Chapter 44
Ryker
I lay there, shivering cold and in pain for a few minutes, while my body, ability, and Ruby's nanobots worked to repair my muscles and heal my charred skin. As the seconds flew by, the pain began to ebb away and was replaced by an itching sensation as I regrew my skin. A glance up at my bars confirmed my suspicion: my mana was bottomed out again, explaining why the healing slowed down. I took the time to check the blinking notifications that demanded my attention.
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*NOTIFICATION*
Heat Resistance Ability Level 1 UNLOCKED
By surviving a lethal amount of heat damage your body has become more resilient to thermal injury. Continued exposure to damaging temperatures will further raise this abilitie's potency over time. Base resistance 10%. Each level increases resistance by 1%.
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*NOTIFICATION*
Post Activity Stat Increases:
+1 Strength
+1 Constitution
+1 Vitality
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*NOTIFICATION*
Ability Level Increases:
Rejuvenating Nano Swarm Level Up! +10% Healing Speed/Efficiency
Rejuvenating Nano Swarm Level Up! +10% Healing Speed/Efficiency
Rejuvenating Nano Swarm Now Level 7
New Effect +60% Healing Speed/Efficiency
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*NOTIFICATION*
Ability Level Increases:
Sacrificial Might Level Up! +0.5 Strength -0.25 Constitution
Sacrificial Might Now Level 4
New Effect +2.5 Strength -1.75 Constitution
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*STATUS*
NAME: Ryker
RACE: Human
LEVEL: 1
VITAL ENERGY TO NEXT LEVEL: 7/10
STATS
HEALTH: 115/160
STAMINA: 70/100
MANA: 0/10
STRENGTH: 6
AGILITY: 4
CONSTITUTION: 6
ENDURANCE: 2
VITALITY: 12
PERCEPTION: 5
INTELLIGENCE: 2
MANA: 1
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Through all the pain and discomfort of having my skin and nerves regrown, I had to admit that Ruby’s methods so far were quite effective. I had increased three of my stats, and both of my abilities had leveled up. I looked at the new thermal resistance ability and groaned inwardly before asking, “Ruby, does this thermal resistance ability really mean what I think it does?”
She appeared on the ground next to me, mirroring my body's position. Facing me, she said, “Ryker, this kind of ability is not something many people have been able to unlock in the past. In order for someone to unlock a resistance, they must survive fatal levels of exposure to a stimulus that the body can adapt to during recovery. Most people would not be able to recover from the amount of damage I just put you through. If someone has unlocked a resistance, none have been able to level it in any meaningful way. The fact that you unlocked this resistance is astounding and could end up being one of your greatest strengths!”
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As I listened to Ruby's explanation, I considered all the possibilities that lie in my ability to heal and now resist. I kept repeating that word in my head over and over—resist... resist... resist. It was as if the simple concept that it embodied spoke to me, and I knew that this would be the foundation upon which I built my power. I would resist anything and everything that tried to come between me and Viltrix.
I slammed my fist down into the ground and began to push. I strained with every fiber of my being, and as my body began to protest, I roared. I would resist. Pain was nothing. This suit was nothing. I will resist. As I struggled to simply get up off the ground, I snapped my head in Ruby's direction and screamed, “DO IT! DO IT!”
Ruby flinched back at first but quickly mastered her expression, settling into a stern professional demeanor. She gave me a curt nod of understanding, she snapped her fingers and pain blossomed. This time the heat was not gradual. Flames rose from the ground, and I was consumed by the inferno. I never stopped pushing and kept fighting to break the bonds of my suit but failed as the pain drove me into unconsciousness.
I awoke to the sound of splashing water and tried to sit up but found myself fully submerged inside the Vren habitat. Instinctively, I began swimming to the surface and crawled out of the dark liquid. As I took my first breath of air, I realized that my lungs were again filled with the nanofluid and had to clear my lungs before being able to catch my breath.
After shaking off the disorientation of waking up underwater, I looked up and found Red standing next to me at the top of the tank, holding a red solo cup out to me. She said, “ We decided to put you in the tank to give your body a little boost. The fluid enabled you to recover back to full in a much shorter time. Now you really need to replenish yourself. The more you heal, the more you have to eat and drink to keep up with that kind of regeneration.”
I hadn't even realized until that moment, but I was ravenous! I greedily took the cup and began drinking the questionable-looking fluid. Unlike my last experience of heavenly bliss, I found myself being plunged into a culinary hell. It took every bit of restraint I had to not immediately spit out the concoction. I screwed up my face in disgust and said, “Oh my gosh, Red, what in the hell have you done? This has got to be the worst thing I have ever eaten! What happened to the nirvana in a cup we had earlier?!?!”
Red responded by giving me a complicated look, like she was trying to keep a secret but wasn't sure how to school her emotions. She finally settled on a bright, sunny smile and said, “Sorry! We are completely out of that slop! This is all we have from now on, and you will have to bear with me as I attempt to improve on the quality as we go. For now, eat up, or your regeneration will fail you, and you will die.”
I took a deep breath, pinched my nose before drinking the chunk-filled slime as fast as I could, and still nearly lost it. Once I fully recovered from the beverage, I followed Red down to the ground and over to a clear empty spot near the border of the simulation and found Silvar sitting on a familiar-looking rock, cross-legged, with his walking stick laid across his lap. I glanced up at my notifications and focused on the flashing icon.
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*NOTIFICATION*
1000-1500 INDIVIDUALIZED TRAINING
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*NOTIFICATION*
Ability Level Increases:
Rejuvenating Nano Swarm Level Up! +10% Healing Speed/Efficiency
Rejuvenating Nano Swarm Now Level 8
New Effect +70% Healing Speed/Efficiency
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*NOTIFICATION*
Post Activity Stat Increases:
+1 Constitution
+1 Vitality
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*NOTIFICATION*
Heat Resistance Level Up! +1% Heat Resistance
Heat Resistance Level Up! +1% Heat Resistance
Heat Resistance Now Level 3
New Effect +12% Resistance to Thermal Damage
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Silvar slowly cracked open his eyes and pointed to a spot in front of him. I stepped forward and sat on the bare ground. He took a deep inhalation and blew it out slowly before saying, “Now that you have had your introduction to Ruby's training methods, it's now my turn to instruct you on the ins and outs of mana and vital energy. During these lessons, I will teach you how to draw in vital energy faster and regenerate mana more efficiently. Control is what your peers will lack and what you must master. Oh, and one other thing…we will attempt to unlock your psychic resistance ability while you train.”
An instant after Silvar finished speaking, I felt the sensation that he had thrust his walking stick through my forehead, and I felt a wet sensation begin to run down my face. I reached up and wiped at my nose and drew back my hand soaked in blood. I narrowed my eyes at the cruel taskmaster before me and smiled before saying, “Is that all you've got? I don't care how much it helps; I am not holding your hand.”
I watched as Silvar leaned back on his perch and laughed before rocking forward and locking his eyes back on me before saying “good…..now RESIST!”, then my world became pain.
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*NOTIFICATION*
Psychic Resistance Ability Level 1 UNLOCKED
By surviving a lethal amount of psychic damage your mind has become more resilient to mental injury. Continued exposure to damaging psychic stimuli will further raise this abilities potency over time. Base resistance 10%. Each level increases resistance by 1%.
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