Chapter 4- Skill check
One Week Later
“Did everyone get all their business taken care of?” Mille prompted the group sitting around the table. The table looked like it was seating a group of bobbleheads as the remaining five nodded their heads in assent. “OK. So is everyone good to go tonight? No last minute qualms?”
“The sooner we’re gone, the happier I’ll be” Lota stated
“Everyone knows that Shared World is the skill that I am keeping.” Deebo interjected as soon as they realized they weren’t going to have any last minute desertions, “Everyone else know what they are gunna bring?”
Everyone looked around the table before they each started nodding. It was so in sync that it looked rehearsed. They all let out an awkward laugh that filled the even more awkward silence.
“Don’t everyone jump at once to share.” Deebo prodded
“I’ll send mine first” Kore said as he shared his skill through everyone’s Interface.”
Skill Name: One Man’s Trash(lvl 184)
Description: Allows user to break items into its component parts when activated. At the highest levels, this allows a user to separate alloys into base metals. The smaller the parts are broken down the higher the cost for the user.
“You said my Shared World was nuts Kore? It sounds like this skill is a crafters wet dream. Does that mean you could pull gold from rocks or something?”
“There has to be gold in the rocks for me to do that. It’s really best for salvaging things.
“You don’t have to take a resource acquisition skill if you don’t want.” Ash stated, “I get that it will be nice to have access to easy money, but I thought you wanted out of the material gathering game”
“Meh, tons of fighters have some skill in the area. It doesn’t make sense to give away easy money just because I want a change in lifestyle. Besides, my big problem wasn’t my occupation so much as what the ability meant to my lifestyle, I just felt like I was some sort of magical beast only brought out of its cage to perform a task. That I am done with.” Kore replied with an exaggerated shudder. “Plus, I don’t have any other useful skills anyway.” He finished as the group let out a collective chuckle.
As soon as Kore finished his sentence a new skill popped up on everyone's Interface.
Skill Name: Danger Sense (lvl 284)
Description: Allows user to sense any creature that seeks to harm them intentionally. At high levels user begins to develop a sense of potential hazards that are not intentional (ie loose tiles on a roof that are in danger of falling). This is a passive perception linked skill. It does not consume any mana or stamina.
“I like to know if I am about to be served a shit sandwich.” Dexan said with no prompting from the others.
“I thought you would take something… more punchy” Millie said, attempting to be delicate.
“I’ve been punching, hitting, kicking, biting, and stabbing shit for as long as I remember. It's much easier to do that if you know that something needs to be punched, kicked, bitten or stabbed. Even better, sometimes it will let me know to turn and run like hell. And if I ever tell you all to run like hell, I suggest you do so.” Dexan replied in what was by far the most he has talked in the week they had known him.
He sounds like he is a survival instructor, Millie thought, seems like we know how to get him talking now though. Just bring up all the things might be trying to kill him. Then she said aloud “I think that is some of the best advice I have heard in a long time.
Lota paused and looked around nervously. “Ok, so I might have lied about being ready.” As she said this, two seperate skills popped up on everyone’s Interface.
Skill Name: Targeted Body Transformation (lvl 97)
Description: Single target spell that removes specific damage to a body. Healer must be familiar with body parts intended function and design in order to mend wounds. If body is modified incorrectly results can be catastrophic. The more severe the changes, the longer the spell must be channeled.
Skill Name: Just Like it Was Before (lvl 120)
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Description: Removes any damage decently done to the body. This is a time-reversal type heal. The longer the user needs to turn back time, the higher the costs. This spell can only be cast on one-person at a time. Costs quickly become prohibitive. (Cannot be used on the deceased)
“So I was planning on bringing Just Like It Was Before, but we aren’t always going to be standing side by side duking it out in formation. It's obviously amazing , but limited in that I have to react immediately. Targeted Body Transformation is the opposite. Because it takes a while, it has no practical combat application. On the other hand, if one of us gets hurt severely I can restore you to full capability in hours. Opinions everyone?”
“Whew…” A soft whistle came from Dexan “How old are you again girl? That time spell is nuts. Is it a self-learned or did someone teach you.”
Lota, glowing with pride, said “I made it on my own. And I’m only 23.”
“I thought you were just a healer, but seems like you have some expertise in some other areas as well if you can design your own time-based spell.”
Although she was blushing at this point, Lota did not pretend any false modesty. “I studied quite a few areas. I was hoping to become an augmenter as well as a healer. That requires some diverse fields.”
“Back on topic.” Deebo reigned in the conversation. “We will have tons of time for skill-crafting gossip once we translocate. I personally think that the first skill will be the most beneficial in this particular setting. You were right that we aren’t always going to be together, so being completely fixed up sounds like a good option to me.”
“Gotta agree with him.” Dexan said as he nodded at Deebo. “It will hurt to lost that beauty of a skill, but it would just sit on the bench for the next five years. You can always try and recreate it when your Interface comes back…”
“I’ll take the Body Transformation, but don’t try and flatter me. I know the odds of recreating that skill again are practically null.”
As the conversation over Lota’s skill died down, Yash shot her skill to the group.
Skill Name: Ambient Mana Manipulation (lvl 3)
Description: User can utilize their willpower to bend ambient mana to their will. Higher levels will allow mana to be manipulated in greater amounts and with higher levels of intricacy .
“You all can probably guess what I’ve been working on throughout the last week. Finally nabbed the skill on sixth day, which only gave me three days to level it. But yeah, I’m hoping, with research, I can maybe come up with some ways to simulate other skills. I am extremely well-versed in skill creation theory and…” her speech petered out as she saw that no one was arguing with her. “Well, so that’s what I’m doing. I guess that only leaves our lovely Millicent.”
“Millie.” Mille said reflexively, only to see Yash smirk at her. “Well, I must say that I, like Lota was a bit torn. When you develop unique skills… well, it was harder than I thought to choose. But… here is what I landed on.”
Skill Name: Quick Learner (lvl 170)
Description: Passive skill that allows the use to learn skills and information more quickly. The higher the level, the greater the benefit in learning knew material.
“I figure we are going to have a lot to learn in a whole new world so a passive skill that helps me a little bit with everything would be beneficial. Besides, not planning to be stabby-stabby for a while at least.”
After sharing their skills that they would bring, the groups gaze was drawn to the spread on the table. Engaging in one last act of nostalgia before they left Varanthis for a long time, each member had brought one of their favorite dishes exclusive to the city. There were kabobs of rare mutant beasts and salads made of the most exquisite plants money could buy. There was no reason to save their credits at this point, so they had decided to engage in large scale gluttony. Still, despite the gusto the food was devoured with, there was a sense of trepidation in the air.
Seeing everyone was done eating Millie asked “Nap before we go?” The rest of the group stared at her like she was an idiot. “Kidding- Just Kidding”. With that she stood up and walked back to her safe in order to retrieve Another Shot one last time. She walked back to the table and set it down gently, the whole ordeal seemed almost ceremonial in nature. With a thought she pulled up the items status.
Item Name: Another Shot ( Travel to a non Integrated World)
Item Type: Unique System Generated Item #109883)
Item Description: When charged, this item allows the user and up to seven other group members to travel to a world that has yet to Integrate into the system. Due to system restrictions, any individual who utilizes Another Shot will have all system generated abilities and advancements stripped excepting one.
User will be able to choose from list of Worlds with upcoming onsets in the next 10 years. System will construct identity and suitable background to be recognized as an adult in the chosen world...
Drill down for more information >
She sent out mental invites to each of the people sitting around the table and waited for all of them to join through the standard Interface group setup. When everyone had joined Millie said “One last chance to back out… Everyone still good?” and while there was a nervous air pervading the room no one backed out. “OK then…. Here we go.” With that Millie mentally told the artifact to activate. As she did a prompting screen popped up on her Interface and she began to input the necessary information to finally arrive in the new World.
Activating Another Shot………………………
Please Enter Destination World. Earth
How many Party members? Six_
Earth’s System Integration will occur in (5 years 2 Months 26 days 11 hours 14 min) Are you sure Earth is the World you would like to migrate to. Yes
Initializing Transport Sequence….
With that, the world around them disappeared and Millie was left floating alone in a vast void that seemed to stretch on for eternity.