It didn’t take long for the room full of bodies to become even more chaotic as the Goddess and I feasted upon the Cores. I held up one of my last Cores as I looked at it in the light. Even though the Goddesses power had completely drained their Qi the Cores seemed to hold a certain amount of pure Qi in their flesh regardless. It was only when the Core was severely damaged and ripped apart that the innate Qi in the flesh seemed to dissipate. I licked the Core before I started chewing on it. I preferred the Blue Cores the best as they tasted like chicken. The Red Cores had more of a venison type flavour and were not as pleasant to feed upon. As I had been consuming the Cores I had also tried to regain my Skill [Fugue State]. After all it was an innate Skill I had self created so I theorised it shouldn’t be too difficult to simple reacquire it. Unfortunately this was not the case. The very part of me that had been able to self create the Skill seemed missing. Like there was a hole in my mind that had been deleted which contained the part of me that had the potential to make the ability in the first place.
At least the Goddess has it I thought as it would have been worse if I lost to an enemy. At least this way it can still serve her cause, which when I really thought about it was actually quite an honour. As I digested the last Core I felt the now familiar process of Level Breakthrough occur as a ninth bead formed in my Back Core. A notification sounded in my mind.
<+6 ATTRIBUTES POINTS ACQUIRED FOR LEVELLING UP CLASS>
<1 SKILL POINT ACQUIRED FOR LEVELLING UP CLASS>
I smiled as I felt my power increase yet again. Not only had I broken through to level 9 I felt extremely close to level 10. I suspected that last Core must have been a Class 2 Core. Perhaps we are not the only one who knows how to level. I suspected this particular victim had discovered the levelling process and kept it a secret from his companions. Investing my attribute points was a simple process. My role was to be a human bomb so I needed to survive long enough to be able to get close to the enemy. I had been dumping all my points into Durability which had raised this attribute dramatically.
[STRENGTH: 12/210]
[SPEED: 12/210]
[DURABILITY: 54/210
[REGENERATION: 11/210]
[PERCEPTION: 10/210]
[INTELLIGENCE: 10/210]
Interestingly, I had not lost the attribute points I had gained from acquiring and levelling up [Solar Cultivation]. So even though I lost the Skill, the small initial gain I had received had remained which was useful. The main gain though was the massively increased durability attribute. I had experimented as I had slowly levelled the attribute and it was clear that it made your entire body more durable. My bones and even flesh felt denser and harder and my skin was more resistant. I wouldn’t go as far as saying I was bullet proof, but it felt like the entire structural integrity of my body had improved significantly.
This didn’t seem to effect my healing rate however. I cut myself many times as I raised attribute points and the healing rate remained the same. I assumed this is what the attribute Regeneration was for. If I had to characterise the difference I would say Durability lowered the amount of damage you received while Regeneration increased the rate you healed damage that occurred. It seemed like at very high levels your attribute points almost gained the power of a Skill, increasing your body to superhuman proportions. I imagined at high enough Durability I would become bullet proof and my very Skin would be like a suit of armour. Of course this was all speculation, the main point was that my allocation of points would serve me well in my current role as a human bomb.
The question of what to do with my Skill points was also an easily resolved matter. I only had one trainable Skill and I needed to make it as powerful as possible. So I dumped my final Skill point into [Explosion] and reviewed it.
[SKILL: EXPLOSION IX (ACQUIRED)][SKILL QUALITY: BEGINNER][CLASS: BAILEY HOSKINS]
The description of the Skill remained the same. It was hard to understand how much more powerful the ability had become as I couldn’t even test it out. To initiate the Skill would be to cause my entire Black Core to explode annihilating my body in the process. However, with each level the Sigil in my mind gave of an increasingly ominous feeling. In order to increase the potential damage I could launch I had constantly used [Intuitive Aptitude] on [Explosion]. Because of my inability to actually use the Skill for tests it was slow going in gaining a greater understanding of its function but I continued to glean small insights into its power.
“You ready honey?” A soft voice whispered in my ear.
“Ready to go Goddess. I have maxed out durability and [Explosion] for my current level. When I go bang, it will be a Big Bang.”
“Mmmm your good at Big Bang!” She said as she licked her lips.
“The leader of Blue Team his Class is [Icon] basically another [Superman] type. The Leader of of the group of Reds that have gathered together is a [Meng Hao].”
“What the fuck is a [Meng Hao]?” I asked stupified. It sounded completely obscure.
“I have no idea. My [Rogue] Class allows me to identify other other Classes and gain a small amount of information, but when I fought the [Meng Ho] all his details were shrouded from me. The Blue Leader I have never fought as he woke up in a different wing. I claimed this wing after the Change and killed everyone, Red or Blue I don’t care they are all just food for me. The other Blues they left me alone in here and I have stayed out of their section.”
“The Reds however…..well they sent a small foray at the beginning. I had that [Meng Ho] pinned on the ground but he did some kind of movement with his fingers and escaped. He’s like some kind of Wizard. Slippery as the Devil and after he left I had this weird feeling in my stomach like I owed him money. I have felt uneasy ever since.”
I scratched the side of my face with my thumb as I listened. The obscure Classes with unique abilities were always going to be far harder to deal with. Though they may be weaker in many ways their unpredictable powers could prove deadly.
“Well ideally we can attack when they are all in one big group and hopefully I can annihilate all of them in one go. Alternatively we could capture more people for you to use [Purple Man] on.”
“No that will be difficult. I haven’t put any extra Skill points into [Purple Man] and I am not confident of my ability to control more than one person at a time. But I did put a lot of points into [Livewire].” She smiled as she raised her hand.
A ball of pure blue electricity emerged in her hand and crackled with a scary intensity. She watched the electrical orb float for awhile before she extinguished it
“If only we have worked out how to gain levels then your max ranked [Explosion] and my max ranked [Livewire] combined with my physical attributes and other Skills should be enough to massacre them all and claim the node. Try not to die too early. You are around in case I need a wildcard to turn the tables.”
“Yes Goddess.”
“Good boy. Now lets start with the Blues and work our way over to the Reds.”
The Goddess seemed to know the layout of the Prison extremely well as she navigated us through the various hallways that all looked extremely similar. I realised now why the entire wing had been so quiet when I had first emerged. She had basically butchered everyone. It didn’t take too long for us to make it over to the edge of the next section as we crouched down at the edges of a doorway leading into an unknown area.
“Ok listen up. This next wing has the same layout as the one we were just in. Then it connects to the central hub. That is where the node is. I took a peek at it earlier but there was too much constant fighting going on and no one has been able to claim it.” I nodded my heads at her words as I readied myself.
“Now just walk inside and go hang out.” She ordered.
“Huh?” I asked.
“Go be bait you fuckwad.” She hissed.
As her orders sunk it I quickly stood and saw her fade into nothingness. Invisibility huh? No wonder I hadn’t seen her when she bushwhacked me when we first met. I slowly started walking into the Blue Team’s section as I whistled a slow tune. At first I didn’t see anyone, but before long my whistling had drawn the attention of a three people who quickly surrounded me. A large burly man with a piggy looking face stood in front of me.
“And who the fuck are you? Suppose you want in on the node now the battle is in its final stages. Well let me tell you fucker, you missed your chance. Only the Bluey’s who have fought will get whatever rewards come. Other blue cunts like you that hid in the corner won’t get shit.”
“I’ll take whatever I like you fat fuck.” I said laughing.
“You piece of shit!” The big man said as he swung a huge punch at my face. I didn’t try to dodge the blow at all and simply took it on my face. The punch snapped my head to the side from the force of it and I staggered back a step before steadying myself. I touched the side of my face with my fingers as I looked back at the man with a smile on my face. 54 points in Durability is not anything to sneeze at.
“Is that all you got punk?” I said not even bothering to hide my smile. Before the Pig man could react I moved forward and punched him in the face with all my might. But my punch just bounced off his meaty face without any effect. Maybe I should have put some points in strength I thought sadly. The two other men to my sides grabbed me and held me firmly the Pig man began to roll up his sleeves.
“I’m going to enjoy this fucker.” He spat as he began to wail into me with blow after blow. I felt the full impact of his blows as they rained down on me, but they didn’t seem to have any real effect.
“Jesus what the fuck is this cunt made of.” The Pig man cursed. Then his eyes went Green as he activated some kind of Skill and then struck me in the face.
“Ungghh.” I groaned as the blow hit me. I lifted my head back up and spat blood but I was still smiling as I began to calculate the level of resistance my Durability attributes seemed to offer me.
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Just as the Pig man was winding his fist back up for another punch his head exploded. A brown haired shadow moved incredibly quickly and her hands snaked out to seize the other two men by the throat with each hand. I laughed as I watched their lives drain away and the bodies slowly become desiccated husks.
“Thank you Goddess. I was wondering when you would arrive.” I said.
“I ate the others first.” She said without looking back at me. Others? I thought. I glanced around and saw a dozen or so dried husks with holes in their chests around the edges of where we were standing. Some stealth Skill must have been at play disguising their true numbers.
“You can eat these three.” She said dismissively as she threw the two bodies at my feat before she continued to scan the room like a hawk.
I didn’t waste any time ripping their sweet Blue Cores out of their chests and eating it like fucking Big Mac. As I felt the Qi surge hit me it was just enough to tip me over the threshold into level 10.
<+6 ATTRIBUTES POINTS ACQUIRED FOR LEVELLING UP CLASS>
<1 SKILL POINT ACQUIRED FOR LEVELLING UP CLASS>
I considered putting some points into strength but then changed my mind. My purpose was the human bomb, my Goddess would take care of the small fries. I pumped my durability up to 60 instead and put the Skill point into [Explosion] ranking it up to [Explosion X]. The Sigil glowed ominously in my brain and gave off a deadly feeling. I felt like I understood it more and more now that it had reached level 10. It was if I could see in my minds eye the chain reaction of Qi igniting and causing a critical overload. I almost felt as if the Skill was becoming something more, but the feeling was elusive.
I looked at the Goddess and could tell she had levelled again as well. You could almost feel the waves of power exuding from her body. I hated to think how many different Skills she had now absorbed. Her eyes were thin slits as her gaze darted around the room looking at things I couldn’t see. She had gone into full predator mode.
“Shall we move on Goddess?” I said gently. Her head whipped around and her hand grabbed my throat before she hissed with an open mouth. Sharp canine like fangs extended from her mouth as stared me down like I was a meal. I had no fear as she held me in her vice like grip. If the Goddess chose to end my life that was her will. I think it was my lack of fear more than anything that snapped her out of it as recognition slowly came back into her eyes.
“Sorry Slave.” She whispered. “So many voices now……so many. I need the Node…..yes the node!”
She hurried off at a frantic pace down a hallway dragging me along with her. When she saw I couldn’t move fast enough she slung me over her shoulder and powered on forward. A last couple of Bluey’s rose up and got in our way as she ran but a strange blade manifested out of nowhere and decapitated them. I relaxed as she carried me over her shoulder as I let events unfold. Whatever voices were driving her I could tell she felt her salvation now lay in capping the node. Perhaps she thought some kind of reward would cure her madness. She dropped me like a sack of potatoes right in front of a larger door and stared down at me with a fierce grin. I could hear explosions and sounds of fighting coming from the other side. It sounded like all hell had broken loose.
“It’s showtime Slave. Are you ready to fucking rock?” She asked then giggled.
“Fuck yeah.” I said.
“You have one job. Blow yourself up wherever you can take the most people with you. Preferably taking out that [Meng Ho] with you and a fuck ton of Reds. Leave the Blues to me.
“Yes my Goddess.” I intoned as she laid this sacred duty upon me. I felt at the edges of [Explosion] without activating the Skill. It crackled with a subdued power. My Core was filled to the brim with a sea Black-Qi and 10 small little beads with compressed Black-Qi floated inside it.
In the blink of an eye the Goddess faded as she went into Ninja mode and the doors opened as if a ghost had passed through. I sprinted through the open doors and slid to left diving behind a barrier right as some kind of fireball exploded right where I had just been standing. I popped my head up twice and then ducked back down as my brain worked at super speed calculating the situation. There was a gigantic white crystal floating in the middle of the room. The rest of the room was a mess of burnt and twisted metal with people fighting everywhere. The smell of burnt flesh and thick stench of blood filled the room.
Even with the steady logic of [Intuitive Aptitude] my mouth hung open as witnessed a sight that had probably never been seen before on Earth. There was a Red Hulk battling a Green Hulk in the corner and several people with flying abilities battling in the air. A large cat looking creature with a samurai sword eating a pizza whizzed past as it decapitated an enemy. There was even some kind of Teddy Bear flying sitting astride someone bashing their face in with its small paw.
“I’ll get you Blue Team Nya Nya Nya.” A voice cackled out near me as I saw a [Skeletor] run past me with a huge two handed broadsword.
“This Node is ours!” A voice boomed and I saw man floating near the node flanked by a cluster of Reddies. He made strange gestures with his hands and each time he completed a motion something strange would happen to a Blue Team member.
Fireballs and laser beams were exploding all over the place adding to the mayhem, but I saw my opportunity. Look at this fool standing right out in the open! I laughed as I sprinted from out behind my cover as I activated [Explosion] for the first and last time. An enormous surge of speed and strength surged through my body as my entire being felt invigorated. I jumped and flew through the air at a tremendous speed as I tackled [Meng Hao].
“FOR THE GODDESS!” I screamed as I wrapped my arms around him. [Explosion] surged through my body as Qi ignited and melted into my bloodstream and my Black Core began shake as it overloaded. Even the Cells in my body began to experience decay as they quickly began to fall apart under the intense energy. I saw goodbye in my mind as I knew I was seocnds away from detonating.
“Blood Clone disperse!” A voice yelled out and the body in my hands suddenly evaporated in a sea of Red Qi.
“8th Demon Sealing Hex!” The voice cried out again and suddenly my entire body felt frozen. I fell to the floor like a rigid statue. Even my ability [Explosion] was sealed by the spell as I felt the power of my Skill slowly recede and my Qi retracted into my Black Core. I desperately fought to try continue [Explosion] to resist against the Hex, but the power of the Hex was tremendous and seemed to prevent it. Instead [Explosion] remained fully activated but only weakly circulating its effect in my body, creating a minor surge in my Qi.
My mind raced at Super Speed as [Intuitive Aptitude] went into full gear. This was the first time I had actually experienced [Explosion] and this field test combined with my previous pondering coalesced into a deep analytic. As [Explosion] continuously operated [Intuitive Aptitude] drew deeper and deeper inferences as to how the ability worked.
Finally my mind fell into a state of revelation as an insight bloomed in my mind of how the Skill worked.
<[EXPLOSION X] HAS LEVELLED UP AND IS NOW [EXPLOSION XI][SKILL QUALITY: COMMON]>
As the Skill hit the 11th level it underwent a qualitative change and I could begin to feel the nuance that existed with this highly volatile form of energetic manipulation. The Skill Quality had improved from Beginner to Common and was now at a totally new level. I lay on the ground like stunned fish completely unable to do anything as the battle raged.
BOOM!
CRACKLE!
An enormous web of blue electricity suddenly surged out of nowhere and the Goddess floated in the middle of the room like a divine being. Her eyes were completely blue as [Livewire] bloomed. The Lightning streaked out and began incinerate person after person. It broke through reinforced bodies and special energetic shields and simply consumed people, leaving them as burnt out husks. I saw the [Meng Hao] flee in terror as a bolt hit him and slammed him against a wall. He desperately pulled out some kind of bank note and tore it up, but it only made the Goddess wince slightly before the lightning totally consumed him. Blue and Red Blood painted the walls and the floor as the lightning sizzled. As the Hex wore off me I slowly crawled so I was directly under the Node.
The lightning that got near the Node seemed to ground in the Node and so my puny life was spared while the Goddess raged. Finally after what seemed like an eternity the lightning began to fade and the Goddess descended above me to stand next to the node. She stepped over my body as if she barely recognised me and placed her hand on the Node and inserted her Qi into it. Slowly I saw the white colour of the crystal begin to change as it slowly began to fill up with a deep Qi coloured blue. I stood in amazement at this Goddess as I lay their in awe of her as I watched her work. God I love her I thought as I watched her Qi dance and vibrate. As I watched her a powerful feeling of empathy rose up inside me and it was like a true connection of total love was forged. Instantly I knew this was simply another side to [Intuitive Aptitude]. I didn’t necessarily have to read exposed brains if I had enough of a emotional connection with the target to emphatically mimmic their Skill. When she commanded me to love her I don’t think she ever intended for this side effect. As the empathic connection grew it was a stream of understanding flowed back into me. It was if I could see a sea of Sigils inside her brain that represented the dozens of Skills she had acquired.
As soon as I acquired the [Purple Man] Skill It automatically cancelled out the effects of brown haired woman’s control over my mind and empathic mimicry disconnected. I gasped in shock as the mental control evaporated and my true self came roaring back like a bat out of hell. A pure instant of complete clarity passed through me as my mind processed all that had happened that had led up to this very moment.
I could see the woman smiling as she saw the Node was almost completely full of Blue-Qi and her eyes glittered with the knowledge of acquiring even more power. Not today bitch I thought was my hand snaked out and grabbed her ankle. She was so caught up in converting the Node that she didn’t even notice. The rain of [Livewire] electricity she had conjured combined with the amount of Qi needed to convert the Node had left her with only a small amount of Qi left. I could sense how low her reserves were which made her vulnerable to a new ability I had only recently discovered when i had reached an 11th level Skill for the first time.
As I held her ankle I sent a tiny thread of Black-Qi questing into her blood and lightly touched the outside of her Core. If she had been more focused or had more Qi she would have noticed, but by the time it happened it was too late. The moment my Qi lightly touched the outside of her Core her eyes refocused and she looked down at me in surprise.We locked eyes for a moment as we stared at each other.
“How about one last Blow job?” I said as I activated [Explosion]. But not on my Core this time, instead I activated it on hers.[Explosion] sped a bolt of my Black-Qi deep into her Core and triggered a chain reaction to make her Core explode.
“No!” She screamed as she realised what was happening. She wasted a precious few moments trying prevent the chain reaction while I rolled away and began to sprint towards the nearest exit. I ran as fast as I could but it didn’t take long before I saw some static appear around me and a bolt of blue lightning hit me square in the back. Fortunately the sheer force of the lightning actually blew me further away from the woman and closer to the door leading out as I hit the ground in a shoulder roll and popped up without much loss in speed. While the lightning hurt like hell my 60 points in Durability weren’t for nothing as I shrugged it off
“Yooouuuu Cuuuunnnnnt!” The scream echoed out behind me before I heard the sound of an enormous explosion. I kept running as fast as I could before the shockwave hit me and slammed me into wall that bent and folded as a wave of energy passed through. I staggered to my feet then collapsed again after the wave had passed and all I could hear was a massive ringing sound in my ears. Desperately I knew now was the time to seize the prize as I slowly shuffled back into the main room.
I paused in shock momentarily as i saw the vaporised landscape in front of me.
Everything for some distance was simply melted. If anyone had still been alive in the room prior to the Explosion then they certainly were not alive now. I stood in front of the Node and placed both my hands on it as I fed my Qi into it as fast as I could. Slowly, too slowly for my liking, I watched Blue-Qi get driven out as it faded back to white and then started turning into that beautiful black-Qi. I felt like someone would jump me and finish me off every moment I stood there vulnerable but no one came.
Finally that perfectly beautiful moment arrived when that sweet voice from heaven whispered in my ear.
<3 ARCHTYPE CLASS TOKENS FOR COLONY ACQUIRED>