“Firstly, I recommend only getting 1 mutation and 1 skill. You haven't finalized your own skill sets and what you plan to be in the future. Mutations and skills are not refundable. You need to pick well. The system offers skills and mutations based on your situation and your desires at the time, but it isn't always the best choice to pick them. As you are in tier 2, you have a menu that shows you rare skills and below, but only skills you have a level of compatibility with. I also recommend you do not purchase skills you can easily learn yourself as you can only buy 4, so choose well. Filter out low compatibility skills for high comp stability ones”
I nod, understanding somewhat.
“pick skills that work with us, ignore ones that don't, get stronger.” I say, nodding.
“Pretty much, yes.” Snowstorm nods. “I already purchased my skill, so I just need a mutation.”
“Oh? what did you get?” I ask curiously.
“the rare skill “split smash”. Let's me punch once, hit twice.”
“sounds really good. I'd imagine it'll increase in punch count the more you upgrade?” I ask curiously.
“Yeah. It'll be good with my gauntlets I imagine, and it works with blunt force Mana attacks too, or my tail.” that reminded me of a skill I saw.
“Aftermath, can I buy skills classes offer?” I realize the answer before he speaks.
“Yes. You have a skill from a class do you not?”
“shadow warp, yeah.” I say with a nod, feeling dumb.
“well, I know what skill to get.” I nod to myself with a grin. Then I pause. I haven't checked my skills are all yet. Might as well.
{Eternal pierce(Rare): every moment is a possibility. A possible way to pierce your foe. Make all possibilities reality, then select one to remain true. When activating the skill, the user will stab in a certain way, and all the other possible ways they could have stabbed will become true. Whichever possibility had the greatest effect will become true, and all others will become null. Cooldown:5 seconds}
This is a way to use time affinity I never would have thought up. And it's damn good. This is likely my best combat skill overall. What about the other skill?
{Second chance(Epic):Everyone deserves a second change. You, however, are entitled to it. This skill temporarily turns back time for the users physical form, reverting all injuries for the set time. When the time is up injuries will return along with any sustained whole the skill is active. Duration:1 minute. Cooldown:24 hours.}
So, it's literally a second chance to fight? That's very good… I think. I don't necessarily have anything to compare it to. Maybe if this gets to a higher rank it'll let me reverse time for others or something… Maybe I can make it permanent? Those are a few ideas of where to take it. Anyway, it's good to know that I have a good offensive and defensive skill. However, I feel like the biggest flaw in the second chance skill is that it doesn't heal me, and that it only lets me take more wounds to bleed out later. I need something to at the very least stabilize myself.
My original thought was to get a skill that would let me stab multiple times at once, like Snowstorms skill. I remember a skill that sounded like that in my menu. Now I think I need to discard that idea. A healing skill would balance my skills out well.
“I think I'm going to purchase my skill now. I'll think about mutations after.”
“sounds good.” Snow storm nods and sits down. “I'll get my mutation now.”
“I will wait outside for you both to finish.” Aftermath nods, then leaves.
Alright, how do I open this menu…
{skills available:[Common], [Uncommon], [Rare]}
So I can select one of the 3 rarities and it'll show sthe skills available. So I'll just select rare and- whoa, that's a lot of skills! Speed step, crushing bite, greater heat resistance, split-thought, and so much more! Let's narrow it down to just the healing skills and… wait, is that a time based healing skill?
{Reversal restoration(Rare):You were healed once. And with time, all wounds heal. So heal it in reverse. Reverses time for very small wounds or injuries, stabilizing wounds and healing small scratches. Cool down:2 hours. Cost:10,000 essence}
This is exactly what I need. And it works with my time affinity too! skills that align with your affinities tend to be more powerful and effective then those that oppose your affinities. Like, I would be bad at using a light spell, but good with a dark spell. Anyway, it's a no brainer. It's real pricey but totally worth it. Purchased!
{skill gained:Reversal restoration(Rare)}
Alright, now for-
{Skill resonance detected}
Wait what?
{Skill:Reversal restoration(rare) and Skill:Second chance(Epic) are resonating.}
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What does this mean? something feels off. Am I about to lose my skills? I paid good essence for that thing dammit!
{Skill fused:Throughout time(Legendary)}
What? LEGENDARY??!
{Skill:Throughout time(legendary): To die is to learn. You learn quite a lot. Allows the user to set 2 checkpoints in time and go back to the set point in time upon death. Cool down:30 days}
I... That… how?! I didn't know this could happen! I mean, I'm not complaining, but I didn't know this could happen!
“Snowstorm, something happened to my skills!” I call to him. He opens his eyes, looking annoyed.
“what, did you pick the wrong one or something? I was about to pick my mutation.”
“no, they fused.”
“what?”
“they fus-”
“I heard what you said! How?!” snowstorm shoots up over to me. “which skills fused and what did it make?”
“well, my class skill Second chance fused with the new skill I got called Reversal restoration and made a new legendary skill called Throughout time.” I say, reading over the skills.
“That… skill fusions are incredibly rare and closely guarded secrets. This is a once in a lifetime thing!” Snowstorm looks like he wants to shake me to death. “What does it do?”
“I can set 2 checkpoints in time, and if I die I get sent back to one of them.” I say, scratching the back of my neck nervously.
“That… a death loop skill? No… does it have a cooldown?”
“30 days.”I respond, fidgeting a bit. Snowstorm eventually just sags.
“Of course you managed to make a legendary skill. Check your status for me.”
{Name:Abhor
Level:50/150
Age:16
Titles:Timebreaker, Barterer, Tier 2 evolution, Humanify, TIME, Legendary progenitor
Strength:150
Durability:150
Speed:150
Stamina:172.5
Intelligence:150
Essence:3019
Class:Eternal darkness
Soul weapon:Eternal darkness
Timewarp demi-dragon[2/5]
Skills: Night vision(Low)Uncommon, Greater Enhanced stamina(High)Rare, Bartering(low)Common, Heat resistance(Low)Uncommon, Breath of time(Low)Rare, Voice of the word(High)Rare, [LOCKED]Unknown, Illusion mana manipulation(Low)Uncommon, Shadow warp foundation(Low)Uncommon, Demishift(low)Rare, Eternal pierce(low)Rare, Throughout time[Species max]Legendary
Techniques: Mana manipulation(D), Time manipulation(E), Dark Mana defense(C), Potential(???), Calm(D), Overload(C), Confusion(D), Illusion mana manipulation(C), Shadow warp(C), Legendary proficiency(B)
Mutations: Void seer eyes(B)}
“There it is.” Said Snowstorm, looking over my status sheet. In order for someone else to see your stat sheet you need to show it to them willingly, and you can’t mind control someone into doing it.
“This skill is completely new.” Snowstorm told me.
“What? How is it new?” I ask, confused.
“See this here? The legendary progenitor title? Only someone who creates a brand new legendary skill themselves, usually by modifying and improving skills they already have, gets this title. It’s a one in a hundred million type of thing.”
“That sounds really cool.” I say with a nod. “Should I get my Mutation now?”
“Yeah, go ahead. But just remember that when picking your mutation, it needs to be something that you will not only use, but will work well with your other stats. Your eyes were a lucky mutation since they use dark mana and illusion mana, which you are quite proficient in.” I nod at his explanation. Makes sense. I already planned to do that. Wait, can I purchase that reversal restoration in the menu?
Opening the menu I find that it's there, but it has twice the price. I don’t have near enough with only around 3000 left. I doubt any good mutations will pop up for such a small amount.
Opening the menu I’m hit with a tidal wave of mutation options. Scales, teeth, heart, veins, lungs, and specifically just my left kidney are all up there to be mutated. There are even options to get new organs or limbs as mutations! Second heart? Yep! Antennae? Yeah, of course! I could get an extra leg, or more fingers, or a new head! But it’s all damn expensive! I need to be smart here. For some reason I imagine Snowstorm saying “That’d be a first” to me at that thought. I remember Evelyn at one point mentioning that the Jensen guy who took Darkness had a strength stat of somewhere around 150. Kind of funny that just a month ago that sounded ungodly high, yet now I can lift millions of pounds. I think I’m too strong. That sounds nice. Wait, what tier is the commander at? That will be good to know before we sneak in… I think I need to shore up my defenses first. A scale or bone mutation would do well for that. I first hold out only the good options, then remove anything over my budget and hold out only scale and bone options. 2 of them caught my eye.
{Dark matter scales(A): Scales so black that the night itself welcomes you. Increases durability in dark spaces by up to 50%, but decreases durability in light places by up to 25%. Cost:2500 essence}
{Time transmuted skeletal structure(A): Who said you have old bones? These bones are eternal. Allows the user to store time mana within their skeletal structure. The most mana stored, the more sturdy the bones. When released, it increases all healing processes within the body relative to the amount of stored mana, but still requires equal amounts of nutrients to heal. If there are not enough nutrients present, healing processes can consume stamina instead. Cost: 3000 essence}
It all comes down to these 2. I think I will end up getting the skeletal structure no matter what since it just seems too good to pass up. Plus, I have ungodly high stamina, and I don’t even eat often. Only really ever after getting tired or fighting a lot. Although, I might never get the scales. I don’t think I want to make myself so weak to light mana or daytime. I like sunshine, I don't want to be some bootleg knockoff vampire! It’s settled then, bones it is. Wait, am I forgetting something?
{You have purchased “Time transmuted skeletal structure(A)”}
Oh yeah, mutations are painful. And now I am mutating my whole skeleton… gods help me.
<{(0)}>
Snowstorm next finds me crying on the floor, taking it like a total champ.
“Someone kill me…” I groan, tears streaming down my face. Manly tears.
“I get how you feel.” Snowstorm slumps down beside me on the ground. “I mutated my brain.”
“I mutated my whole skeletal structure.”
“Yowch dude, that sounds so much worse.” Snowstorm pats my back with a wing-claw. I groan.
“It feels like growing pains dialed up to eleven, but in my bones! Nowhere didn't hurt!”
“Crybabies.” Aftermath commented as he waltzed in. “At least you realize the superiority of bones.”
“Shut up fossil fuel.” I growl as I push myself up off the ground. “We can’t just lie here forever. I will go get Evelyn from our room, then it’s time we get going. Aftermath, can you teleport us there?”
“I could, but I will have a specialized space mage do it. Better that they do it, since it costs less mana the better you are at it.” Aftermath nods to me. “Good luck, you two. And Abhor, remember your promise.”
“I will.” I say with a smile. It’s too bad that I ended up unable to keep it.
{Checkpoint 1 has been set}
Name:Snowstorm
Level:50/150
Age:16
Titles:Frostbreaker, knowledgeer, study master, Tier 2 evolution, Humanify FREEZE
Strength:150
Durability:150
Speed:150
Stamina:150
Intelligence:172.5
Essence:297
Class:Frostbane boxer(Epic)
Soul weapon:Frostbane gauntlets
Species:Frostwing demi-wyvern
Skills: Heat vision(low)Uncommon, Greater enhanced intelligence(medium)Rare, Enhanced knowledge intake(medium)Uncommon, cold resistance(high)Rare, photographic memory(Medium)Rare, swimming(low)Common, split thought(Low)Rare, body temperature reduction(Medium)Uncommon, ice mana manipulation(medium)Rare, Split smash(Medium)Rare,
Techniques:Swimming(D), Mana manipulation(C), Mind mana manipulation(D), Ice mana manipulation(C), Mana claws(C), Ice spear(C), Iceout(D), Icicle hail(D), Mind bridge(D), Ice mana barrier(C)
Mutations: Knowledge intake stomach(B)
