt like a giant mosquito had just bitten him in the brain. As he was coming to terms with this new pain, one of the marble-like orbs rolled past him on the ground. He watched it as it slowly, but woozily floated back into the air. Before it could head back into the fray against V.V, he called out to it.
“Hey you! Come here!” Alex yelled at the muddy red orb that was close enough to toss a rock at. Tossing a rock was exactly what he was planning to do if the orb didn’t respond to him. He fished his hands around the brush, hoping he’d find something worthy of knocking the oversized BB out of the air with.
To Alex’s surprise however, the orb immediately changed its direction and floated over to hover right in front of him, swaying slightly. Alex watched the orb for a moment and then decided, whatever and held his hand underneath it. He had intended to ask the orb to land in his hand but before he could say anything, it did. The red orb plopped right into his hand and Alex’s mind flooded with information.
Ingram’s Orb
Name: Unassigned
Age: 0
Class: None
Profession: None
Abilities: Link
Skills: None
Spells: None
“Woah.”