“Catalyst or ritual hmm… Let’s do the catalyst first. I'll prioritise maximising my skills.”
She extracted the catalyst stowed in her pocket and could practically feel the adrenaline surging through her body with the level of anticipation she had.
CATALYST DETECTED
- Flesh of the Ionian mimic
Execute [ritual of consumption]?
Seeing as she lacked a vial containing her own blood to be used, Evantra pricked her shoulder, drawing out a bead of blood. The wound would be easily concealed. Besides, she wouldn’t want for blood if Carmen caught wind of her filling little glass vials the moment she returned from the hospital. There were limits to her flexibility.
Veilsouls remaining: 0
“That’s what Veilsouls are used for? Using the ritual to consume catalysts? Maybe the darkstalker catalyst was too weak to require any of them.”
Evantra brought up her interface.
Ghostslayer Rank: Ghoul (Level 5)
Catalyst: Darkstalker (level 1)
- [Razor claws]
- [Darkvision]
- [Clot acceleration]
Catalyst: Ionian Mimic (level 5)
- [Skill locked]
- [Skill locked]
- [Skill locked]
Rituals:
- [Ritual of consumption]
- [Ritual of Veilsight]
“It stands to reason that I’d need them for the [ritual of Veilsight], if it’s as onerous.”
Evantra grimaced as she thought about how she had triggered the [ritual of consumption].
“Am I going to have to drip blood into my eyes? That makes no sense – I’ve got capillaries in them.”
Evantra mentally attempted to trigger the ritual and grinned when the notification appeared.
Veilsouls required: 10
“So, Veilsouls are used to fuel my rituals.”
Still, there were two remaining anomalies that she had yet to test.
The first, most crucial one, was [clot acceleration].
Her greatest weakness, as it stood, was that she didn’t have the raw power of magical girls she had heard of in the past. It was understandable, seeing how she had absorbed catalysts of a very low level. She could only cross her fingers and hope that any of the others she found in the future gave her more meaningful abilities.
That was, with one exception.
“I don’t think it was a coincidence that Panacea’s nanotech treatment increased in its efficiency.”
Nanotech treatment didn’t just magically increase in efficiency without some sort of outside influence. Any efficiency gains would be marketed into the ground by the megacorps. From the doctor’s shock at its efficacy, she strongly suspected she had somehow subconsciously activated [clot acceleration], which had aided the treatment.
“Now, I just need to know how much I can abuse it.”
Evantra extracted one of the stims that Officer Trevor had handed to her after her stint in the hospital. From the look on his face, it seemed like he was afraid she would rush back into the sewers the moment he dropped her off at her home.
She hated to waste a stim, but she needed to test what the limits of her abilities were, to make effective decisions in the field.
[Razor claws]
Similarly to her demonstration with Carmen, Evantra drew a small cut into her forearm. She winced, forcing herself to dig further in than she had in front of Carmen. She inserted the stim into the surrounding flesh, and injected it, starting a timer on her phone as her skin gradually began to heal over.
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About five minutes for the cut to heal. Let’s try it with [clot acceleration].
Repeating the process, Evantra frowned.
Still five minutes… What is it about the nanotech treatment that’s different?
When I use it with the stim, it doesn’t make a difference.
“Darn it… too good to be true. Regeneration would have been busted.”
Evantra shook her head with a sigh.
Finally, she turned to the other skill she had gained. The most straightforward of the three.
Flicking the light off, Evantra activated it.
[Darkvision]
She watched as the room around her cast in darkness blinked into existence. She could see the outlines of the furniture in storage around her. She didn’t have the visual acuity that she had when there was a proper light source, but it made a world of difference, and it would allow her to effectively navigate in the darkness without the need for a light source.
I can be much stealthier with this. Saves me from having to buy a pair of night vision goggles, I suppose.
Evantra tried not to be disappointed with the skill she had gained, reminding herself that the [darkstalker] catalyst was as weak as they came.
If the Ionian Mimic catalyst provides me with skills anything like its name suggests, that will be a game-changer. I won’t be stuck with a glorified switchblade, night vision goggles, and regeneration with such narrow application, that it only benefits me if I go into debt by using top-of-the-line nanotech treatment.
“Just one last thing… I need to test the duration of these skills.”
Evantra concurrently activated all three skills endowed by the darkstalker catalyst, as she activated the stopwatch on her phone.
As the minutes drew on, Evantra eventually began to feel a light strain in her heartbeat. It seemed to drain on her less than the first time she had activated [razor claws] back when she had first awakened as a magical girl.
Maybe the higher the level I get, the duration that I can use the skills extends?
Ten minutes drew into fifteen, which drew into twenty. Evantra eventually released the skills with a smile.
“Alright, so at the very least, they don’t seem to be that onerous. That should give me some flexibility.”
Now to confront the elephant in the room…
Evantra regarded the Ionian Mimic section of her interface.
I have no idea what creatures I need to sacrifice to unlock its skills. Apart from trying to look into whatever an “Ionian Mimic” is, I’m stuck.
Looks like I’m going to have to do some research.
Evantra watched her phone buzz in her hands.
*Rad-Cliffe has changed “Flaker’s” nickname to “Ghost”*
*Rad-Cliffe has changed “Rad-Cliffe’s” nickname to “Angel”*
Angel: You’re officially a ghost now. You almost died AGAIN and you’re still not talking to me? The minute I’m out of this orphanage training camp for the little shits, you better run ghostie, because I’m COMING TO WHOOP YOUR ASS. And I’m an Angel for not instantly deleting you.
Ghost: Hey Mills, I’m alive. I’m ok.
Angel: That’s it? That’s all you’re going to say? They’re going to make me an [Evantra] ranked Ghostslayer because you’re DEAD, you hear me?? DEAD!
Evantra rubbed at her temples as she stared down at Millie’s message.
“Sorry Mills… I…”
Evantra put her phone in her pocket and headed up to bed.
---
The next day, Evantra stared down at her phone as she selected Officer Foster’s contact number. Carmen and Lucas were readying themselves to head to Juno’s Junkyard.
Evantra: Hey Trevor. Thanks again for your help. I meant what I said about repaying what you spent on the treatment. How much do I owe you?
Trevor: Evantra? And… forget about it. If you’re going to do me a favour, check up on Noelle for me. She was… out of it yesterday.
Evantra: No, I’m paying you back. Tell me how much it was. I’ll check up on her. By the way, is City Hall still posting bounties on Veil creature sightings?
Trevor: No way in hell are you doing bounties. Carmen would kill me.
Evantra: How much? Also, I’ve got the OK from Carmen.
Trevor: I don’t buy it... I’m talking to her myself. But I know your type. If you’re going to be this stubborn, come by the station tonight. I’ll show you the ropes.
Evantra: I’ll be there. Also… just for your knowledge. Miss Alvarez loves a good rose. Keep that in mind when you ask her to dinner.
Trevor: Huh?
Evantra: Tell me how much the treatment was. I have to go.
Evantra stowed her phone away, and she glanced with a grimace towards Noelle’s door. Carmen emerged from her bedroom and gave her a gentle smile, inclining her head towards it.
The things I do for you, abuela.
Evantra walked up to it and gently knocked.
“Hey Noelle? Everything ok? We’re heading down to the Junkyard. Carmen’s starting work again today. I’m babysitting Lucas. Carmen said you were taking some time off work.”
In a somewhat surprising and positive twist of fate, Caliburn had been content to allow Juno to continue running the Junkyard while they commenced their mining operations in the vicinity. Evantra doubted Juno was turning enough of a profit to get the megacorporation to care. Still, the longevity of Carmen’s job remained in question.
“If… you want to chat Ghostslayers with me, now’s your chance.”
The door opened to reveal a dishevelled Noelle. Her bright green eyes were sunken, and red hair was a tangled mess. She looked like she hadn’t slept a wink. She had haphazardly packed a suitcase which Evantra recognised as Carmen’s own with her belongings.
“I-I’ll leave. I don’t want to impose on you. Thank you for letting me stay.”
“Since when has that been your approach? Where was the girl who was making fun of my “celibacy” and boasting about her Ghostslayer knowledge hm?”
For a moment, she just silently searched Evantra’s pale, misty eyes, without uttering a word.
“What? Is there something on my face? Stay here, Carmen told me about the landlord. Do you want to be kicked out on the streets out here?”
“N-no.”
She seemed to hesitate, as she stared at Evantra in confusion, before letting out a small sigh. She wheeled her suitcase back to the foot of her bed.
“Ok, I’ll come along.”
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