[YOU HAVE INCREASED YOUR POWER AND PERCEPTION BY 1]
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED: LIMITED TRANSMUTATION]
Limited Transmutation: When you touch an SDC object and spend a spell slot, you can change its physical or molecular structure. This skill cannot be used to change anything on the atomic level, and it cannot be used on any element with an atomic number higher than 86. With a 1st level spell slot, this skill can affect a cubic area measuring 6.56 feet on each side.
[NEW SPELL UNLOCKED: DISGUISE]
Disguise: With this spell, you can create an illusion that makes you look like someone else of comparable size. The illusion is purely visual, and your voice will not change. This spell will last for one hour or until you drop concentration.
Character Sheet
Name: Vinzadir
Class: Eldritch Alchemist
Level: 7
MDC: 20+91/91
Body: 24
Fortitude: 26
Power: 24
Speed: 24
Mind: 30
Reason: 30
Perception: 30
Memory: 30
Name Vinzadir Class Eldritch Alchemist Level 7 MDC 20+91/91 Body 24 Mind 30
With my enhanced speed and significant experience, I was able to perform all the decisions connected to my level up in a few seconds. One change in my Character Sheet caught my eye, and I had to ask the System a question.
“Does [Limited Transmutation] work on all living things as long as they’re made of SDC material?”
[AFFIRMATIVE]
Considering that I had eight 1st level spell slots at my level and it took several hours for those spell slots to come back, I was somewhat limited in how many of my skills I could use. All of my combat skills utilized spell slots, so I would have to save those resources for enemies stronger than Uruks or Diluvians.
Two more Diluvians stepped out of the treeline, and I took them out with four perfectly-placed lances of light. Less than thirty seconds later, another Diluvian appeared, and it quickly met its end. These low-level monsters continued to trickle toward us at a manageable but consistent rate.
Stolen novel; please report.
[DILUVIANS (5) KILLED! +75 EXP, +75 CREDITS]
[EXP TO NEXT LEVEL: 4,690]
[TOTAL CREDITS: 6,380₪]
“I don’t think they’re gonna stop coming,” Carlos said after we rendered the fifth Diluvian into a crumpled corpse.
“We need to push forward to find where they’re coming from,” I said, lifting the Uruk’s great axe and leaning it against my shoulder. For such a huge weapon, the great axe was surprisingly light.
If we didn’t do something to stop the slow trickle of monsters, the civilian transport behind us would have to fight them. Though I was sure Enoch’s group could handle a few Diluvians, I was worried that a stray attack could hit one of the civilians’ vehicles and kill everyone inside. My experience at Chapel Hill made me painfully aware of the danger that SDC Humans were in during an MDC fight.
We moved forward, following the trail of angry bipedal bat creatures to their source.
“Save your ammunition. Carlos and I can deal with these guys in melee easily enough.”
As I spoke, I thought of our dwindling ammunition reserves. I made a total of 44 battery packs for our laser pistols, and we had already gone through more than half of them. Since we had no way of recharging the battery packs at present, we would have to save them whenever possible.
I slapped another battery pack into my laser pistol and paused for a moment to take stock of how much ammunition was left over. Two battery packs remained in my pockets, and sixteen battery packs were held in my [Inventory].
Carlos took point, and he swiftly dispatched any Diluvian that dared to approach us. He eviscerated and maimed the attacking monsters with bored efficiency. After the sixth Diluvian, Carlos fell into a rhythm where he would cut the Diluvian’s leg before slashing its throat while it collapsed to the ground.
[DILUVIANS (10) KILLED! +150 EXP, +150 CREDITS]
We must have walked for about a mile before we ran into the Diluvians’ spawn point. There, in the middle of a large clearing in the forest, was a shimmering two-dimensional portal. When I looked through the portal, I had some difficulty believing what I saw. On the other side was a tropical beach with bright white sand and clear blue water.
Something in the back of my mind told me that this was a [Lesser Dungeon]. The primary difference between the two types of dungeons was that [Greater Dungeons] existed entirely on Earth, whereas [Lesser Dungeons] had to be accessed through portals.
“It’s a [Lesser Dungeon],” I said as we all gathered around the glittering threshold.
“There are supposed to be 144,000 of these?” Carlos asked rhetorically. “It’s no wonder we ended up bumping into one.”
A Diluvian came into view on the other side of the portal, and I fired my pistol at its midsection. The lance of mass-bearing light struck the portal and dissipated as if striking an invisible force field. The Diluvian stepped through the portal a moment later, and Carlos swiftly dispatched it.
“What’s the move, here?” Liz asked, peering into the portal without stepping inside.
“Well,” I said, flexing my fingers, “I’m feeling confident. I just gained a new ability, and I’m really excited to try it out.”
“Yeah?” Carlos looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “What’s that?”
“By mixing two of my skills, [Bypass Limitation] and [Limited Transmutation], I think I’ll be able to destroy anything I touch at the molecular level.”
Bypass Limitation: Once per day, you can bypass one limitation on one skill for up to one minute.
Bypass Limitation Once per day, you can bypass one limitation on one skill for one minute.
All I had to do was bypass the “SDC” limitation on [Limited Transmutation], and I would be able to use it on our enemies. Internally, I decided to call this method of utilizing my skills [Touch of Death].
“More EXP? Sign me up,” Carlos said, smiling.
“Okay,” Claire said quietly.
“As long as we’re out before the civilian caravan is out, it’s fine with me,” Liz said.
After sending a message to Enoch, informing him that we were entering a dungeon, the four of us stepped through the portal and into our first [Lesser Dungeon].