The fuckers had trashed my house. Okay it hadn't really felt like mine yet, but come on.
They hacked through he front door. Sliced up the TV, the couch and my recliner. Assholes.
My guns were fine, which reminded me, why didn't my GIPs work? Another hidden option?
I gather my guns and the katanas of the last and the first Samurai I killed. I placed them on my bed. I locked the bedroom door. It sucked, but was better than nothing.
Then I shed the ruined scrubs and pulled about a dozen darts and twice as many shuriken out of myself. I guess I'm resistant to poison, because they obviously were slathered in a foul smelling ooze. I was certain this process looked silly, at least I felt absurd plucking the tiny weapons out.
I took a long shower. By the end I noticed that the first stab wound was gone. About fifteen to twenty minutes to heal small wounds, not the Badger fast but still pretty damn good. I certainly couldn't talk as fast as Dreadpool. I'm curious if there's a version of him here.
I got dressed. Then I spent awhile rigging up the katanas using their obi's and a couple of my dress belts. I got them settled across my lower back and waist. I could reach back and draw them both in a reverse grip. Not the idea fighting method for katanas but it was easy enough to flip them around to the proper position. I strapped on my shoulder holster as well.
A knock sounded on my bedroom door. I answered with a Katana in my grip.
It was Harold and Peter.
"Ah good, you are done. We were going over the scene with our lab crews, and they couldn't make sense of the scorch marks in the back yard. Was it a power?"
"Ninja technique, Ninpo I think it's called. He made hand signs and said, Something, something no Justu. Bamb, big-ass fireball."
Peter chimed, "Ooo, was one of the words, Katon?"
I checked my memory. "Yeah the first one, " nodded. "But tell you what, why don't I run you through event with the Laboids?"
"Alright let's do that." Harold walked me over and introduce me to the lab crew, and I began to talk them through the scene.
"Wait you did that much damage with your bare feet?" One of the Lab tech asked.
"Huh, yeah. As you can see my feet didn't take much damage and what they did take healed up real quick."
Another tech took down some notes, "Enhanced fast healing."
I kept going. When I got to the part about the Fireball.
"Are you sure you leap twenty feet? "
"Yup, at least twenty could have been more. Any less and I'd have been toasted."
I left out the part were I was terrified of the fire. I like these guys, but no way in Hell, was I trusting them with my weaknesses.
I got to the part with the last Samurai.
"What did he say?" Peter asked.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
"Zettai Ougi something Battou Jutsu."
"Was the second word maybe Kougeki?"
"Hmm. Yeah could have been."
"Absolute Attack, probably the name of his style, Drawing technique or art." Peter was really into this. I swear he had stars in his eye.
"You'll have to forgive Peter, he is greatly enamored of the Gunmetal Samurai. A Japanese Super of some renowned." Harold looked bemused.
"Nifty, We all have Heroes. Just hope that if you meet them, they aren't total dicks." I gave Peter a pat on the shoulder. Gently.
I got to travel back to the Sept Temporary base with Harold and Peter and Half the Lab Team. Hauling the bodies, What I'd left of them back to the forensics setup.
The base was a bunch of older shipping warehouses, by a rail line, at the Southern limits of Cattleton. Quiet and out of the way. Good for government operations or crime.
I piled out with them and having thought of something earlier, wanted to get some sleep. Now I probably didn't need sleep anytime soon, but I suspected it was a key to a problem. After Peter Blipping me into the Apartment, I'd been in before, I hit the hay.
A few hours later I snapped awake.
Turn out my suspicions were correct.
[Daily Quest 2 Completed
Reward was delayed by Subscriber
GIPs was disabled for conflict by Subscriber
You get 1MC and 500 credits. ]
I wonder which Ass-clown did that.
[You have gained Exp
200 Class exp
100 Race exp
300 Physical exp
500 Mental exp
200 Social exp
1100 Combat exp
400 General exp ]
Whoa, that's a lot to parse.
My knowledge on Exp said I could use it to rank up. Combat exp could be used for, obviously, combat skills. For example, I could use it to rank up Firearms, or use it to buy other combat skills like Bladed Weapons. Either would cost 500 exp. Also specificity cost more but had a greater impact. Swords versus Bladed Weapons, Katana versus Swords. Swords would cost 750, Katanas 1000.
General exp was the same thing for non combat skills. Covert versus Lockpicking to choose an example.
Combat exp could be exchanged for General exp at a cost of 3 to 1 and vice versa. Both could be converted into Stats/Abilities/Traits exp at 5 to 1 and Class or Race exp at 10 to 1.
Not really as complicated as it at first seems. What it really was, a delaying tactic. It slowed the whole process of advancement down. It took focus off the most important factors.
Concentrate too much on skills and your Stats don't grow fast enough. Too much on stats and your Class will never grow.
Messy. I would be willing to bet if you up your Race and Class level you can raise yourself from being a Tier 1 being. Then new Guide and Meta options probably open up.
The higher you climb the more advantages. This certainly smelled of the Witness Program. The Factions pulling the ladders up behind them, or at least greasing the rungs.
I needed to measure short term survival versus long term gain. A Balance was needed, which meant I needed to understand more. Until I knew how to use my Abilities or how much my Traits really mattered, it might be a mistake to change anything. Of course, decision paralysis was a problem.
[ You have gained new subscribers
LadyLust - you get 1 GC
Captain Steel - you get 1 GC ]
[ You have a PM - you get 1MC
LadyLust - (Censored Emoji) Hit me up sometime, we'll have lots of fun. (S.W.A.K.) ]
More Beings to cause problems. I'll take the Coins though.
[ You have new Daily Quests ]
[ Daily Quest 1
Perform Exercises until exhaustion.
You get 5 MC and 1000 credits ]
[ Daily Quest 2
Get some Armor
You get 2 MC and 200 credits ]
[ Daily Quest 3
Perform an Ability
You get 2 GC, 2 MC and 300 credits ]
Now this was more like it!
I called out, and got Kari.
"Hey Vick, what can I do for you?" Loaded question. Bubbly and excited.
"Many Things, but first I need some gear." Don't think about it. Wouldn't be prudent.
"Okay, I'll let you out." She laughed.
Some sirens and heavy clanking later, the wall canted out. Ah, no wonder I could find a secret door, it was the whole freaking wall. I studied it as I walked out into the base, a foot of solid steel. Probably couldn't punch my way out. Yet.
"Some Gear, you said. What do you need?" She bounced on her feet like she was about to dance.
"Armor. A Gym for Supers, and a few potted plants, of different varieties." I grinned. Delegation for the win.
"I can get the Gearheads to measure you, and cobble something together. You can use our setup for the gym. What do you need the plants for? " She tilted her head. Puzzled.
"Ability Testing."