‘Did they really have to simulate things so realistically?’ he complained inwardly, trying to ignore the feeling. He could have used a cleaning spell, but he didn’t want to chance making a mess of the ritual with any stray piece of mana.
Thus, he had to suffer…
Meanwhile, his senses were focused on Lucky’s hidden form as mana continued to do mysterious things.
He was wondering if he did it right. Going for the next stronger item was the normal method. After all the numbers always have to go up and brrrrr. But Lucky and Sam were already strong thanks to his almost lexical knowledge of the basics of the system and mana control.
Hell, with what he discovered, Sam would bet a sizeable amount of money that he knew more about mana control than anyone currently playing who didn’t work for Future Unknown. Most people on the forums, both open and private, were still in the beginnings of properly figuring out that they really needed to stop relying on the system assist when casting spells.
Though, to be fair, he wasn’t the only one who started casting spells and using skills on his own. There were plenty of purists, role players, and perverts who refused to use it. Sadly, their mindset was still based on other games where this was possible. Thus, while they stepped on the correct road, they instantly did an about-face and began walking in the other direction.
Nowadays, it was pretty accepted that if somebody wanted to be among the top players, they would need to eschew the assistance offered by the system and rely on their own talents. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on whom you asked, while guilds, organizations, and workshops could power level anyone they wanted, they still couldn’t give them the actual skills – and talent – to use those levels.
Sadly, for them, but happily for Sam and his company – as they sold a lot of needed materials and services – it would take time for the guilds to shift from power-leveling to some kind of academy setup for new players. Leveling and education at the same time…
‘Maybe we could start an exclus–‘
CRACK
His musings were cut short, instantly causing him to discard his thought process and refocus on Lucky’s transformation.
The deep black material covering the body of his familiar developed one tiny crack at the top. As Sam took a closer look, he saw it was shining with a mix of metallic silver and, for some reason, green.
‘Uh, I hope the natural energy in the seed wasn’t too strong…’
Before Sam could work himself up with worry, there was another crack sound as the tiny one began to spread along the surface of the ‘cocoon’ covering his friend’s form.
CRACK
CRACK CRACK
CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK
And on it went as Sam watched the cracks spread like spiderwebs until they covered the entire surface and began to gently pulse with the same light they were emitting. Weirdly, the mana in the air was still doing its funky thing.
Hoping that something would happen that needed him, Sam straightened out and began to gather the dregs of his energy, ready for anything.
Alas, nothing really happened.
The ‘cocoon’ pulsed, covered in thin cracks pulsing metallic silver and green light, and the mana in the air was undulating around it while being absorbed and expelled.
He blinked a few times, shrugged, then plopped down on the ground with his legs crossed and began to browse the net to pass the time.
It took almost seven hours for the ritual to finish.
Which, after thinking about it, didn’t really surprise Sam. According to his timer, it was almost dawn by the time the mana around Lucky’s cocoon began to calm down.
Rubbing his hands together, bored out of his mind, yet exhausted after keeping watch for seven hours, he watched eagerly as the last active mana petered out and the world held its breath.
The cracks stopped pulsing, emitting a continuous light that began to grow. Soon the thin cracks started to grow thicker and thicker, consuming the dark material covering the wolf’s form, turning it into a ball of shining multicolored energy that was hard to look at.
Then the energy began to shift.
To Sam’s relief, the form it began to transform into looked quadruped.
Then it began to get detailed.
The first thing Sam realized was that Lucky’s new form was big. Very big.
His previous form wasn’t small, as Sam could comfortably travel on his back, but this new form towered over even that. By Sam’s estimation, Lucky was at least four or five meters tall and at least ten long.
If you didn’t count the slowly forming tail.
That was already wagging, calming Sam down somewhat.
Then the head formed and light began to recede into nothingness as the new body was revealed.
Thankfully, the fur was still present, silky and exquisite looking, so black that it seemed to absorb light. Claws the size of knives, shining with metallic luster and menace, and engraved with very tiny runes, occasionally sparking with blue light. However, fur wasn’t the only thing covering his familiar body. On the legs of the wolf, the rump and the most vulnerable parts of the underbelly, the chest, and the forehead leading backward along the spine were metallic scales arranged like armor. Naturally, this scale armor was also inlaid with tiny runes that occasionally sparked with blue or greenish-blue light.
Lucky’s eyes were closed, but as the light fully vanished, Sam finally could see his face. Fangs jutting out of his muzzle, ready to tear well… anything apart. They weren’t like Lucky’s claws, they were actually made of solid shadow, glinting with a metallic finish, causing Lucky’s maw to look like it was an endless black hole ready to swallow anything.
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Sam only had one word to describe the scene before him.
Terrifying…
Then Lucky’s eyes opened and for a split-second, Sam saw the unrestrained wildness inherent in all wolves, the desire to tear and rip, to hunt and to stand atop the bodies of their enemies, then the moment vanished and it was replaced by a warm light as Lucky took a small step forward and began to lick his face.
Apparently, a bigger body meant more saliva…
‘Joy…’
For a while, he let Lucky play around, then he thoroughly examined the wolf’s body. He ran his hands through the soft fur, caressed the slick armor parts, and made sure Lucky was happy.
The tail wagging was generating enough wind that Sam suspected it could be used for some wind magic.
He looked up at the giant wolf who looked back down with eagerness.
“You know, I don’t think you will fit into most buildings with your new size…”
Lucky blinked, turned his head to look at himself, spent a few seconds just chasing his tail, then returned to a standing position and let out a joyful bark.
Then…
PUFF
A small cloud of smoke appeared and a small German-Sheperd-sized wolf replaced the behemoth of destruction, missing its armor, deadly claws, and abyss-like maw, instead looking very fluffy and huggable.
Lucky sat down on his haunches and gave Sam a wolfish grin.
He just let out a laugh as he went down on his knees and began to pet the proud familiar as countless notifications began to go off in his head.
A few minutes later he was sitting next to the wall – finally clean – with Lucky’s head in his lap, reading his system screen.
[You attempted the Ritual of Evolution (Modified) with your pet, Lucky!]
[Compatibility check…]
[Stability check…]
[Synchroneity check…]
[Mana adaptability check…]
[Your Ritual of Evolution (Modified) was a success!]
[Lucky, the Runic Shadow Spirit Wolf (Level 101) has successfully transformed into an Umbra Armory Spirit Wolf (Level 1)!]
[Lucky, due to the evolution gained a Malleable Mana Core, which subsumed the Animalistic Mana Control, and Animalistic Shadow Control skills!]
[Shadow Spirit Body has evolved into the Armored Runic Spirit Body, absorbing the following skills:
Shadow Strike
Shadow Jump
Shadow Dash
Shadow Claws
Shadow Bite
Shadow Steed
Shadow Bleed
Weakening Strike
Shadow Heal
Runic Weapon
Runic Strike]
[Lucky, due to evolution gained the following skills: Transformation, Living Armory, Greater Shadow Affinity, Metal Affinity, Armored Scales, Physical and Magical Resistance, and Summon Minions!]
[Metal Affinity: Level 0/100 (0%) (Passive) Metals are part of the body of the familiar. Increases the effectiveness of metal objects wielded by the familiar. Increases the effectiveness of defensive type skills by 0,5% for each skill level.]
[Armored Scales: Level MAX (Passive) The familiar body is covered partially with armored scales and imbued with runic magic. Doubles the effectiveness of the Physical and Magical Resistance skills and provides a flat damage reduction per familiar level.]
[Summon Minions: Level 0/100 (0%) (Active) The familiar lets out an echoing howl which summons wolf spirits from the shadow of the world. The familiar can summon five spirits for every five familiar levels. For every skill level, the strength and power of the wolf spirits is increased by 1%.]
All very nice spells that Sam was very happy that Lucky got, but honestly, they were nothing against the two main ones, the two smaller ones that one of them granted.
[Armored Runic Spirit Body: Level Max (Passive) The body of the familiar has been permeated by runes and shadow mana bonding to their spirit. The body is one with the magic, and the magic in turn is one with the body. Less malleable in certain aspects, but much more malleable in others. Increases the strength of armor and weapons. Doubles the effectiveness of the defensive ability of familiar when transformed but halves offensive ability.]
[Malleable Mana Core: Level MAX (Passive) The Mana Core of the familiar is not set in shape, yet at the same time is a perfect sphere. This duality can be exploited by the familiar to transform much more easily and meld with the shadows.
Increased mana capacity and mana regeneration.
Increased STR, VIT, END, DEX, AGI.
Grants a flat 0,1% True Damage defense per familiar level.
Grants the skills Transformation and Living Armory.]
[Transformation: Level 1/100 (24%) (Active) The familiar is capable of transforming into multiple different shapes. The familiar is also capable of changing size. Can become a maximum one-tenth or twice the original size. For every skill level, the cost of the transformation is decreased, and the duration increased.]
And finally, the long-awaited skill.
[Living Armory: Level 0/100 (0%) The familiar is capable of absorbing armor and weapons and then transforming into them, aiding their master. The strength and effectiveness, when ‘worn’ by the master, depends on the link between the familiar and the master. Additionally, the familiar operates as a living armory; storing and maintaining weapons and armor. For each skill level, the mana cost of maintaining the transformation is decreased by 0,75%. When transformed, each skill and spell considers the familiar a weapon and/or armor not as a familiar.]
‘What a gosh darn haul…’ he mused happily as he read and reread the skills again and again. Apparently, the system understood the assignment and gave him exactly what he wanted. ‘I hope I don’t get an embarrassing transformation sequence…’
Then, with a reluctant sigh, he turned to his own skills.
[You have successfully finished a heavily modified ritual proving your mastery of the subject! You gained +1 PER and +1 DEX!]
[Perfect Mana Core is now Level 10!]
[The Way of the Forerunner is now Level 45!]
[Adaptive Coordination is now Level 60!]
[Master Runecarver is now Level 19!]
[Illusionary Runes is now Level 80!]
All very nice gains. But he was more curious about the Spirit Link skill.
[Due to your extraordinary connection with your familiar, your Spirit Link reached Level 100 and transformed into the Adamant Spirit Link!]
[Adamant Spirit Link: Level 0/100 (0%) (Passive) Your connection with your familiar is unbreakable and unfathomable. Provides resistance against effects trying to disrupt this connection. Grants passive enhancement to you and the familiar the closer the two of you are to each other. Physical skills are increased in power and effectiveness by 1% for each skill level. The effect is lost when the familiar moves out of touching range. Also provides the bonuses of the previous skill.]
[You gained the skill Spirit Resource Distribution!]
[Spirit Resource Distribution: Level MAX (Passive) Due to your generosity and trust, your familiar is capable of drawing on your mana reserves when in contact with you.]
Sam grinned at those skills, knowing that nobody would know what hit them the next time he had to fight. However, reluctantly, he turned to the last page as he lost his grin.
[Due to overdrawing your mana, you have been struck by Mana Exhaustion!]
[Mana Exhaustion: Physical abilities -90%, Mana Control -90%, Mana Regeneration -90%, Using mana could result in all manner of other negative effects. Duration: 99 hours 11 minutes]
“Eh, what can you do?” he asked out loud.
Lucky, from his lap, simply let out a bark.
“You’re certainly right, my friend. Let’s go see what the others managed to create!”
EDIT: Reached 1000 favorites! Thank you everyone!
Owed bonus chapters: Three (3)
Titles:
[Apprentice: You are an apprentice learning under a master. Increased experience point gain in the key skill of the apprenticeship.]
Magical Items:
[Ring of Minor Health Regeneration: A small ring, made from subpar materials, with a low-quality magical gem. As long as the gem holds mana, it aids with health regeneration. Can hold 100 Mana Points, and regenerates 10 Health Points for every point of mana consumed. Current Mana: 100/100.]
[High-quality Troll Leather Armor: Created by a journeyman crafter employed by your own company. They worked extra hard to make sure to return your goodwill. Excellent quality, given the materials and the crafter. Enchanted to decrease the sound it makes during movement, as well as has increased durability. Thanks to the substance it was impregnated with the troll leather it lacks its customary weakness to fire.]
*Not actually bottomless.]
[Ring of the Shadow Fang: Made from shadow metal and accented with white moon-silver, this ring allows the wearer to summon a dagger made from shadow. The strength of the dagger depends on the wearer’s shadow mana control. The distance the dagger can move from the wearer depends on the mana control of the individual.]
Quests:
Active quests:
[Just walk in there!]
[Prove yourself!]
[Peaceful land, peaceful mind]
Finished quests:
[Monster Parade!]
[Topping the tree!]
[Reap what you sow!]
[Seaside opportunity]
[Another seaside opportunity]
[The booty of mystery!]
[Demonic demonstration!]
[The Test of the Survivor!]
[To the city you go!]
[Eternal Vigilance!]
[Returning Champion]
[Volatile Valley]
[Ride forward to be not killed in nasty ways!]
[Location, location, location!]
Skills:
Mana Skills:
[Mana Body: Level 7/100 (21%) (Passive) Your mana permeates your body, enhancing and improving it. The better your control of your mana is, and the more mana you have, the bigger the effect is. For every 100 Mana Points, it grants you 1 Base Health gain. For every skill level, it increases the Health Regeneration by 0,1.]
[Mana Shield: Level 99 (99%) Using mana, you can form a simple shell around yourself, which decreases the damage you take. Damage decrease depends on the amount of mana invested. For every unit of Mana invested in the spell, the shield will protect you from 9,9 (physical) damage.]
[A/N: Currently: WIS: 55 / MAG: 50 = 1,1 --> +2,1 Mana Regeneration per skill level]
[A/N: Currently: WIS: 55 / MAG: 50 = 1,1 --> +3,1 Mana Regeneration per skill level]
Neutral Mage skills:
[Mana Unraveling: Level 14/25 (19%) (Active) You can spot even the smallest imperfection in the weave of the mana. If your control is better than the one who wove the spell, then you can attack those imperfections and unravel the spell or magic in front of you.]
[Spell Matrix: Level 40/100 (4%) (Passive) You mastered layering spells as very few have before. You can layer ( or connect any other way) together as many spells as you can. The cost of this action is increased by 5% (cumulative) for every two layers or spells.]
[Solid Spell Foundation: Level 5/5 (MAX%) (Passive) Your foundation is solid and unshakeable. The stability of layered spells is increased.]
[Mana Construct: Level 84/100 (22%) (Active/Passive) You can create mana constructs over your weapons. These constructs cannot be separated from your weapon. You have total control over their shape and size. For every level in the skill, the mana cost is decreased by 1% and the damage inflicted by the skill is increased by 1%]
[Simplicity: Level 5/5 (MAX%) (Passive) The simpler your creations, the less mana it costs.]
[Infusion: Level 5/5 (MAX%) (Passive) Infusing different mana types into your mana constructs becomes easier.]
[Complexity: Level 1/5 (11%) (Passive) The complexity of your creations doesn’t detract from it. Usually, mana cost would rise when the complexity of your creation increases. For every level of this skill this increase in mana cost becomes less and less.]
Elemental Mage Skills:
Wind Mage skills:
[Wind Blade III: Level 9/10 (99%) (Active) A spell that allows you to launch a blade of wind. The cutting power and speed of the blade are increased. You have greater control over its movement after creation. Allows you to slightly control its path after launching the wind blade.]
[Wind Blade Storm: Level 6/10 (7%) (Active) A spell that unleashes a storm of wind blades around you. The damage of the released Wind Blades depends on the Wind Blade spell and your mastery over it.]
[Wind Bullet III: Level 9/10 (99%) A spell that allows you to launch a bullet made of concentrated wind. You have excellent control over the projectile’s speed, size, and path.]
[Wind Explosion: Level 3/10 (21%) A spell that allows you to create a singular bullet of wind mana, and then fire it, which will, upon impact, detonate. The strength of the detonation depends on the amount of wind mana channeled into the bullet and your mastery over the Wind Bullet spell!]
[Wind Movement: 39/100 (19%) (Active) You can use your mastery over wind to move in any direction you wish. Your movement speed is increased significantly. This speed boost is increased by 1% for each skill level.]
[Wind Edge III: Level 9/10 (99%) (Passive) A spell that allows you to enhance the edge of any bladed weapon you wield with the wind. Thanks to the spell, the speed of your strikes will greatly increase. The power and reach of the blade will be greatly increased further.]
[Wind Affinity: Level 61/100 (17%) (Passive) You have a good affinity for the wind. Beings born of the wind will be more favorable to you. The cost of the Wind-type spells and skills is reduced and their power is increased by 0,5% for each skill level.]
- Wind Flurry
- Wind Bullet Barrage
- Healing Wind
- Wind Jump
- Wind Drill
- Wind Blade I-III
- Wind Blade Storm
- Wind Bullet I-III
- Wind Explosion
- Wind Movement
- Wind Edge I-III!
Utility skills:
Companion skills:
Shadow skills:
(Shadow Cloak triggers this benefit.)]
[Shadow Affinity: Level 30/100 (14%) (Passive) You have a good affinity with the shadows. Beings born of the shadows will be more favorable to you. The cost of the Shadow-type spells and skills is reduced and their power is increased by 0,5% for each skill level.]
Physical skills:
[Basic Armor Mastery: Level 91/100 (6%) (Passive) You learned the basics of wearing armor. Decreases the Stamina consumption slightly while wearing any kind of armor.]
[Clean Armor: Level MAX (MAX%) (Passive) Your mana got used to a certain spell, so the waste mana radiating from you will, over time, permeate and clean your armor.]
[Resistant Armor: Level 5/5 (MAX%) (Passive) Thanks to your practice, you can fully utilize everything that your armor provides, granting you increased resistance against the environment. Grants 2% increased environmental resistance per skill level. Environmental resistance protects against environmental effects only.]
[Durable Armor: Level 0/5 (0%) (Passive) You learned how to roll with the punches. This includes knowing when your armor can take a hit and when it can’t. Increased durability for any armor you wear from incoming damage from non-environmental sources.]
[Epic Breathing Technique: Level 9/10 (99%) (Passive) You breathe, and the world breathes with you. You move along your own rhythm. Decreases stamina consumption even more during any activity and further increases stamina regeneration when not in a fight. Gain +2 Stamina Regeneration for every skill level.]
[Tranquil Heart: Level 11/100 (54%) (Passive) Your heart beats to the same rhythm as your body. It’s efficient and harmonious. You have an even easier time resisting mind-altering effects and a portion of of those effects are reflected back to the source. The portion is 1% per skill level. You also radiate an aura of tranquility that confers the resistance portion of the skill to your allies near you.]
[Flow: Level 77/100 (9%) (Passive) Thanks to being a natural sensor, you can read the flow of the mana. Increases your stability and the bonuses any movement or martial art skill provides by 1% per level in the skill.]
[Focused Flow: Level 5/5 (MAX%) (Passive) When focusing on any enemy beyond what is normal, your ability to read their flow becomes clearer and more precise.]
[Controlled Flow: Level 5/5 (MAX%) (Passive) Your read of the flow is more controlled, allowing you to see the flow much better. Increases the flow visibility by 20% for every skill level.]
[Immersed Flow: Level 0/5 (0%) (Passive) When you start reading the flow a counter starts. After every ten seconds, the effect of the Flow skill increases by 1% for each skill level. Maximum 600 seconds.]
Parry: Level 24/100 (13%) (Passive) Decreases the stamina consumption of defensive weapon movements. It allows you to more efficiently and accurately parry incoming attacks. Decreases the damage of the blocked attack by 0,5% for each skill level at the moment of blocking.]
[Cleansed Body: Level MAX (MAX%) (Passive) Your body has been cleansed of impurities, giving you a more charming aura. NPCs and players will treat you slightly differently depending on their tastes. Gives a flat increase of +3 to STR, AGI, END. You can upgrade this skill by further cleansing your body.]
Resistance skills:
General skills:
[Dwarven Language: Level 5/10 (1%) (Passive) You managed to learn the basics of the Dwarven language.]
[Elven Language: Level 7/10 (8%) (Passive) You managed to learn the basics of the Elven language.]
[Dark Elven Language: Level 5/10 (1%) (Passive) You managed to learn the basics of the Dark Elven language.]
[Sarkan Language: Level 3/10 (42%) (Passive) You managed to learn the basics of the Sarkan language.]
Crafting skills:
Pet skills:
[Strong Jaw: Level Max (Passive) The jaw of the wolf is strengthened.]
[Lucky Aura: Level Max (Passive) Those who are in the same party as the wolf receive a buff to their luck. It depends on their luck how big the increase is.]
[Animalistic Mana Control: Level Max (Passive) The wolf controls the mana inside him based on animalistic instinct.]
[Animalistic Shadow Control: Level Max (Passive) The wolf controls the shadows around him just as easily as it breathes.]
[Shadow Spirit Body: Level Max (Passive) The body of the wolf is part shadows and part spirit, which makes it much more malleable.]
[Shadow Strike: Level Max (Active/Passive) All attacks started from the shadows receive bonus damage, and the wolf can clad itself in shadows, making its entire body into a weapon, while striking at an enemy increasing its range of attack.]
[Shadow Jump: Level 20/20 (MAX%) (Active) The wolf gains the capability to dive into your shadow and emerge from a different shadow. Range: 200 meters. Cooldown: 30 seconds.]
[Shadow Dash: Level 20/20 (MAX%) (Active/Passive) Wherever the wolf steps, he can leave small pools of shadows that the wolf can use to jump into. When diving into the shadows, the wolf can travel at an even greater distance with his speed increased by 2% for each skill level.]
[Shadow Claws: Level 20/20 (MAX%) (Active/Passive) Your companion’s claws are infused with the shadows. There is a low chance to leave behind shadow mana with each attack of their claws. Alternatively, they can actively increase this infusion of shadow mana and strike at their enemies with giant shadow claws.]
[Shadow Bite: Level 20/20 (MAX%) (Active) Your companion enhances their bite with shadow mana, increasing the area and strength of the bite.]
[Shadow Steed: Level 21/50 (3%) (Passive) Your companion has learned how to run while being ridden. Stamina consumption is decreased when being ridden and can carry bigger loads.]
[Shadow Bleed: Level 41/50 (8%) (Passive) Your companion’s claw has been enhanced by a chaotic shadow field which rends the area where the claws strike, causing extra bleeding.]
[Weakening Strike: Level 15/50 (21%) (Passive) Every strike of your companion's claw weakens the enemy's armor. The maximum stack of the effects is 3+1 per 5 skill level.]
[Shadow Heal: Level 21/50 (37%) (Active) Your companion can absorb the shadows hiding them to heal itself.]
[Runic Weapon: Level Max (Passive) The wolf’s claws and teeth are clad in runes that grant him a certain amount of ability to pierce through the impenetrable. Grants a 13% chance to do True Damage with the claws and teeth.]
[Runic Strike: Level 20/20 (Active) Lucky gains the ability to channel mana into the runes of his claws and teeth to enhance the damage theydo. The damage type depends on the type of mana he channels into it. Current natures are available to use: no attribute, shadow, or spirit.]