The endless grey parted, revealing a sight that made David's non-existent breath catch. The enormous cube materialized before him, its surface a mesmerizing dance of shifting icons. Colors he had no names for marched across their faces, bleeding into one another in fractal patterns that existed for only moments before dissolving into a new configuration. It hovered above the fog, massive and implacable, silently rearranging itself with every passing second. It was pretty, in the same way a massive spider in a complex web was pretty.
Alright, you beautiful monstrosity. Let's see what goodies you've got for me.
David focused his will, and immediately, a stream of Mutagens began peeling off the cube's surface. As each one approached, information flooded his mind, descriptions, costs, ranks. He had 34 Pts to play with, and he was determined to make them count.
B and A rank only, baby. Go big or go home. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll find something above A. My Bloodline has, like, three ranks above A potentially. Should be possible if I get a little lucky…might cost more than I'm comfortable spending though.
Some icons he dismissed with barely a thought, watching them freeze mid-air before zipping back to the cube's swirling mass. Others caught his interest, and with a practiced mental nudge, he set them orbiting around him for closer inspection.
Sorry, 'Bioluminescent Skin.' You're cool and all, but I'm not trying to be a walking rave. And 'Enhanced Digestion?' Yeah, no. I'll stick to my normal diet, thanks, no need for eating bones or whatever. Christ, it's like picking lottery tickets. Except instead of cash, I'm gambling with my DNA. No pressure.
David began to examine each Mutagen more closely, weighing their potential against his needs as a new Gloomshade Deceiver. He focused on those that would enhance his ability to confuse, disorient, and strike decisively.
|Analgesic Mutagen B(14 Pts): You produce a potent numbing agent, greatly dulling your enemies' senses and reactions.|
A numbing agent? Huh. My acid's already brutal, but this could make it...sneaky? Fits the Deceiver style too. Can't react to what you can't feel, right? Plus, no more agonized screaming, that gets old fast. If I’m a predator, might as well be a...considerate one? God, that sounds wrong. But hey, dead is dead, right?
|Auditory Mimicry Mutagen B(12 Pts): Your vocal cords become highly adaptable, allowing you to perfectly replicate any sound you've heard, enhancing your ability to misdirect and confuse.|
Now we're talking...heh. I could lure prey, confuse enemies, maybe even do a killer impression of Claire. The pranking possibilities are endless. For survival purposes, of course. Ah, who am I kidding. That'd be more useful for hunting, well, other people. Plus I already have that Pheromone Control from the Evolution bonus thingy.
|Adaptive Mutagen B(12pts): Your skin develops the ability to subtly alter it's color, enhancing your ability to blend with your surroundings.|
Kinda cool. I could use that to change the color of my wings, and that's about it though. Maybe my newly ugly…bald face. Ugh. Maybe I should have thought about that one harder, it's just so ugly. I get that it's like a threat display thing, but maybe I was a little hasty there…oh well, too late now. I can always Fuse something later if it still bothers me.
|Myoelectric Mutagen A(16 Pts): Your muscle fibers gain the ability to generate and store small electrical charges, enhancing strength and potentially stunning enemies on contact.|
Great, I can be a bat-taser hybrid. Wonder if I'll start craving batteries instead of fruit. Might be a nasty surprise if anything manages to actually nab me, but Boss's are hard to stun. If I didn't have the hard part of Omega's Quest coming up I might take that, but as is…
As he continued to dismiss and sift through his options, David kept an eye out for anything particularly special. He wasn't sure what he was looking for exactly, but he figured he'd know it when he saw it. But as he examined Mutagen after Mutagen, nothing quite fit that bill. They were all impressive in their own right, but none of them screamed ‘game-changer’ the way he was hoping for.
Come on, you giant Rubik's cube. Show me the good stuff. There's gotta be a 'Win the Apocalypse' Mutagen in here somewhere. Maybe I'm being too picky. Or maybe the universe just doesn't want to make it that easy. Can't blame a bat for trying, though.
Still, the collection he'd amassed was nothing to sneeze at. Each Mutagen offered possibilities, ways to enhance his new Evolution’s strengths or shore up weaknesses in his current abilities.
Alright, David. Time to make some choices. Can't have them all, unless you want to end up as some sort of blob monster. Though, come to think of it, that might be pretty scary. There's probably at least a few successful blobs out there somewhere...
The cube continued its slow rotation, offering tantalizing glimpses of the possibilities that awaited him. David knew he had some serious decisions to make, and he was ready to step up his game. His non-existent eyes narrowed as he focused on the Analgesic Mutagen. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made.
You know what? This could actually be perfect. Combine this with my Corrosive, or even Gloom, and I'd be melting through defenses before they even realize they're in trouble. It's not just sneaky, it's downright devious.
With a mental nod, he dismissed the other icons. Instantly they began to be drawn back to the cube, glittering prettily as they drifted back up and out of focus. David hummed silently to himself, a bit anxious about his pick but fairly sure it was the right way to go. The chance that his prey wouldn't even know it was being attacked, or the possibility they would think he wasn't doing much damage news just too fitting by his reasoning.
Alright, big spender. Time to see what else we can afford.
On a whim, David focused on his stored Tokens. To his shock, a sound like breaking glass rang out, manifesting into a shower of glowing rainbow energy that swirled around him. The kaleidoscopic cloud of color hung motionless for a moment before contracting toward him and vanishing; somehow David knew he'd absorbed it all. As the points settled, adding to his total, his metaphorical jaw dropped.
He now had a whopping 65 Pts at his disposal.
Holy shit! Did I just...Yeah, I did. Sold 'em all. Didn't expect that to work quite so well. Damn, I was hoping to unpack those and see if anything was worth keeping. Mild fuckup there on my part, I guess it did warn me I could sell them, never said anything about being able to use them…heheh. We're gonna leave that part out of the story later.
Giddy with his newfound wealth, David turned back to the cube, ready to splurge a bit more, maybe keep some things in Storage for later after Omegas Quest was complete. That's when he saw it. An icon that made his non-existent heart skip a beat.
|Aesthetic Refinement Mutagen C(10 Pts): Subtly alter your physical appearance, enhancing aesthetic appeal while maintaining functionality.|
David blanked out for a moment, sure he must be hallucinating. But the icon remained, taunting him with its potential. He felt like he’d be breathing heavily if he had lungs at the moment, but instead settled on a motionless dance of victory. Was it a giant waste of Pts? Surely. However, David could think of only one thing at that moment.
No. Freaking. Way. Is this... Is this what I think it is? A honest-to-god CUTENESS MUTAGEN? The universe has a sense of humor after all! From nightmare fuel to pinup bat? Sign me up! Claire's gonna flip. 'David, did you just get... less horrifying?' And Omega? Ha! 'Error: Subject too fabulous. Aborting Creepy.exe.'
A hysterical giggle bubbled up from somewhere deep inside him. As the implications sank in, David's excitement reached fever pitch. Without a second thought, he snatched the icon out of the air, cackling like a madman.
YES! Take that, universe! You thought you could make me look like a reject from a horror movie? Well, guess what? This bat's getting a makeover!
He couldn't stop laughing as he immediately purchased the Mutagen, watching it zip into his collection. As his laughter subsided, a devious thought crossed his mind.
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Wait a second. What if... What if I combined this with Ancestral Terror? That's it. First ‘spare’ Fusion Token I get, bam!
David took a moment to compose himself, still chuckling at the absurd luck.
Alright, focus. We've still got choices to make. But man, that felt good. Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too? Or in this case, be a terrifying predator AND slightly less hideous.
He turned his attention back to the remaining Mutagens, a new spring in his metaphysical step.
Let's see what else we can snag. Maybe there's a 'Charming Personality' Mutagen hidden in there somewhere. Might as well go all out on this makeover.
As he continued his search, David couldn't help but feel a sense of triumph. He'd come into this evolution expecting to become even more of a monster. Instead, he might just walk away with a chance at not scaring himself every time he caught his reflection.
Evolution, round two: Now with 100% more glow-up potential. Take that, apocalypse. This bat's gonna be fabulous AND deadly.
With renewed enthusiasm, David dove back into the selection process. He still had plenty of points to spend, and now, a whole new perspective on what was possible. The glow of happiness still warming his intangible chest, David turned his attention back to the cube. Its shifting surface seemed to pulse with renewed potential, as if sensing his excitement.
Alright, you beautiful Cube. What else you got for me?
His eyes caught on another promising icon, and he snagged it with interest, the icon drifting close for his examination.
|Proprioceptive Enhancement Mutagen B(14 Pts): Dramatically improve your spatial awareness and body control, enhancing agility and precision in combat.|
Oh, that’s a lot of shit for one Mutagen. Perfect for all that hit-and-run nonsense I'll be pulling. And hey, maybe I'll finally stop crashing into trees.
With a mental flick, David sent the Mutagen to join the Aesthetic Refinement in the metaphorical back pocket of his Storage.
That's future David's problem though. Fusion Tokens and all that. Present David's still got some shopping to do.
Suddenly, a thought struck him like a bolt of lightning.
Wait a second. Abilities! I've been so caught up in Mutagen madness, I almost forgot about the other half of the equation. Show me the Abilities, you beautiful logic puzzle.
The cube's surface shimmered, and suddenly the chaotic swirl of icons resolved into neatly organized categories. Offense, Defense, Utility, and more stretched out before him like the world's most dangerous menu.
David focused his will, his gaze sweeping over the Utility section of the neatly organized ability categories.
|Whisper B(10 Pts): Project your voice across a vast distance, allowing communication with allies or misdirection of enemies. High Stamina cost, range increased by Ability rank.|
Now that's interesting. Long-distance pranks, here I come. Could be handy for coordinating with Claire too...or luring unsuspecting prey. Just snarl at them, but it sounds like I'm right behind them or something. Could be useful if I use it right.
|Metabolic Surge A(14 Pts): Drastically accelerate your body's processes, rapidly regenerating Stamina and healing minor wounds. Minor Stamina Cost, generates 1 charge every 10 minutes. Max two charges.|
Whoa, talk about a second wind. Could be a real lifesaver in a tough fight. Might leave me starving after, though, if it ‘accelerates processes.’ Never seen anything with charges before. Maybe it's a utility thing? I've been largely ignoring Utility in favor of other stuff.
|Go for the Throat B(12 Pts): Hyper-focus your senses, greatly enhancing your perception and reaction time. Moderate Stamina drain while active, can be maintained until Stamina depletes.|
Enhanced Senses? Looks like Utility’s heavy on enhancements of different types. Makes sense. That one's pretty damn good actually, mini bullet-time type thing. Could help with dodging and tough fights as long as I don't keep it on all the time. Gonna guess that much drain isn't something I couldn’t shrug off for long.
David mulled over the options, considering how they might complement his Deceiver tactics and existing abilities. He’d gone into this resolved to fix some of his current problems, and his behavior was half of that. Now, he was trying hard to make smart picks and not get carried away with the first cool thing that floated by…except the Aesthetic Refinement. He was utterly unrepentant about that purchase.
It's all about options now. The more tricks up my…wings, the better my chances of surviving this mess. Imagine the look on Claire's face when I pull one of these out of nowhere. 'Since when could you do that?' Oh, the possibilities...
He chuckled to himself, the sound echoing in the foggy void. With renewed interest, David continued to peruse the higher-rank Utility options, feeling more Offense was unnecessary. He wished he could tap his claws for the second time thus far as he focused on the Metabolic Surge Ability. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made.
This could be a game-changer. Wildsoul's a bitch to use, but with this... I might actually be able to pull off some of the crazier stuff without passing out. Plus, I've only ever seen one Ability help put Stamina back. Moonsong. Usually, that's a Regeneration only thing, it must be rare or have prerequisites or something.
With a mental nod, he snagged the icon. It zipped over, joining his growing collection of choices. He eyed the four purchases swirling around him avariciously, an uncharacteristically greedy glee welling up in his chest. After weeks of working with whatever he could get, it was almost luxurious to be able to pick and choose.
Alright, let's see what we've got left to play with. I'll have to replace or store something to use Metabolic Surge, but if I can free up some slots with all those Fusion Tokens from the Quest and Boss... Maybe Claire and I could kill another one or two before I try one solo? I have a time limit, not a restriction on teamwork before the actual attempt, right?
David did a quick tally of his remaining points, finding he still had a hefty 41 Pts at his disposal.
Damn, I'm not used to having this much to work with. It's like going from dumpster diving to an all-you-can-eat buffet.
He stared at the cube, suddenly unsure of how to proceed. The wealth of options was almost paralyzing.
Screw it.
“Hey, you overgrown paperweight!” David called out sassily, his good mood leaking out of his mouth. “How about showing me some totally badass forbidden technique that'll let me smite all my enemies? Cut out the middleman, what do you say?”
To David's shock, a string of error text flickered across his vision:
–ERROR: UNAUTHORIZED ACCE–
Before his stomach even had time to drop the text abruptly cut off, replaced by a single word, the color of which was odd. David had become used to the bright color coding the System seemed to favor but this new message…
GRANTED.
Uh, what just happened? Did I do the thing again? Fuck! Stop making demands directed at shit you don't understand! Shut your mouth! Stop talking to everything like it's your friend! Argh!
Before he could ponder further, a single icon rose from the fog below the cube. It hovered there, pulsing with an ominous energy that made David's non-existent skin crawl. It reminded him of nothing less than the sheer power mixed in with Omega's and Xi’s presence, and he was instantly wary. Despite that, it was unique looking compared to anything he'd ever seen before, and almost vibrated with power.
Hello, what's this?
As he focused on the icon, information flooded his mind:
|Doom Blade 𒀭(35 Pts): Channel destructive Wildsoul energy into a melee strike that ignores all defenses. Failure to slay a stricken target results in severe backlash damage. Extreme Stamina cost.|
Holy shit. Did I just...is this a careful what you wish for moment again? Or is this an ‘Ask and ye shall receive’ type of thing? What's up with that symbol, I've never seen that one. Looks all weird. Almost primitive.
The ability's description was oddly archaic, its phrasing unlike anything he'd seen before. And that symbol...It wasn't a rank, but some kind of letter he didn't recognize. He hesitated for a moment, weighing the potential risks against the sheer badassery of having a literal ‘I win’ button.
This is either the coolest thing ever or a really elaborate way to get myself killed. Probably both. Screw it. If I'm going to be fighting boss monsters, I might as well have a boss monster move.
With a mixture of excitement and trepidation, David reached out and grabbed the icon. As it joined his collection, he felt a surge of power that was both exhilarating and terrifying.
Evolution, round two point one: Now with 100% more 'what the hell did I just do?'
As the fog began to swirl around him once more, signaling the end of his shopping spree, David couldn't help but wonder what he'd just gotten himself into. The cube began to fade from view, somehow sensing he was no longer interested, its surface still flickering with strange symbols and colors.
Claire is either going to be super impressed or decide I've finally lost it. Probably both. Can't wait to see the look on her face when I pull out the Doom Blade. Well, I mean, I still need slots but I have a few Pts left to move stuff around if I want. Okay, well. Turbo-ugly bat incoming, at least until I can use that beautiful, amazing, fortuitous Aesthetic Refinement. I’d kiss whoever made that one on the lips, I swear.
With that final thought, David surrendered himself to the evolution process, equal parts excited and terrified to see how his life would play out. The fog enveloped him completely, and the world dissolved into a kaleidoscope of change.