Smug Little Rock
I'll leave that jumbled mess be, looking at it gave me headaches. I closed my [Statistics] page and headed for the locker room's door, bat held up. Monsters may not exist in the [Safe Zone], but it didn't say anything about monsters being directly outside the door.
I pushed the door open with my bat, tensed. While I do remember the brute stopping to stare at me, to mock me while I ran, it might have gained the bright idea of setting camp outside. I let out a breath of relief when the door met no resistance. I walked out, ignoring the warning message.
Now then. Onward to breaking lockers. Should be fun.
It wasn't. I've been bashing every locker I could find and all I got to show for it were 3 [Granola Bars] and 2 [Water Bottles].
[+1 STR for exercising your strength.]
Sure an extra point was good, but what would be nicer was if I could finally get over Level 1. It's depressing, and aggravating, knowing that I'm a single monster away from progressing and they just won't appear! There was this burning need to find out what happens to me if I level up. What points did to me.
[Critical Hit! -40 HP!]
So what if I put a little bit more force into that attack. It's just... irritating! And I'm just a few more lockers away from the [Crystal Brute] I ran away from!
{̴̨̏̌͋I̸̭̲̝̺̎̽́͘ḿ̸͕͇̎͛̑p̸̬͛̀á̵̝͔̰͔̌t̶̛̤͍͋i̸̺͂̍͜ê̷̤͋̑̄n̴̨̼̻̏͑c̷͉̓e̸̲͙̮̕}̴̝͖̅͆
I growled under my breath. Why do they appear when I don't want them to, then get shy when I want them to! What's the point of my 11 points in LUK!? I JUST WANT TO FIGHT SOMETHING!
[Gamer's Mind] slammed its walls down in my mind. I staggered from a stab of sudden headache, forcing me to stumble and lean against a broken locker.
[Gamer's Mind is purging Shard Influence.]
[Hasten the process by progressing through the Dungeon.]
Wh-what the fuck was that? I- What? This Shard thing is the external influence? So the things I've been fighting are protecting something that was fucking around my brain!
I didn't survive Emma and Sophia by taking everything they did, I tried playing hooky. I tried to make myself small, uninteresting. I avoided them, I hid from them, I planned my way around them. That's how I found myself eating lunch in the third floor comfort room. That's why I cut classes. That's why I always try to be the first one out of the room the moment the bell rings.
Randomly bashing things open to fight monsters that legitimately almost killed me thirty minutes ago? That wasn't me. That's how you die in Brockton Bay.
I don't look for trouble, trouble finds me.
As if on cue, two lockers broke ahead from me, crystalline humanoids stepping out of the bent doors.
I just had to open my wide mouth, didn't I?
I pushed myself off of the locker I was leaning against, preparing for combat. I'll... I have to shelve the issue for later. [Gamer's Mind] still works, but it's apparently not as infallible as I thought it to be.
I cast [Observe] twice, hands grasping my bat tightly.
[Crystal Minion LVL 4]
60 HP
10 MP
[Crystal Minion LVL 5]
80 HP
10 MP
Of course, one of them had to be tougher. They're still a distance away from me, so I pulled my right hand away from my bat and pointed my palm at the higher level creature on the right.
"[Mana Bolt]!"
[Hit! -50 HP!]
Oh wow. I didn't know a 20% passive increase to my INT would allow me to deal 50 damage.
[GUI Updated]
Red and blue bars popped over the creatures' heads. Enemy HP and MP. Above those bars contained the name and level of the creatures. The Level 5 Minion had practically less than a quarter HP.
Damn. I think I have a new favorite skill.
I cast [Mana Bolt] twice, once for each target.
[Hit! -50 HP!]
[Hit! -50 HP!]
The one on the right shattered into light as I closed in towards the last creature left on the... well, the left. I swung my bat the moment it got into my range and bang.
[Hit! -20 HP!]
Voila. Two beasts down.
[Post Action Results]
+160 EXP!
+$45
Level Up!
Finally.
"[Statistics]."
[Calculation Errors Fixed.]
[Taylor Hebert – The Gamer]
Level –2(135/300EXP until Level Up)
HP – 110/110(10.1HP/Min)
MP – 54/84(7.8MP/Min)
SP – 50/50 (5.5SP/Min)
Statistics
STR – 11 (+)
VIT – 11 (+)
END – 10 (+1%) = 10.1 (+)
INT – 12 (+2)(+20%) = 16.8 (+)
WIS – 13 (+20%) = 15.6 (+)
CHA – 10 (+1) = 11 (+)
LUK – 11(+)
Points – 5
CHA and LUK are straight out. LUK, I felt, was ineffective. CHA, well, if it works better for social interactions, won't help me here.
Can't particularly talk to monsters that just roar their lungs out.
Five statistics I can put points in. I could add one to each of them, but... the gains would be negligible. I'd have to spend most of it in one or two stats to actually feel a change. I mulled over my options. Maybe the PRT Classifications would help me?
I could go for the Brute route and dump it all into VIT. Higher HP and a better SP regeneration speed. But I wouldn't be able to do much damage... unless if I go for the other Brute type by dumping my points into STR.
Striker by putting my points into Endurance. Better SP pool which means I can use my SP skills much more frequently.
Or I could go for the Blaster route and just pump INT/WIS up. It's my best statistic, much more so when the place holder stats finally change into my true stats.
Maybe I shouldn't spend it yet? I gained INT and WIS by planning and thinking. What if I trained my body first before spending points? I can still beat my enemies, and when I need it, I can dump my points into a stat depending on the situation.
Plus, with the ways things are going, getting another level up should be a breeze.
[+1 INT and WIS for planning ahead.]
Although, I couldn't hide the disappointment of not being able to spend my hard earned points. But hey, at least I get to spit at what the Shard wants from me. No information for you, mind-jacker.
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[Gamer's Mind resisting Shard Influence.]
Right. At least there's no more headaches. I pulled a [Water Bottle] from my inventory and drank it, watching my MP bar fill up.
Good enough. Time to move on.
I encountered five more minions, none of them lower than Level 5. Seems like the Shard I'm fighting is ramping up. Probably to spite me.
Either that, or the System is pulling off its kiddie gloves. It did give me the opportunity of trying out tactics and, so far, the [Mana Bolt] and basic attack works best and costs less. I got hurt a few times, especially when the creatures rushed me instead of standing there like crystal statues, but only enough to level up [Physical Resistance] and a renamed [Melee Weapons Mastery] by 1, as well as receive a [+1 VIT] for taking a total of 100 HP Damage. Somehow, the glancing blows they did dealt 20 HP now.
[Post Action Results]
+400 EXP
+$125
Level UP!
And that's how I confirmed that saving all of my points won't really help me all that much. As of right now, leveling up was a breeze. The frequency and difficulty of the enemies I'm encountering are steadily escalating, and so are the rewards. As such, the faster I went in clearing the dungeon, the faster I grow stronger, and the easier things went.
I spent 4 points each towards Strength and Vitality, rounding them up to a solid 15. Should be enough for a Brute rating. I left my extra two points alone, just in case I need more magic damage or more stamina points. That Shard better stop messing with my brain now that I gave it what it wanted.
{̵̼̅̑̋A̸̠̯̓͊p̸̨̗̤͛̉p̶͎͝e̶͖̬̋͂à̶̼̟͗͜͝ś̶̳̤͔͐͝ë̸̲͚́m̵͚͈̈́͑ḛ̴̮̙̓n̸̢̙̘̾́ţ̸̭͓̒͊}̵͙͊
[Gamer's Mind resisting Shard Influence.]
Other than that, I found more recovery items. 3 [Sandwiches] and 2 [Water Bottles] which I placed in my inventory.
And then I was back in the hallway section I ran away from.
I looked at the smug little rock standing in the middle of the hallway. I'm honestly surprised it decided to return to the locker it ruined. I'd expect it to jump me while I was busy beating its fellow rockmen.
Now that I got a better look at it, I feel like it's a bit larger than when I left it. I cast [Observe] just to be sure.
[Crystal Brute] LVL 8
200 HP
50 SP
A defender of the Shard. Very High Physical Resistance.
[Abandoning a fight will increase the fight's difficulty upon retry.]
Oh shit. That would have been nice to know earlier!
I noticed that it had an SP bar instead of the MP bar I remember it sporting. Does that mean it changed skill sets? My mind flashed back to the damage it dealt me and I suppressed a shudder. I'd rather not die from eating a fist sandwich, thank you very much.
I raised my right arm, palm pointing at it and cast [Mana Bolt]. First shot always wins, right?
It raised its arms defensively, and I watched in slight trepidation and surprise as its crystalline forearms fused, a grinding noise accompanying the transformation, and turned into a tower shield that was as wide and as tall as it was.
Because of course it can turn itself into a shield. Life really went out of its way to make my life harder.
My [Mana Bolt] splashed uselessly against its [Crystal Shield].
[Blocked. -13 HP.]
Crap, crap, crap. That was barely a drop in its HP bucket. It transformed its shield back into regular crystal arms and roared mockingly, before thundering its way towards me fist reared. When I was within its striking distance, its punch flew.
I jumped back multiple steps, barely noticing the ping of [Skill Created and Activated – Quick Dodge]. I did notice my SP bar dip, but it was negligible. The floor I was standing on boomed, and there was a very visible crater that would have made me gulp.
[Gamer's Mind] really is useful. I would have been shrieking instead the first time I encountered this piece of shiny, murderous rock.
I threw another [Mana Bolt], while it was still recovering from its failed attack.
[Hit! -53 HP!]
The brute staggered backwards, I prepared another [Mana Bolt] to take the opportunity, then it roared.
[Stunned!]
I couldn't move. My arm was still raised, the blue mana coalescing in my palm dissipated like a wisp of smoke.
My eyes widened. That was exactly like [Brave Roar].
I couldn't do anything as it ran towards me, fully intent on beating me to a pulp. I couldn't do anything as its right fist flew, glowing brighter than the rest of its body.
That looked like [Heavy Swing].
Its attack finally connected and I flew backwards.
[-110HP! Hit!]
It... it has my skills? Did the Shard steal my skills too?
The [Stunned] effect may have disappeared, but I was still stunned by the confusion. Only its slow, loud footsteps broke the cloud and I found myself scrambling to my feet, hand raised in preparation to cast a spell. Any of my spells.
The crystal tank slow walked, sauntering smugly towards me.
It was that smugness that allowed me to hit it with a [Mana Cannon].
[Hit! -142 HP]
The brute toppled backwards before shattering into light. I released a shuddering breath, the adrenaline still pumping through my veins. I... That was a disaster. I loosened my grip on the bat I was limply holding, letting it clatter to the floor. I soon followed it, the lab coat bunching up beneath me as I sat, leaning against a pair of broken lockers.
I pulled out four sandwiches from my inventory, along with three water bottles. Should be enough to recover most of my health before I activate [Meditation].
As I ate, I took notice of the rewards of the beat down I just survived.
[Post Action Results:]
+200 EXP
+$50
I sighed. Is my life really that cheap? Sure, fifty bucks was still way more money than anything I've ever held in my lifetime, but I felt like it wasn't enough. I sighed. At least I'm close to leveling up again.
[Skills Obtained and Leveled:]
[Quick Dodge] LVL 1 (Active) (5 SP)
Provides a quick movement burst. Does not ensure safety from attacks.
[Physical Resistance] LVL 3 (Passive)
+3% Physical Damage Reduction.
I activated [Meditate] the moment I finished eating and drinking my recovery items, just to get to full health and mana before I press on. Honestly, I would have been comfortable stopping here and taking a bit of down time back in the [Safe Zone], but I hated doing nothing when I could be doing something.
Like getting out of here. I'm still not sure how time works here, in this weird mirror world thing. Well, saying it was mirrored wouldn't really be accurate. Winslow's hallways weren't this long, and the lockers don't generally contain mass produced Monstrous Capes. Unless if I counted as one.
Too soon? Yeah, probably. It was a terrifying experience, but quantifying my life into points and watching it go down to near zero and unknown consequences kind of overshadowed the horror and disgust of being confined in a dark, claustrophobic, shithole.
It only took me a few more minutes to recover the last bits of my missing health points, and I couldn't help but feel the need to get more recovery items.
I think a trip to Winslow's cafeteria is in order. If I can find it, at least.
A/N: Thank you so much for the support! Trying to start focusing on actual special events instead of writing repetitive fights against minions, so I just enumerate them. Same for looting. Review and criticize if you find some errors or some weird stuff, but please be kind. Anxiety is a bitch. Thank you again! I'll try and speed up my update schedule.