> ManaCorps ManaNET> ~/System_I&R_Div/ Documents/WelcomeToTheManaNET.sys
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> WARNING: Due to insufficient clearance, the following document will be partially auto-redacted. Please apply for access to the System Investigation and Research Division Director, Mina ███████.
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> To:
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> Welcome!
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> If you’re reading this that means you were included in the pilot program for ManaNET and that it indeed works as expected – either that or something went wrong and your blood was submitted to the registry against your knowledge. In that case please direct any complaints to the ManaCorps HR department and ignore the rest of this message.
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> Assuming you are undergoing initiation, you may be asking yourself why or how a popup that looks similar to the system is currently displayed in front of you. ManaCorps has ever since the ████████ incident been investigating the system and been attempting to duplicate some of its functionality.
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> For that information I will hand this over to the head of our SIR (System Investigation and Research) Division ███!
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> - What is ManaNET?
>
> A great question! ManaNET is a result of SIR's research on the grand “system” it tries to ███ the ███████ ████ ██████. Senior Director Regis A█████’s comment on the DNG-508 incident that the system may be of use in paperwork and data management. Thanks to the cooperation of several ████████ a ██████ and several long years, a portion of its capabilities have become ours.
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> - What can I use ManaNET for?
>
> From now on all of your correspondence with higher or equal in level employees is to be held through ManaNET, and the same is true for all the documentation about your project. Just access the already prepared “folder” and copy the current Documentation.
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> - What features does ManaNET have?
>
> Our system offers multiple features, the most important being “live chat”, “system mail” and "████████ ██████████". For a full list of features, check the help module.
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> - Are there any limitations?
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> Not much, but the NDA is still here – and the redaction system will handle the information between employees – an example of its use is in this message. But one of the not-yet worked-out issues is that currently, ManaNET has limited coverage – it works in a 100 km radius from any ManaCorps office, and we’re looking for ways to solve this issue.
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> For any other questions, feel free to read the Frequently Asked Questions document.
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> Use the system responsibly and contact us if you find any errors!
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> ManaNET Development Team Leader
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> Magic Technician. T█████
Excerpt obtained from the mock system currently being made by manacorps. 1985 AS
The snake king was quite satisfied with himself. Sadly, winning the fight wasn't enough to evolve him to level 1 but Innearth could tell he was close.
As close as Innearth was to splitting his 8th floor actually. And considering his current plans he needed quite a bit more floor space.
Innearth had learned multiple things from his "otter encounter".
1. Obviously, was that he wasn't fully prepared to host adventures. He needed loot for them and quickly.
2. Was that his weaker "lesser snakes" were still difficult for complete beginners. That wasn’t the absolute worst thing, but he wanted to make something closer to a slime in strength so that complete beginners could quickly advance to his beginner area.
3. Less a specific thing he had learned, but he had watched the otters walk around and their legs were…fascinating. He was watching the way their limbs moved and learning a lot.
I’ve started getting slightly annoyed by wheels…I tried sending the crazy ball mother up to the beginner area but it got stuck on one of my steepest areas and fell over…I prefer a slightly hands off management of my monsters. The magic is really lost if I have to help one by flipping it over.
4. He wasn’t sure what to make of it, but the silvery metal was more useful than he had thought. The otter had taken it and somehow been transformed to be stronger.
I want to try seeing if I can upgrade my monsters using it. So, add that experimentation to the queue.
Currently a plan for his initial dungeon design was forming in his core and he was excited to start design on it.
Innearth had also wanted to commemorate the dead otter somehow. He had already used death mana to invert its soul and reanimated the furry creature.
It was laughably easy to make a zombie otter. Around 15amu...around the cost of a slime to make a zombie otter that...was probably stronger than a slime. It was definitely weaker than the otter had been. More importantly than how strong it was however was that he made a friend for his death knight. The death zone’s population had been increased by 1.
I can't really tell if they appreciated it, but I think being alone is...boring.
…
I'm sure they appreciate it.
Anyways I have a plan for 10 floors currently the magma halls are the largest...but they don't have very many rooms. The previous owner really liked long empty hallways and I think it needs more areas. A close second is the currently unnamed and unthemed area above.
Okay going upwards. The crystal caverns are the turtle and snake area. They are currently my most mana dense, but also the most unfocused. The goal is to make it much bigger and use 3 floors. Once I figure out if the void fly is useful or not, I can add a few more of those. They seem to need this mana density to function after all. Default area of the better unique monsters like the Mass of Eternal Crystals. Which reminds me! I need to check on my oven.
I need to make a boss for this area. I mean it already has the sand bed but I'm thinking of moving it to between the beginner area and the halls. The sand bed is a re-creatable boss. I think I want to keep my unique monsters further down.
Next, I have the magma halls. I have the spider bat pairs, a puzzle room...a budding death zone – Optional mini boss of Death Knight Silver. As I already mentioned it needs more rooms. 3 floors is the goal. I also need a final boss for the zone.
Then there is the beginner area. So far, it's full of lesser snakes and a few normal ones. I want to figure out the crazy ball and turtle mother situation better so I can have them as a main attraction. I really haven’t had the time to figure that out. 3 floors as well.
Finally, a tutorial area. I’m thinking 3-4 rooms and a single floor. Bunch of slimes or equivalent and then maybe a “normal” snake as a gatekeeper boss to the beginner area. Slightly nerfed from what I have currently – It probably can’t have the healing sack, but I’ll keep its size.
Innearth felt good planning his next actions. It might seem simple to inventory and his plans weren’t complicated…but it still felt good to list them out. He tried to rank them in terms of importance and then shuffled stuff around a few times. Finally realizing he should be actually working on something instead of just planning he started on the beginner/tutorial area.
Okay. I need to expand this area quite a bit more. But…I hate expansion. Now that I have void mana, I think I want to try offloading the effort of expansion onto a monster.
Innearth didn’t really care about expanding in a unique way. He checked the market for monster schematics to try and find a monster that could solve his problem and instantly came up against a problem.
Expensive.
So much more expensive.
…
Something had happened to the market between ranks. Now cores were selling monsters for much much higher costs and he actually found a few that did what he wanted – “Void Burrowing Wyrm” was an example. Sold for 25,000 amu for the monster (It will pay itself off within days! Save endless time and expand using our patented Void Burrower). Its schematic wasn’t even listed on the market.
On the schematic side in the “void using expansion aid” section was the Boring Drill Golem. Listed for the equivalent of 2,500,000 mana (2.5 megamus) Innearth tried to figure out how much that would take to pay off.
That’s my current max pool of 3877…645 times…it takes 40 minutes to regenerate my full pool. Over 18 days to pay that off? That’s…I mean I guess that’s not the absolute worst but really. I can probably make something myself. That’s just throwing my mana away.
That schematic also came with a so-called “Patent” meaning…if you decided to resell it the original creator got 50% of the profit enforced by the system. You also couldn’t trade it for less than 1 million mana and thus couldn’t gift it to your friends for free.
This “Patent” was enforced by the system somehow. ????
Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
Even worse than that relatively normal trade as Innearth continued to review options he found more and more with strange clauses. “Tunnel Creator Z : Rented for 1 week at a time. Only offering to Tier 5 cores and up you must leave a “free camera” on it at all times and pay 100x its cost if something unfortunate were to happen to it.
No one had told Innearth, yet the store was now able to enforce actions you had to do? No longer was the market enforced by ratings there were now somehow binding contracts with penalties for breaking clauses.
????
Either way, Innearth realized this would take slightly longer than he first thought, so he flipped to checking his mana oven.
The material inside had undergone a different sort of synthesis than the material he had used for the mass of eternal crystals. It had seemingly disappeared completely to all but Innearth’s mana sight. Invisible sheets of clear crystals that seemed to shift light that came through them and project the illusion of some crystals further past where they were.
The only real problem is that when staring at it in Innearth’s mana sight he found at roughly the same level that rank 2 mana became known he could make out the outline and position of the crystals relatively easily and at rank 3 it was like the crystals weren’t invisible at all.
Innearth’s snakes were his most versatile and started out as being an ambush predator so really it was the best schematic to use for this.
Using it right away might be slightly wasteful, however.
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Innearth: Hey does anyone know if there is an invisibility mana? Or else how to use Illusion mana? I want to make a monster with an Illusion or even better Invisibility core…
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Fated Eternal Design: Yeah. I can make you one. The Art of Illusions! I’m glad you’ve started to delve into the mystic’s.
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Abe: It's Fire mana shifted to Light mana and then combined with mind mana into a dual material. I’ve been practicing all the offshoots of Fire mana they’ve been giving me a lot of experience.
Abe: I could make you one instead if you needed it? Can’t see it being nearly as exciting as an explosion core btw – still haven’t made a stable one of those but I’m close!
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Innearth: Why don’t you both send me one? I can offer up crystal cores! That’s an even trade right?
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Abe: I love you m8 but what would I do with a crystal core? This doesn’t have to be a trade it's just a gift. You’re my bud.
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Fated Eternal Design: Crystals…crystal balls. I’d love a crystal core. I’ll put it on a pedestal and use it to spice up my fate driven room!
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…
Innearth got two separate “Illusion” Cores. One from Abe and one from Bose.
They were made out of different materials and while technically he could tell they were a similar mana type, both looked incredibly different.
Abe’s core was surprisingly smooth and perfect. Innearth almost expected a lumpy unstable looking core, but it was perfectly smooth and swirled with white light tinged with a rainbow of colours.
Bose’s core on the other hand was a perfect cube. All 6 sides had a different symbol etched into them and glowed with fake purpose.
Pulling the invisibility/reflection crystals out of the oven Innearth replaced it with an idea for potential loot.
Innearth started to build the snake. A circuit ran down its entire length. The Tier 2 coned head, was connected to the Tier 2 illusion core that Abe had sent with a Tier 2 circuit…he really didn’t want to waste it.
Next there were smaller crystal cores placed in a triangle that split the path. These paths twisted around and then connected to several mind and life cores surrounding Bose’s artistically created Tier 1 core…Innearth even spent time and effort making a void core surrounded by layers upon layers of insulation just for an added kick.
Finally, after making the crystal muscles and bone structure around this circuit, Innearth started to slice slivers of the unique material off and lay them as scales across the snake.
Incredibly thin and fragile-looking, the scales covered the entire creature and even were placed on its spiked head.
As they were sliced off, they lost some of their complete invisibility and Innearth was worried he was breaking it somehow but kept at it. Continuing to layer mind numbingly slowly.
Finally, he seeded this snake with life and watched it vanish. Vanish completely. Not even Innearth’s mana sight could see where the snake was.
Worried the void core had swallowed it, Innearth looked around the whole room trying desperately to find his experimentation.
Finally checking a corner, he saw it. Or at least he thought he saw it slithering along because as he watched, it passed through a crystal plant that was growing – instead of going around.
Okay, so that’s the projection. I guess it works? That went…well this is what I wanted but I didn’t expect it would even be able to hide from me.
Hey, can you show yourself to me? Innearth projected out into the room.
A faint pause was felt before slowly the projection shimmered and then popped out and reformed on the other side of the room.
Turning to look up at him Innearth could feel the smug satisfaction radiating off the invisible snake before it turned and vanished once more. A projection appeared once more and Innearth ended this tangent.
…Well the crystal caverns are going to be the advanced area…should be fine.
Innearth returned to designing a digging monster.
Once more taking his greater snake schematic, Innearth used the system controls this time to design his new monster. Growing it larger and larger, Innearth kept shifting things around as its increased size weakened more and more parts. The bone structure was strengthened and extended, the crystal muscles were interwoven with thin crystal bones and the middle was hollowed out into a gaping stomach of sorts.
This stomach was lined with void material and then double protected with a wall of insulation. Next, it was connected to its head which was replaced for the first time since Innearth had started making spiked snakes heads.
Trying to emulate the demon, Innearth built a maw of void teeth bent inwards towards the stomach cavity.
Adding several earth cores, crystal cores and void cores to the digger; Innearth seeded it and printed it into his upper caves.
Hey buddy. Your job is to make tunnels okay? I’ll be expanding with you, because sadly I don’t think you can leave my influence, but hopefully you’ll be able to dig plenty okay?
Innearth’s Crystal Burrower nodded and then rushed for the wall and attacked it. The Burrower hit the edge of his influence within a few seconds and then flinched back before trying once again. Attempting to suck the earth towards itself was slower – the circuit Innearth had made by throwing stuff together wasn't as useful this time.
Either way partial success. On to the next plan!
Innearth already had the next task. The next experiment. The next thing to focus on, queued up.
However, like a notification pushing through, the portion of his mind paying attention to the chat forced him away to rejoin and think about what was currently happening in the chat.
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Amy: How long has this been happening?
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Fated Eternal Design: 4-5 months.
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Abe: listen bro. Ignoring this doesn't change a single thing. I say we crush the core who's been harassing you.
Abe: This isn't an overreaction it's the manifestation of karma. You can get behind that right? Sounds suitably "mystical".
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Apparently, Bose was being bullied. Endlessly harassed by a core for no real reason other than they could. Bose had started feeling better ever since they advanced to Tier 4 because the system now offered a blocking option. It was only now that he was starting to calm down that he had told them.
Every manner of harassment had been made. The bully had recruited friends to help, so every interaction he made with a stranger was suspect. Many Cores had come to him, seemingly normal, with trades that ended badly. Others had left fake negative feedback afterwards, about him being a crook. He had received daily threats and while some of the trades were more physically dangerous, apparently most of the words had hurt worse.
Innearth felt strange. First a flash of outrage followed by guilt. He had slightly guessed something like this was happening. He had used the excuse that he was waiting for Bose to confide in him...but he was also just ignoring it and pretending it wasn't happening.
Anger slowly grew. First anger at himself for not pushing it till now. Then that anger was overtaken and squashed by a larger sea of rage directed towards the nameless core that had made his friend's life hell.
No...no I'm not having it.
Unfairness has to be punished. This cannot be ignored and swept under the rug. Retribution must be had.
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Innearth: I'm with Abe on this one. Let's crush that pathetic 2 floored excuse for a dungeon into the ground.
Innearth: Goal - obliterate the harasser. Make it so he can never touch you again in any way possible.
Innearth: Method - discuss!
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Fated Eternal Design: you...thank you. You really don't have to do this you know?
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Innearth: counteroffer. You blocked them but they are still getting to you. You're afraid in every interaction with any stranger - your words not mine. THEY TRIED TO KILL YOU WITH SKETCHY TRADES. I say we burn them to the ground.
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Abe: yesss! A sentiment I can throw my support behind. I'm thinking explosions. Lots and lots of explosions.
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ZeMadDoctor: ...I think I have a way to pull this off if you're serious?
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Amy: I'm not sure if I approve. But seeing as how I'm outnumbered I'll help. Tell us your plan Doc.
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ZeMadDoctor: Well I've been experimenting solely with space and void since I advanced. The most common and dangerous combination. Of these two opposites. Is teleportation.
ZeMadDoctor: If I leave the portal open too long. Demons start to break out of it. But that's not an issue.
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That...sounded like an issue to Innearth but sure.
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ZeMadDoctor: Basically for this task. I can make an innocent-seeming monster. With a portal as the payload.
ZeMadDoctor: The rest of you can send whatever you want through this portal. I'll close it afterwards.
ZeMadDoctor: Simple enough?
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Abe: Perfect. I'm going to figure out what the best explosion I can send is.
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Innearth: that works. I think we should do more than just "gift a few explosions" though.
Innearth: That's not enough.
Innearth: I want them to know it came about through their actions. Bose can you send us one of your monster schematics? Let's make the core know why they are being invaded.
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Fated Eternal Design: Okay...that...that would be nice. I...are you sure? What if there's backlash from this. What if their friends take over?
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Abe: duh. We break them too. No one is allowed to mess with you and get away with it okay? So drop it. Send me something that screams you. I'm ready to throw some bombs in them.
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Finally relenting Bose sent everyone a schematic for a "Red Mask"
It was slightly similar to the air spirit he had shown Innearth months ago and just before he continued on Innearth stopped to read the attached Lore Description.
Red Masks: Far more powerful than the Wisps, Red Masks are the first floor's primary defenders. They are the weakest of the masked defenders. Sadly that doesn't give justice to how hard they are to face. These monsters come in several different varients, the most consistent being ones that fire arrows of wind or slash with wind claws.
Does this mean Bose has started to get adventurers? Lucky bugger. Anyways I think I can work with this.
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Innearth: Okay. Got it thanks. I say we hit them in a week. I'll need some time to modify this into being as dangerous as I can.
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Abe: ai ai crew.
Abe: This is fun. I've never planned a murder before.
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Amy: I don't think you need to go that far Abe. A punishment will be good enough as a warning.
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Innearth: This will only work once. We have to make sure we hit them with everything we've got. Let's make this shot count okay?
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Amy: Fine. I'll stop. How does a virus sound? I've accidentally made a few that wipe monsters out.
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Abe: Now you're talking! Wipe out the defenders and hit em while their down!
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Fated Eternal Design: :)
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