Fracta moved like greased lightning, faster than he had ever seen her run before, her eight articulated legs a blur as she rushed across the plateau, navigating burning pools of mana, dislodged boulders, and plunging ice shards.
“Watch out!” Jeff squeaked from the lip of her pouch, seeing an ice stalactite calving off the side of the cliff face. Fracta instantly activated [Paper Weight], jinking in mid air to avoid the huge icicle as it tumbled down towards them from the destabilizing precipice.
Jeff, reviewing her stats, noted that her Total Attribute Points had risen to nearly one hundred and fifty, boosted by the climb up the mountain and the punishing battle against the Cave Rocs.
As they were making their way across the last stretch of the plateau, an ominous rumbling began to emanate from the mountainside. By the time Fracta had reached the foot of the stairs, the tremors had increased in magnitude, and the entire flank of the mountain began to shift, giving way behind them.
Oops, Jeff thought, somewhat guiltily. I caused this.
At the base of the final flight of stone stairs, Fracta had to sidestep the desiccated remains of another fellow World Champion; a humanoid corpse, male by the looks of it, his clothes and armor in tatters and his eye sockets empty, a grim reminder of the viciousness of the cave rocs and the brutal nature of the Tournament.
Fracta, with Jeff still snugly ensconced in her carrying pouch, proceeded up the final set of stairs to the summit.
As Fracta carried him, Jeff decided that as he still had another fifteen minutes before the curse was lifted and he could make his own way, he would review his attributes progression and the latest additions to his inventory.
He had accrued a large number of Coins as a reward for winning the battle with the cave rocs, as well as several loot items salvaged from the caves.
Languishing at the bottom of his HUD was a whole list of insistently glowing System notifications which he had not had time to view earlier during the battle. Settling back in Fracta’s pouch he now went through them methodically one by one.
The most important update by far was that he had reached one thousand Levels, the height of the J Grade.
** Initiate Grade Evolution **
[Yes/No?]
Jeff opted to hold off on leveling his Grade and Class for now, at least until the Cave Roc Matriarch’s curse was lifted, worried that his currently diminished stature would in some way negatively impact on the process.
“Fracta,” Jeff called out, his voice rendered tinny due to his size, barely audible over the noise of the tremors coming from the mountain. “I’m now ready to level up to Grade I. How are your stats doing?”
Fracta, distracted slightly by the vibrations beneath her feet and the need to focus on scaling the remaining part of the mountain, responded.
"I'm at Level 895, almost there myself.”
Jeff, glad that they were both able to evolve their Grades at nearly the same time, decided to continue looking at his Character Sheet in more detail.
NAME: Jeff Nostro
RACE: Human
HIT POINTS (HP): 80/80 +10
MANA POINTS (MP): 70/70
Path: Spellsword [Hidden]—Path Rewrite: 2/7 Tribulations passed
CLASS: Arcane Duelist 1
Grade: J (Potential to Evolve)
Level: 1000 (Max)
SKILLS:
Identify (Level 1)Physical Fitness (Level 2)
Jump (Level 1)
High Pain Threshold (Level 3)
Combat Proficiency (Level 3)
—Sub-Skill: [Unarmed Blade] Level 1
First Aid (Level 1)
Dodge (Level 2)
Poison Resistance (Level 1)
Mana Essence (Level 4)
Cooking (Level 1)
CLASS SKILLS:
Infinite Sword (Level 1)Cutting Edge (Level 2)
Strength: 26
Speed: 15+2
Vitality: 19+2
Endurance: 21+2
Cognition: 23
Offense: 29
Defense: 19+5
Total Attribute Points (TAP): 152
Jeff spent a moment going over the items stored in his inventory.
ITEM: [Short Sword] Common, Level 1 (Not Expandable), +2 Offense (Not Stackable)
ITEM: [Janissary Long Sword], Infantryman of the Crepuscular Marshes Standard-Issue, Rare, Level 2, (Expandable), +4 Offense (Stackable)
ITEM: [Goblin Bone Dagger] Common, Level 1 (Not Expandable), +2 Offense (Not Stackable)
ITEM: [VogelCorp Aether Powered Chainsaw] Common, Level 1 (Not Expandable) +2 Offense (Not Stackable)
ITEM: [Netherworm Corruption Poison, small bladder]ITEM: [Periapt of The Erstwhile Tree Gods] Uncommon, Level 2 (Not Expandable) +2 Vitality, +2 Endurance, +10 HP (Stackable) - Equipped
ITEM: [Ningish Orb of Mana Replenishment] Rare, Level 1 (Not Expandable), +50% Mana Boost (temporary), x 12
ITEM: [Chain Mail] Common, Level 1 (Not Expandable), +2 Defense, (Not Stackable) - Equipped
ITEM: [Helm of Enchantment] Common, Level 1 (Expandable), +5 Defense (Not Stackable) - Equipped
ITEM: [Orcish Battle Boots] - +2 Speed (Not Stackable)
ITEM: [Oaken Iron Bound Barrel], Contents: Pure Mana 500/500
ITEM: [Shuriken - Shadar’s Tooth] + 5 Offense (Not Stackable), Level 1 (Expandable). 10 MP per use.
ITEM: [Five ingots of an unidentified metal]
ITEM: [Rapier] Common, Level 1 (Not Expandable), +2 Offense (Not Stackable)
ITEM: [Long Sword] Common, Level 1 (Not Expandable), +2 Offense (Not Stackable)
ITEM: [Cutlass] Common, Level 1 (Not Expandable), +1 Offense (Not Stackable)
ITEM: [Dagger] Common, Level 1 (Not Expandable), +2 Offense (Not Stackable)
ITEM: [Battle Axe] Common, Level 1 (Not Expandable), +2 Offense (Not Stackable)
ITEM: [Cave Roc Egg], cooked, x 6
ITEM: [Cave Roc Egg], uncooked, x 6
ITEM: [Cloak of Distraction] Uncommon, Level 2 (Not Expandable) +2 Defense, +5 Stealth (Stackable)
ITEM: [Attribute Stone] Single Use
ITEM: [RemoteTalk Bangle] - set of 2
COINS: 989
Glancing through his stats, Jeff noticed that his Speed was lagging behind the other Attributes. He guessed this was because both his Cutting Edge and Infinite Sword skills were offense oriented.
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“I have a desire for velocity…” Jeff murmured to himself as he continued reading through his character sheet.
As if reading his thoughts, Fracta called out over the sound of the mountain collapsing around them, “Yes, don't underestimate speed, Jeff. You need it! A slow target is a dead target.”
Jeff chuckled and returned to examining the new items stored in his inventory.
ITEM: [Cloak of Distraction] Uncommon, Level 2 (Not Expandable) +2 Defense (Stackable).
Description: This wearable magical item is crafted from a fragment of a burial shroud once worn by a Grade D Demigod-Spy during their ascension. The Cloak of Distraction grants the wearer a +2 Defense buff. If the wearer possesses the Stealth attribute, the cloak will grant a further +5 buff (Stackable). Furthermore, the wearer gains up to 50% protection from psi-attacks, and will be alerted to magic based attacks.
Useful, but as I don’t have the Stealth attribute, not so great, Jeff thought to himself, before moving on to the next looted item in his ring.
ITEM: [Attribute Stone] Rare, Single Use.
Description: Add an additional Attribute to your set. Choose from a list of available attributes once the stone is activated. Single use.
As Jeff finished reading the last item description, Fracta ascended the final steps of the stone staircase, which opened out onto the summit of the mountain.
Before them stretched another level plateau, dominated by two massive metallic pillars, capped by a horizontal lintel of the same sleek material. The structure, while clearly a product of some advanced science, evoked the solemn grandeur of an ancient, megalithic monument from the Stone Age.
The three slabs of technology were intricately etched with glowing blue runes, their soft luminescence casting a gentle radiance across the summit.
As they approached the structure, they could see a shimmering barrier rippling between the two vertical pillars, distorting the air. Hovering above the transportation portal was the System-generated icon for Tantalus, marking the path forward.
Fracta reached down and gently pulled Jeff out of her pouch, depositing him on the ice covered ground.
A moment later the debuff timer for the cave roc matriarch’s curse elapsed and Jeff began to grow, slowly at first and then within a minute he was restored to his original size.
Overhead, the star-flower flickered, a burnt-out ember, hanging in a pitch black sky. The temperature had plummeted and Jeff was sure that without his system-boosted attributes he would have frozen solid.
Shivering, Jeff thanked Fracta for the ride, acutely aware that he owed her one. “Would you mind keeping watch while I evolve my Grade?”
Fracta signaled her assent and Jeff, wasting no time, turned his attention to the glowing system dialog.
** Initiate Grade Evolution **
[Yes/No?]
The instant Jeff initiated the Grade evolution process, lances of searing pain shot through his limbs and skull, and he staggered on the spot, barely managing to keep to his feet. But a moment longer and the pain passed, to be replaced by the same blissful sensations he had experienced the previous time, when he initially selected his class.
A feeling of well-being, bordering on euphoria poured through his body, instantly wiping away the pain. The physical effects of the cold environment around him were negated and he felt warmth flooding through his fingers and toes, sensation returning.
Again, he felt that he had increased in size physically. Looking down the length of his body, he estimated he had grown at least a couple of inches in height. The process of evolving his class was intoxicating, and Jeff felt a strange desire to grow and progress, to gain more Experience Points and improve his attributes, just so he could do it again.
I’m getting addicted to this…Jeff thought to himself.
Level Up.
Evolution Successful.
Class: Arcane Duelist 1, Grade I
NAME: Jeff Nostro
RACE: Human
HIT POINTS (HP): 80/180 (+10*)
MANA POINTS (MP): 70/170
Path: Spellsword [Hidden]
* Path Rewrite: Awarded if 7 tribulations are completed.
* Tribulations passed: 2/7
GRADE: I, Level 1
CLASS: Arcane Duelist 1 (Class Upgrade Available)
SKILLS:
* Physical Fitness (Level 2)
* Identify (Level 1)
* High Pain Threshold (Level 4)
* Combat Proficiency (Level 3)
* Sub-Skill: [Unarmed Blade] Level 1
* First Aid (Level 1)
* Dodge (Level 2)
* Jump (Level 1)
* Poison Resistance (Level 1)
* Mana Essence (Level 4)
* Cooking (Level 1)
CLASS SKILLS:
* Infinite Sword (Level 1)
* Cutting Edge (Level 2)
ATTRIBUTES:
* Strength: 30
* Speed: 19 (+2*)
* Vitality: 23 (+2*)
* Endurance: 20 (+2*)
* Cognition: 18
* Offense: 40
* Defense: 20 (+5*)
* Total Attribute Points: 170
* Unallocated Attribute Points: 40
Glancing through his stats again, Jeff noted that the potential boundaries of both his MP and his HP had grown exponentially, the size of his MP reservoir more than doubling to 170.
Out of curiosity, Jeff dived into his inner world to access his Core Space to see what had changed.
The moment he entered, he was struck by its dramatic transformation. The once modest grotto containing his little mana pool had transformed into a sprawling cavern, dominated at its center by a much larger body of mana—almost a lake now, the raw mana perpetually spinning, and churning in a clockwise gyre. The glowing blue vortex screamed of untapped potential.
His inner world has significantly expanded as a result of his Grade evolution.
Clicking out of his Core Space, he retrieved the Attribute Stone from his ring storage. The stone sat in his palm, a neon yellow, pulsing cube of smooth rock, like a large dice.
The cube was marked on five of its six sides with different runes. Jeff activated it with a mental push.
As he looked at the glowing artefact,, a dialog appeared before him.
Attribute Stone
Available Attributes:
Stealth
Charisma
Luck
Will
Faith
Jeff weighed up the options.
Luck and Faith were foreign concepts to him. He had no wish to kowtow to some alien deity, and he made his own luck.
Charisma seemed a useless attribute in a war zone, and he felt he possessed enough Will already.
That left Stealth, which seemed like the best choice for him at the moment, both because with it, he would be able to utilize the Cloak of Distraction in his possession and also because he felt he had been relying too heavily on his Offense attribute.
Wasting no time, he quickly selected the Stealth attribute from the list. The stone glowed briefly in the palm of his hand, then vanished. A new system notification popped up:
You have successfully integrated Stealth into your Attribute list.
Next, Jeff shifted his attention to applying the 40 unassigned Attribute Points he had earned when he leveled up.
He dedicated 10 points each to Stealth, Speed and Vitality, and the remaining 10 he strategically divided between Defense and Cognition.
Lastly he withdrew the Cloak of Distraction from his inventory. The gossamer-like shimmering black robe seemed to cling to his shoulders without any visible means of support, and was so light that Jeff did not even notice it was there when he equipped it. He took another look at his Attributes.
NAME: Jeff Nostro
RACE: Human
HIT POINTS (HP): 80/180 (+10*)
MANA POINTS (MP): 70/170
Path: Spellsword [Hidden]
* Path Rewrite: Awarded if 7 tribulations are completed.
* Tribulations passed: 2/7
GRADE: I, Level 1
CLASS: Arcane Duelist 1
SKILLS:
* Physical Fitness (Level 2)
* Identify (Level 1)
* High Pain Threshold (Level 4)
* Combat Proficiency (Level 3)
* Sub-Skill: [Unarmed Blade] Level 1
* First Aid (Level 1)
* Dodge (Level 2)
* Jump (Level 1)
* Poison Resistance (Level 1)
* Mana Essence (Level 4)
* Cooking (Level 1)
CLASS SKILLS:
* Infinite Sword (Level 1)
* Cutting Edge (Level 2)
ATTRIBUTES:
* Strength: 30
* Speed: 29 (+2*)
* Vitality: 33 (+2*)
* Endurance: 20 (+2*)
* Cognition: 23
* Offense: 40
* Defense: 25 (+7*)
* Stealth: 10 (+5*)
* Total Attribute Points: 210
* Unallocated Attribute Points: 0
He noticed with interest that his MP and HP were both regenerating at a much faster rate than previously, obviously one of the benefits of evolving to Grade I.
Finally he addressed the glowing system dialog that had been insistently pulsing at the corner of his vision since he had evolved his Grade.
Again, the system offered three new Classes for Jeff to choose from, but Jeff felt a mounting sense of disappointment as he took in the descriptions. The first choice in particular seemed like no choice at all.
Arcane Duelist 2: Arcane Duelists are a rare Class that are at ease in both the martial and magical worlds. The battlefield becomes a canvas upon which they work their art—their blades and spells are their brushes, their enemy’s blood the paint. ‘Be The Blade!’
The remaining two choices on offer were identical to those from his first Class evolution: Battlefield Bulwark 1 and Dark Scout 1. The only difference being the addition of a free Class Skill with each one.
Battlefield Bulwark offered something called [Group Heal], which according to the description, would allow Battlefield Bulwarks to heal members of their party, over any distance.
Were he to select the Dark Scout Class, he would gain the additional Skill, [Shadow Jump]. This Skill did interest Jeff, slightly. The ability to teleport instantaneously into any shadow within sight promised a lot of potential for mayhem. The description also hinted that when the Skill leveled, the possible jump distance would increase exponentially.
Jeff mulled over his choices for a moment, irritated more than anything at the System’s tactics. The new Skills offered with the divergent Classes were tempting, each offering a significant boost to his strategic capabilities, but Jeff concluded that the System was attempting to divert him from the trajectory he was on, for some reason.
Despite the allure of the additional Class Skills, Jeff decided to continue with the Arcane Duelist Class for now.
Once again, the usual wave of disorientation swept over him and he felt a subtle shift in the potency of his psyche and physique, though much less so than the previous time he had selected his Class.
Class Selection Successful.
Arcane Duelist 2
Reaching into his ring once again he pulled out the pair of RemoteTalk Bangles and offered one to Fracta.
“Just in case we get separated, we should still be able to communicate.”
Fracta accepted the device, slipping the brassy metal bangle over one of her pedipalps, where it automatically adjusted its size, snugly fitting around the limb.
Jeff followed suit, slipping the other bangle over his left hand. Upon contact the band seemed to meld with the skin, fusing into the contours of his wrist and becoming a part of his arm.
Jeff donned the Cloak of Distraction. He immediately felt his physical footprint fading, his appearance becoming muted by its illusory effect.
He sheathed the Janissary Long Sword in the scabbard it came with at his belt.
With the timer rapidly running down—only fifteen minutes remained before the deadline to enter Tantalus—and increasingly ominous rumbles emanating from the mountain beneath them, Jeff and Fracta decided not to delay any longer and moved across the icy plateau towards the glowing portal.
Just as they were about to step through, a furious shout rang out behind them.
“You! You there! What in the Nine Hells have you done to my mountain?”
Whirling around, Jeff recognized Mahalath, the same Ejdar who had been manning the ticket booth at the mountain’s base. His red skin practically glowing with indignation, he charged towards them, arms flailing wildly in the air.
“Err, apologies…” Jeff mumbled, picking his words with care. “I had no idea that was going to happen—something to do with the mana I guess.”
“Something to do with the mana!” the Ejdar parroted mockingly.
“You expect me to believe Some low-Grade noob straight off a Systemless, backwater planet could manipulate mana like that. Who set you up to it?”
By this point Mahalath had caught up with them and stood inches from Jeff, his fists clenched, his entire body quivering with barely contained fury.
Not giving Jeff a chance to answer, the Ejdar continued his tirade.
“Do you have any inkling of the bureaucratic nightmare you’ve inflicted on me? I’m going to be up to my eyeballs in paperwork for the next month dealing with this mess…I’m informing Satrap Osmius about you two. Just you wait, you haven’t heard the last of this!”
Jeff and Fracta continued backing away. Jeff mumbled an insincere apology, and leaving the fuming, red skinned Ejdar alone on the crumbling, increasingly unstable mountain top, stepped through the shimmering portal.