Chapter Text
I teleported up to my drone. The golden sphere (or sphere-like cluster of cubes) was currently cloaked. It was the best scout I had. Invisible. Inaudible. Intangible. Somehow able to record everything for miles without actually interacting with air pressure or photons.
The one problem was that no matter what Dragon or I did, it exploded.
The first one I'd Crafted had been working perfectly for years. However, every subsequent one I made or anything else I Crafted with components from the scout blew up.
Inevitably.
Invariably.
I wish I could remember whose work I Observed to get the blueprint. No doubt they could help with the faulty construction process. I had a few other components that could activate stealth features, but none of them came close to matching the effectiveness of the golden sphere.
I mentally shrugged before teleporting to where my Cawthorne suit had landed.
Damn. I'm glad I had been controlling it remotely. This is going to take a while to fix.
Actually, it will be quicker to just Craft another suit and Juggernaut Laser. I inventoried the remains. They took up a lot more room now that it was broken. Without adding an Inventory aspect to my gear, they needed capacity equal to their actual weight.
I tried Inventorying some of the giant arrows Ailendamus had shot. No go. I was starting to see a common theme about how my powers interacted with Magic, but I needed to perform some tests to be certain. Tests, and some expendible magic items. The arrows would work, but I didn't want to drag them around - or try to explain to anyone why I had them.
Now, what to do about that wall?
I'll leave it for now. I don't trust that general further than I could throw him. So, since I wasn't going to hang around and watch in person, the wall stays up until they leave. After that, I think I'll come back and use it as Crafting fodder. Waste not, want not.
With that decided, I started teleporting back to Ovela. I could stay around and heal the people that had been struck by shrapnel when I'd blown up their crossbows, but they had plenty of healing potions I assumed. Besides, it's their own fault for having such dangerous weapons in the first place. A good old catapult or trebuchet wouldn't have their component parts flung away at high velocity when cut in half. The X-shaped crossbows had a lot of internal tension.
I guess it was a good thing they hadn't invented cannons yet. Gunpowder would've been worse.
I appeared in a deserted stretch of road, and Threat Sense told me I was no longer being watched. I then Inventoried my Samus armor. My power might not be good at telling me if something magical is about to happen, but it's still great at stealth. Knowing if someone will see me after I've teleported is a pure cheat code. It made getting to the boss's tent super easy after I'd figured out where it was.
I connected to the cameras I'd left in the Inn. I was now fairly sure the guard from when I'd first tried to enter the city was just a dick. I could probably walk through the gates with my new clothes, but I didn't want to risk getting hassled again.
I frowned when I saw the feed. People were in my room: Cara, Seraphel, Dalimont, Aldric, and Leana. Everyone was apparently waiting up for me, and had concluded I'd just teleport back to my room and ignore the rest of the world until morning.
They were probably right.
Ser Aldric Godard waited with his [Princess], Cara, and his fellow Thronebearers. Kevin had gone out to fight another army single-handedly. It was the most idiotically heroic thing he could think of doing... except that the [Mage]? [Archmage]? had already done it once before.
However, there was a difference between a relatively mindless undead horde and a well trained and well equipped army. How would Kevin's golden beam stand against Ailendamus' magic?
If Aldric was a betting man, he'd heavily wager on the foreigner's success. He didn't know much about magic. What constituted a 4th level spell vs. a 5th level one was beyond him. Such a massive [Disintegration Beam]? That had to be ancient magic. The only question was if it came from Kevin, or the relic he wore?
Or was it a combined effort?
Ser Godard had only ever heard of one magic similar to Kevin's: The Golden Beam of Rhir. It was one of the Blighted King's most powerful skills. Rumors said it could turn an entire army into gold... and that it cost even more of the valuable substance to utilize.
Was that where Kevin and Cara were from? It made a certain sense. Rhir's armories were funded by the entire world. If any kingdom possessed an artifact like Sir Kevin wore, it would be them. If that was the case, why were they here?
Cowards fleeing the war with the Demons? Ser Godard didn't think so. Why would someone of such skill and power run away from such an important war, only to embroil himself in others?
Although... he could see the possibility in Cara. She was as sheltered as Seraphel in many ways. Could she be a [Princess] that had run away? Seraphel's sister, Lyonette, had done so. He knew his [Princess] was keeping a secret about the pairs' origin. It would also help explain why she'd bonded with the other woman.
No. Ser Godard subtly shook his head to dislodge those thoughts. They were dangerous. If someone asked him if he'd suspected such a thing with a truth stone, he'd had to be able to truthfully deny it.
Instead, he switched to considering his sketches. He was only a level 5 [Drawer], not even a [Painter]. It was one of the benefits of being a Thronebearer. Theirs might not be the most martially inclined order of knights, but they had a lot of leeway in taking other classes.
At least when they dealt with courtly subjects.
[Artists], [Painters], [Drawers], [Singers], and more could be surprisingly useful when dealing with nobility with the same hobbies. Plus, it was a fun pastime and Aldric enjoyed it.
The sight of Pixel raining death down on the undead had inspired him. It had been too dark to properly see the [Mage], especially with the brilliant beam shining so brightly in the dark. That was where his new skill, [Artistic License], would come in handy. It would help him put to paper more images as he imagined them.
He'd leveled up twice once he'd finished, which would have, admittedly, been more impressive if he were higher level.
He hoped her Highness would convince Sir Kevin to relay details of his fight with Ailendamus, as she had with his initial confrontation with the army of the dead. The 'Juggernaut Laser' spell he'd described was also something Ser Godard wished to see with his own eyes.
Or would it be more appropriate to call it another artifact instead of a spell? Kevin wasn't too forthcoming with the specifics, but Aldric suspected the suit of armor wasn't the only relic he possessed.
Then, without any light or sound, Pixel was there. Or was it 'Kevin' since he no longer wore his armor? Secret identities were common enough, so it wasn't strange that Kevin wished to obfuscate his involvement with another country's affairs.
I appeared in my room in the inn and gave everyone a half-hearted glare. It was an invasion of privacy, if a minor one, but I really had no foot to stand on if I tried to argue that. Goodness knows I'VE done far worse, even if I wasn't trying. My passive notifications saw to that.
Besides, Seraphel had paid for the room, so in one sense she had more right to be here than I did.
"Hello." I sighed. "If you can't guess from my returning, it's done."
The [Princess'] eyes gleamed. "Tell us how!" She turned her head and coughed into a fist. "I mean, please inform us of how the battle proceeded if you would be so kind, Sir Kevin."
I rolled my eyes and started to try and come up with magical sounding descriptions for what I did. "I summoned a wall of iron and magic to halt their progress..."
...
"...I decided the man behind the desk had outlived any usefulness he might ever bring to the world, so I summoned some acid and melted him." I paused at that. I might've acted too hasty. I doubt Ailendamus could really have pulled off the man's ultimatums. Still, if he was high enough in their government to make such threats, they might take issue with his execution. "I then healed the larger man and had him promise to withdraw." I shrugged. "I suppose I'll have to return and kill him if he doesn't. Eventually someone along the chain of command will get the message."
"I say!" Ser Dalimont stroked his perfectly groomed mustache. "That's quite the tale!"
"I'm glad you didn't kill them all." Cara nodded and then frowned. "Following orders is a shite excuse, but the fewer lives lost the better."
Seraphel smiled. "And it was a nice gesture to dispose of the body with acid. I'm sure their leader's undead corpse would've been handled without any fuss, but you did save them the hassle."
No. That was only because Crawler's saliva was pretty much the perfect weapon for killing people. I hadn't thought any further than that. Admittedly, the fact that it was an agonizing death had seemed like a plus at the time, but the main benefit was it was an inexhaustible resource. A single drop was all it took to kill someone, and I got buckets in return if I Inventoried it before it lost potency from dissolving inorganic matter.
"Now." The [Princess] continued. "It is late, and I'm sure Sir Kevin is tired. Let us retire for the night and speak more in the morning."
"As you wish." "Of course." "I will secure your chambers, you Highness." The three Thronebearers bowed and made their way out of my room with Seraphel following closely behind.
Cara smiled and punched my arm. "Good job, Kevin."
When they were gone, I locked my door and deployed my Golden Sphere. It occurred to me that it would be the perfect thing to rouse me if anyone entered my room while I slept. Plus, it wasn't that expensive to run.
It probably wouldn't explode either.
I closed my eyes.
[Hero Level 2!]
[Skill - Lesser Strength obtained!]
[Artificer Level 18!]
[Skill – Alchemy: Corrosive Substances obtained!]
[Avatar Level 2!]
[Skill - Expand Focus obtained!]
I was ready for the voice this time, and reached out with Tongue of Babel. "Hello."
No response.
"Can you hear me?"
[Yes.]
"What are you?"
[The Grand Design of Isthekenous.]
Hmmmm... Well, here's the big one. "Are you sapient?"
[Invalid question.]
That's not a 'no', but it's also not a 'yes'. "Can you tell me about yourself?"
I waited for half an hour, but there was no response. I finally decided to go to sleep, but when I awoke in the morning there was an unusual notification.
*Installing Update...
Seraphel woke the next day to find her message scroll glowing. She immediately opened it up and scanned what was written. The first correspondence and her replies were old, but the latest line had come in some time when she'd been asleep.
'We have heard of your dissolution of marriage, try and form some bonds with the people of Noelictus. Even in the face of tragedy, we must press forward.'
That was from her loving mother. So much more proper to avoid such terms as 'death' or 'assassination'. She doubtlessly hadn't used those words, even in a private message, for fear of giving any credence to 'The Cursed Widow of Calanfer' rumor.
'I will strive my utmost.'
A short response, but far more eloquent than what she'd wanted to say at the time.
'Rumors of a rogue [Necromancer] and an army of the dead have reached our ears. Stay safe, but provide any aid you can.'
At least she'd said 'stay safe'.
'I will strive my utmost.'
'We have heard from Afiele about the recent events. It displeases us to learn that your assistance is no longer requested. Return home.'
Seraphel frowned at that part. It was hardly her fault the nobles of Noelictus didn't take to her. Anyone else would've faced the same resistance after their fiancé died. Backstabbing and hording power went hand in hand with governance.
...but the fact that it was her third arranged marriage that had ended in death probably didn't help.
'We are traveling to a port. It will be many days before we can set sail.'
She hadn't mentioned Cara or Kevin. That was HER secret.
Plus, Cara was a good person and a true friend. She'd helped her, with no thought of reward. Seraphel had considered using her relationship with Kevin for... something, but she was having second thoughts about that as well.
It wasn't that he was from another world, or that he was strong enough to destroy armies with no assistance. True, that possibility was why Kevin had gone from 'a potential ally for Cara' to 'a potential ally for Calanfer'. However, while his actions hadn't been as... personally helpful as Cara's, it felt wrong to pull in the [Super Hero] of another world into their petty squabbles.
If he'd been 'Street Level' or 'City Level', she could see it. For someone as powerful as Kevin? He had a greater destiny.
...Plus, having someone like that associated with Calanfer might lead other countries to form counter-alliances. There was a perceived threat with such individuals, and as her father often said: 'Singularly powerful people die. Alliances persist. Calanfer must endure.'
There was a reason the Thronebearers were looked down upon as a knightly order as far as combat was concerned, and it wasn't solely because their efforts were focused on more useful areas. It was easier to make other countries view places like Ailendamus as a common threat, when you, yourself, weren't.
'We have heard that Ailendamus is massing troops at the border. Hasten your departure.'
Seraphel chuckled at the final missive. It wasn't often that she knew more than her parents. She'd intended to leave soon anyways. With the army taken care of, and Raganest dead, her fiancé had been avenged. There was nothing more she could do here against Ailendamus, or for Calanfer.
'I am striving to return home with as much alacrity as possible.'
Seraphel wrote her response and rolled up the scroll. It was time to head back to the Eternal Throne.
The next day, I saw Ovela sending a force towards the mountain pass. It wasn't particularly big, especially compared to Ailendamus' army. It was more like a large scouting party. The camera's left on the far side of the wall hadn't shown anything, so there was a good chance the army was indeed leaving.
I needed to make sure, and to handle a few more tasks.
I donned my Samus armor in my room and then teleported to the wall. It took a fair chunk of MP, but my regeneration rate was so high that as long as it didn't exceed my maximum it was a non-issue out of combat.
I started Crafting another seed while I sent my drone scouting. I didn't intend to return here, but on the off-chance that I did, an underground base might come in handy. Besides, I needed to cannibalize the wall. Blocking off a trade road would doubtlessly upset a lot of people. There was also the tech that was still below the surface. I didn't want that falling into the wrong hands.
Right. I nodded to myself. I needed to include a fail-safe. Something that ensured no one else would be able to even look at what I left behind without it self-destructing.
...As non-energetically as possible. I didn't want to accidentally kill any lookie-loos. It would require Ears and Tongue of Babel to safely interact with it. Finally, there would be nothing more dangerous or advanced than modern conveniences. Well, aside from the forcefield generators. It would be wasteful to not include those seeing as how I was including the wall's materials.
While I formulated the blueprint, entered the raw materials, and sorted the result - pixel by pixel, my drone flew off. My ability to multi-task wasn't great with Multiplayer broken. Having a clone of myself (Jagat) around really helped. Two brains were better than one. Still, the practice I'd had in the past with him (me), allowed me to handle Crafting and Scouting at the same time.
It was easier than the fight had been. I'd had to scout, sneak, and fight with a remote-controlled suit all at the same time. Even with the Golden Sphere's advanced programing, three things at once was my limit.
My drone hadn't found any remaining personnel. I was no tracker, but it was easy enough to tell an army had been here. Wooden tent posts, pieces of X-shaped giant crossbows, and lots of footprints were plain as day to anyone who'd cared to look. The holes my Juggernaut Laser had burnt into the ground were glaringly obvious as well.
Well, that was good enough for me.
The last of my wall funneled into the pixelized swarm that grew into a [Base Seed]. I dropped it into the ground and it sunk far deeper than the wall. A mile down should suffice.
Who knew if it would grow? Any movement. Any light. Any HINT at encountering ANYTHING bigger than an earthworm would cause it to cease all expansion and detonate what had already been made.
...As non-energetically as possible. It shouldn't even harm anyone, unless they were inside the structure.
I un-Inventoried my Mega-Buster for my next job. Removing the wall was all well and good, but I needed to fill the hole I'd made too. Thankfully, there was plenty of rock around to use.
I then un-Inventoried the Laser Trident module and let my weapon reconfigure itself. The three blades of solid light easily cut away rock from the mountains that lined the road. A few Gravity Resistance pylons later, and the road was as good as new!
Good. Now for the last thing.
I brought the six bodies out of my Inventory, along with some spare clothes I'd bought in Ovela. It was freezing out here, and I didn't want them to catch their death of cold.
One by one, I injected them with Riley's substance to bring them out of their death-state. It was a handy trick, but I couldn't use it too often without running out of both the inducer and deactivator Riley had made for me.
"What?" "How?" "Ghosts!" "Huh?" "I'm alive?" "The [General]!"
They were all naturally confused. "AHEM!" I cleared my throat to get their attention. "In case you don't remember, my name is Pixel. I killed you once, and I'll do it again if that is your wish." That got their attention and they all fell quiet. I pointed over their heads. "Your army is retreating, and I suggest you hurry after them if you don't wish to encounter the Ovela forces that are on their way here."
One of them shakily stood up. "Uhm, Ser Pixel? I'm confused."
I teleported away.
I was trying to be more like Dragon. She might've found a way to not kill anyone. She would've calmed these people down and perhaps provided an escort.
I wasn't her.
...Admittedly, I might still be holding a bit of a grudge from what their boss had threatened.
Shit.
I teleported back.
At the very least, I could answer a few of their questions. It cost me virtually nothing, but it might make all the difference for them.
Ser Aldric sat in his cabin and tried to sketch. It was hard. Despite the Captain's level, the ship still rocked back and forth and up and down as they crested each wave.
He was also using up too much charcoal. That, at least, wasn't his fault. The picture he had in mind - the shores of Noelictus as they sailed away - was almost pure black. It was an artistic challenge to capture the subtle shades of the ebony sand against the less-dark ocean, and the overcast sky.
He would miss some things, but not the lack of color. Truthfully, it would be a relief to return to Calanfer. He still mourned the deaths of his sworn brothers, and Seraphel's failed marriage was a blot on his, and the other survivors', records.
Tragedy and Glory. Despair and Hope. Loss and Levels.
Those were tales as old as time forgotten, but it still shocked part of him to be personally involved. Or at least tangentially involved.
The only thing he could think to do, when he wasn't standing guard, was to put what he'd seen to paper. Yet, that wasn't enough. He didn't want to merely record a still-life of what he'd seen. He wanted to tell a story. To convey the action. To put down MORE than just an image.
There was a knock on his door. Aldric glanced up. Who could be visiting him? "Enter." He stood and prepared to bow.
Cara's head poked through the opening. "Ser Aldric? I'm not disturbing you am I?"
He smiled. "Not at all, child. What can I do for you?"
Cara flopped down on the bed next to him. "I'm bored. Seraphel is busy with talking to all sorts of people now that we're almost at Calanfer. Kevin's busy doing Kevin-stuff. The rest of the Thronebearers are standing guard - despite the fact that we've been on this boat for days, and I don't want to disturb them. Nothing's going to happen!"
"I believe the crew would object to the terminology you just used, Ms. Cara."
She glared at him. "Ship, boat, whatever."
"Do you not wish to sing for the crew again?"
Cara shook her head. "Nah, I've come up with a plan. I also don't want to... use more songs than I have to."
He looked down at her. Use? She was a skilled [Singer], and should have multiple skills to use every day. Still, it wouldn't become him to judge how she chose to ration them. "So I'm the bottom of the barrel, as it were." His smile took away any venom his words might've otherwise held.
Cara chuckled. "I guess. It's either hang out with you, be alone, or listen to [Sailors] curse." She looked down at his drawing pad. "That's pretty good. You have a knack for it."
Aldric smiled. "Thank you." He began flipping from one sketch to another. "I find it relaxing. Plus, it might aid in reporting." He paused before deciding there was no harm in letting the foreigner know of his quandary. "Truth be told, I wish for my pictures to do more. I want to tell a story with them. To let them convey what we experienced."
Cara nodded. "So, like a picture book?"
He shook his head. "No. I don't wish to make a book for children." He paused and thought. Although... Such things would probably help the peasantry, since it wouldn't require a high degree of literacy, but the... ideas he had were too visceral for such a young audience.
"Oh." Cara stopped him at an image of Kevin as 'Pixel'. "You mean like a comic book."
We stood in a circle within Seraphel's anti-spying skill. It was time for us to go our separate ways.
"Are you sure about this?" The [Princess] asked. "The Eternal Throne of Calanfer is a lovely city. You should at least visit before you leave."
Cara shook her head. "No, if I'm going to find more people from Earth," She looked at me. "My Earth that is, I'll need to be public and identifiable in a way that only they get. I'll also need to travel around. Odds are they won't be able to come to me, so I'll have to go to them."
I smiled. "That's a good plan, just try to avoid any more war zones." That got a chuckle from them both.
Seraphel turned to me. "What about you, Kevin? I wouldn't want to impose any restrictions on Pixel, but surely you would like to accompany me to the capital? It would be the quickest way for you to get any information I might find on your sister."
I shook my head as I un-Inventoried two inch wide cubes. "That won't be necessary." I handed one to each of them. "Speak into these and I'll hear you from anywhere in the world. They are one hundred percent secure." Unless magic was able to both access the signals that Shards used, AND break their encryption. While I wouldn't bet on the first holding true, the later should be completely impossible. "I might not be able to come quickly, considering the distances involved, but I'll help however I can."
The women held the blue crystals to the light.
"Flawless." Seraphel said with amazement. "It's a gem worthy of a royal crown." She then gave me a flat stare. "Except for the cutting, that is. What is your obsession with cubes anyways?"
Cara pocketed hers. "Thanks, Kevin." She then frowned. "How's the skill from 'You know who' looking? I still think you should go with Seraphel and get an expert to remove it."
"I'd rather not, at least not until I have a way to protect myself from [Appraise]." That had apparently been what the man who'd threatened Riley had used. If someone could look at my skills or my classes, what else would they see? From what I'd gathered, [Heroes] were rare for a reason. Advertising that I had that class would draw more attention than I wanted as Kevin.
...That might be fine for 'Pixel', but I also had the [Avatar] class. I don't think anyone would be okay with knowing I was a conduit for a Shard of an alien so powerful it might as well be called a 'God'.
Nope. Also, I might be wrong, but I didn't think [Thread of Fate] sounded so bad. Besides, the [Witch] had a grudge against Cara and Seraphel, I wasn't the one in danger. Better to put some distance between us instead of messing with the skill itself.
Who knows? That might be what sets it off.
Seraphel rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll quit suggesting it... just be careful, alright?" She changed the topic rather than continue trying to change my mind. "If you aren't coming with me to the Eternal Throne, what are you going to do instead?"
I looked off in the distance. "There are a few seeds I'll want to plant around Calanfer. They should help if Ailendamus decides to invade." It was true that Seraphel's involvement in the 'war' was practically non-existent, but it would be good to have a well-defended home base once I found Riley. It would also work as a place I could protect stranded people from Earth if I needed to. I should probably plant one of my big guns here too. It would need time to grow if I was going to use it, and I could use the Inventory space. "After that, I was planning on visiting Wistram. If it's true that they can help, then it only makes sense to ally with them."
Cara raised an eyebrow. "If you say so. I'm not sure I trust them." She sighed. "But you'll be fine. Let me know what you find out."
I nodded. "Sure."
Seraphel took two pouches from her side and handed them to Cara and me. "Here. It's not much, but it should help you buy food or lodgings." She looked at me. "Or passage."
I opened the bag. The insides were bigger than the outside, and were filled with gold coins.
"Not much." Cara shook her head. "You're still a noble that's out of touch with the common people, you know that right?" She smiled as she went in to hug Seraphel.
"And you're a loud-mouthed, head strong, lout that knows nothing about what she speaks." Seraphel's voice had none of her habitual venom.
I looked away. It was awkward, but apparently not enough for Gamer's Mind to step in. Instead I considered the bag. I'd been planning on conducting my experiments at Wistram. Seraphel might be rich, but I didn't want to ask her for enchanted items that I planned on blowing up. I could Inventory the gold, and use the bag for some tests.
...Then again, gold was heavy, and I didn't have unlimited Inventory space. The bag might be best used as it was intended to be.
After more lengthy, and less personal, goodbyes involving the Thronebearers, we finally went our separate ways.
...
I was flying back towards the harbor when the notification came.
*Installation complete!
[Integration with The Grand Design of Isthekenous complete.
Mana Pool trait created.
Mana Enhancement trait created.]
*Nostalgia Block effect negated by Gamer's Mind.
*Blocked Senses effect negated by Gamer's Mind.
[Welcome Kevin Greenhouse! You have unlocked an expansion to The Gamer! Upon initialization, you have gained 2 traits. Complete personal activities and achievements to grow stronger and shape the world as you like it.]
I quickly landed, making sure that no one saw me.
I'd been anticipating this ever since the first 'Installation' notification. I hadn't considered that there were more mental effects for Gamer's Mind to negate. The question was, had they bypassed Gamer's Mind before somehow? Or had my faulty interface not given me the notifications before?
Also, and perhaps more importantly, are there any other ongoing effects that I'm not aware of?
*Paranoia negated by Gamer's Mind.
No, no, calm down. While I shouldn't ignore the possibility, I also shouldn't dwell on it. Thankfully, I have the perfect thing to distract me! Let's see what my new traits do.
[Mana Pool
A reservoir of Magical power (Mana) used to cast spells and empower Magical effects.
May be expanded with 'Limit-Breaker' by sacrificing skills provided by The Grand Design of Isthekenous.]
[Mana Enhancement
Combine Traits, Perks, and Skills with magic. Traits, Perks, and Skills must be enhanced before mana can be spent on them. Trait, Perk, and Skill enhancement level determines how much mana may be used. Mana used determines the potency of the effect. Traits, Perks, and Skills may be enhanced via undertaking special actions.
Traits, Perks, and Skills may be enhanced with 'Limit-Breaker' by sacrificing skills provided by The Grand Design of Isthekenous.]
Hmmm... Let's see here.
I opened up my Character sheet. Ah, good. Everything's working again. I also have 30 mana.
Is that a lot? A little? I'll have to test to find out. Of course, without sacrificing a skill, I won't have anything to spend it on in the first place.
I equipped Limit-Breaker.
[Thread of Fate] was the obvious choice, but messing with it seemed risky.
I think... I'll instead start with [Lesser Endurance]. It reduced the time it took for 'Tired' debuffs to accumulate, which resulted in me needing to sleep for an hour and forty-five minutes instead of two hours a night to break even. Not a bad little skill, but not that amazing either.
Fifteen minutes a day for a year? Uhm... Yeah. That comes out to a little more than ninety hours. So roughly three and a half more days a year to do... what? Tinker? I do enough of that as it is.
I guess an argument could be made that more time equaled more video games, but fifteen minutes isn't enough to play anything good.
I mentally 'drug' [Lesser Endurance] to Mana Enhancement. A new screen opened.
[Please select the Perk, Trait, or Skill you wish to Enhance:
Observe
Inventory
Transposition
Ephemeral
Rapid Regeneration
Lucky Fate
Lucky Screen
Power Drain
Teleportation
Threat Sense
Crafting
Ears of Babel
Tongue of Babel
Acting
Athletics
Basic Academics
Biology
Computers
Cooking
Craft (Armor)
Damage Resistance (Acid)
Damage Resistance (Chemical Energy)
Damage Resistance (Cold)
Damage Resistance (Disease)
Damage Resistance (Disintegration)
Damage Resistance (Electricity)
Damage Resistance (Energy)
Damage Resistance (Gravity)
Damage Resistance (Heat)
Damage Resistance (Light)
Damage Resistance (Magnetism)
Damage Resistance (Nuclear)
Damage Resistance (Phasing)
Damage Resistance (Physical)
Damage Resistance (Poison)
Damage Resistance (Radiant)
Damage Resistance (Radiation)
Damage Resistance (Radio)
Damage Resistance (Sonic)
Damage Resistance (Strong)
Damage Resistance (Weak)
Meditation
Melee Weapon
Ranged Weapon
Resistance (Agi Damage)
Resistance (Con Damage)
Resistance (Nullification)
Resistance (Spacial)
Resistance (Str Damage)
Resistance (Sonic)
Resistance (Temporal)
Stealth
Tailoring
Unarmed Combat
Video Games]
Interesting. That was almost everything I could do, with some notable exceptions. I would say that things like Gamer's Mind, Gamer's Body, or my most recent Perk are probably too powerful to enhance. Or they needed a better sacrificed skill to do so. Some of them, like Deep Analysis wouldn't make sense to improve without empowering what they effected first. Other's, like Parahuman Lore, probably aren't applicable no matter what.
I smiled. This was finally starting to feel like a game again.