Getting up, I considered a few things. One, is that I now had the radiant energies of life rushing through my system, revitalizing and potent. Basically, I had healing hands. No idea if the system would actually go with overload protection or not... as frankly, that could either just be a positive energy plane thing or a sort of divine spellcasting healing racket. Or it could be that I could fill a living being with so much positive energy that they would combust and explode into a miniature star.
Really, I had no way to be sure without some testing. And I was NOT going to do it on a person. Or a pet. That would be wrong. Because... well, pure living vital energy? Could also cause cancer. It was the case in at least SOME stories, so despite being a healing power, it came with a number of potential downsides. Then again, that was the case for almost all kinds of energy, so nothing new there. It was something to experiment with and plan. And besides, I could perform some fleshwarper surgery if I had some time.
Actually, come to think of it, it was a hard choice between buying additional manifestations for Limb-Shredding Graft-Taker or for True Surgeons Skill. Two thousand gold and 500 exp for each full set of four manifestations, so four thousand gold and a thousand exp total. A goal to work towards, but the end result would be... well, skill based healing, curing poison, diseases, curses, ability damage and drain in addition to being able to offer a large range of benefits via the grafts.
Of course, even with Stable Implement of Empowerment, I would not be able to induce all the mutations needed. No, those would need to wait until level seven and Fantastic Mythos opening up. Granted, that tier had a LOT of things I'd be burning mythos points on getting, but then again, I was a Magos. My lips parted in a wide grin, as I walked to my door, opening it and picking up my small and smugly, patting her and kissing the top of her head as she wiggled and huffed.
"Tonight my lovely little smugness, tonight." I chuckled, a glint in my eyes... because I WAS going to give her laser eye beams. Granted, I might also give her some other things, but the laser eye beams? Look, there was just something funny about giving those to a pug. "Still, better call the folks." Which really... I needed to do. Best to show off some of the things and... well, Luke was a mocking little shit who liked to hit the eyes, spine and balls at any chance he could.
He was also really good at being a snide bastard and hiding his insults, making sure to have his barbs and insults sting... while being silver tongued enough that if you protested or repeated the same 'jests' you would seem to be an asshole. Still, he was family. He was my little brother, that I tried to help when he had his peanut butter allergy, who I helped with homework and did more than one electronic reading compression quiz for. I would grumble and grouch, but I would help him when he needs me.
Also, he walked in on me as I was preforming surgery on myself to have a mystical structure weaving through my bones, nerves, blood vessels, organs and chakras. While I was keeping myself open to watch and study how it went at that. Really, I could understand if he was a bit upset. Still, I picked up my phone, and called the farm. "Ah, mom? I'm coming over soon, Luke walked in on something, and I'd like to explain it."
"So, this have something to do with why he thought you were dead Matt?" Oh, there is the disapproval in her tone, the anger. I couldn't really do anything right as far as she was concerned, but that was true of everyone. Frankly, the reason most people avoided her was... she was not an easy person to get along with.
Still, she was my mother, and I loved her even if I would rather avoid her and once pondered an underground dome in the arctic to get away from her. "Pretty much. Was just finishing something up that is somewhat relevant in the next few days. Heck, if Jake is off, feel free to invite him down, may as well tell everyone at once." As it is, I was calm, collected... and running some numbers.
Of course, her reply was the snippy and ever so friendly 'I am your mother, respect mah authorita and tell me what I want to know' that was... yeah. Her temper rises and she just starts screaming and insulting people. At least she's stopped throwing things at people. Unless dad just doesn't mention it. "Mom. You know Jake is the family designated mediator." Mostly as he is able to get through to her for some reason. Maybe the fact that he is so painfully literal that he has issues understanding any kind of poetic speech? Dude thinks like a computer program.
Some heavy breathing on her end, as she all but snarls a fine at me. She is probably worried really. Because on reflection, as I murmur the socially acceptable love you's and see you soon's, yeah, I did cut myself open. And then talked D&D. And I've joked about being crazy for years as a dig against group think and social conformity and been pretty vocal that sanity is a social construct born of following the approved mores and thought patterns of ones time.
Yeah, Luke probably thought I was either killing myself... or doing some weird cult ritual. Oh hell, will we have to fight off strange eldritch cultists in addition to everything else? To be entirely honest, I was just going to be an asshole and kick that potential problem down to the line to future Matt. I needed to get on my trike and ride down to the farm.
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So, there was a fun thing. All the families cars and trucks were at the farm. Well, not Uncle Ron, and not the extended clan, just the close family. Okay, this was an attempt at an intervention. Which really, was depressing. I'm the one in the family that avoids booze and drugs! And I have no intention of offing myself. Now, I could go towards the people at the little barbeque area, nice gazebo and all... or I could keep going towards the detached garage, parking my bike near some fifty-five gallon drums as the family looks on.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
I am calm, as I enter into the garage and press the button to open the main door. I am calm, as I move, shifting and picking up the Kubota RTV-X900, walking slowly but firmly towards the gazebo, as this thing was freaking heavy... but thanks to Colossal Strength? Yeah, quadrupled weight limits means my dad's one thousand nine hundred and seven pound farm utility vehicle? I could carry that. Slowly, bent over and not doing and overhead press, but frankly?
A human carrying nearly a ton of weight under their own power? As I moved, getting the rear wheels down first, before carefully lowering the front, I turned to face my clearly shocked and mildly upset family. "So, as you may be able to tell, I have undergone a few small changes of late." Of course, this was punctuated by my metal claws sliding out, reaching up to my face as I started to shave some of my returning beard in clear view of my two little brothers (Luke and Jake), my mother, my dad and my uncle Ralph. "As a side note, modern civilization is due for a borking and I probably should have told you about that a few days ago when I stopped crying and screaming in pain."
Ah, the looks of shock on their faces. There is a reason, well, more then five anyway, I so enjoy being able to play the troll.
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Jake
Reality did not make sense. Matt somehow gained superpowers, manifested a freaking status window and showed off how things were like D&D. Like reality was becoming a video game. Like all his coding, all his education, training and work... didn't matter. Instead, it was Matt who was getting a beyond lucky break... and he forgot to mention the world was ending before they had less than two full days left. Because of course he forgot. Likely he was trying to track something down in the woods.
"Oh yeah, almost forgot. I won the ability to roll a scroll." He presses a button, and then... "Claim scroll." And lo and behold, in clear violation of the laws of nature, a scroll appears out of thin air! Which he promptly places in his backpack. Instead of looking at it. "Oh, and claim item rewards." Another violation of all that he knew, a crystal marked with a picture of a deer and wolf being impaled on spears, as he smiles in that air headed way of his.
"Aren't you going to look at the scroll Matt?" Thank you Ralph for saying what he wanted to say, if rage was not choking him. Only for the jackass to shake his head.
And offer a painfully relevant nonsense explanation. "Not yet. I'd have to decipher the spells on the scroll, but thanks to some... adventures, I can hit level three when I sleep tonight, so I'll be picking up Mystic Occulem and the ability to automatically parse through the spells." Which actually, was more on point than his usual rambling. Usually, he just spewed random bullshit and you could just hope to be on point with him, or least sort through the things for what might be useful.
Still, at the very least, he offered character creation help. Which was... he was trying and remember Jacob, that there actually is a point, some method to his madness now. Might as well listen as he recommends things. Because if there is anything the Blob knockoff would know how to do, its cheese D&D. He wasn't good at anything else after all.
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Matt
So, some time talking to the family, a trip back out to my little homestead... and some rest. Because really, I just wanted to level up and be done with this. So, Pug firmly in hand, I settled down on my bed, closing my eyes as vindication filled me. Four hours of sleep... and then some quick casing a joint to loot (it sounded much better than steal) some gold and silver coins in town. After all, I needed gold and materials to copy the spells over... actually, I'll need to see if thats still a thing.
[Congratulations, you have enough experience to reach level two! Congratulations, you have enough experience to reach level three! Apply level up process? Yes/No]
With a smile in my heart, I pressed yes... and saw more windows appear. Still, most of them? Straightforward, as it did things level by level... and as I advanced both of my current levels. The prompt for the rogue skills came up, and sweet wonder of wonders, hey, I'd already grab a few as class skills with Evolve Aptitude, nice and easy to buy them up. Would make the looting missions later easier.
Of course, level two was fairly minor all things said and done, as I applied skills, chose mutations... and picked the Dire Body tetramorphism as I'm likely going to keep using my claws as my primary weapons, and while I could take Extra Mutations, this body enhancement would help with offense and armor. Biggest thing was the excellency, which was going to head into boosting up some of my skills over time.
Which took me to to the big one. Level three. Still early on, still fairly weaksauce... but this was a milestone. So, how else could I celebrate, than to... well, some of my enhancements and mutations would be fairly ego boosting. Others? Elemental forces to enhance my speed and mystic thought-scripture to both enhance the range of my telepathy... but also to give me several forms of sight. From magic, to life, to being able to see in mystical darkness, to being aware of nearby minds...
In several ways, as I look over my build, as knowledge and power sinks into me, I was getting ready for the coming collapse by attempting to become a predator. Then again... the simple fact was, I was afraid of ceasing to be. With this, even as I became a monster in mind and soul... I would survive.