Day 41.3

‘The 6th Floor, I mused, glancing around with a small smile on my face. We came out of the portal in a series of stone rows, likely benches, that stood on elevated levels above an arena that formed the center of the building.

-Not so impressive....

-Well, what do you expect. This is still below the standard for The Great Tower. Jenn did say that everything below Floor 10 is just training.

Humming to myself, I walked down the stairs, Ashni following like a ghost behind me. Her silence held meaning, I knew but I had no willingness or desire to examine it closely. I was fine continuing on, ignoring her reactions.

As there was nowhere else to proceed, I walked towards the arena down below. Even from this distance, my high perception magnified the material, covered with an untold number of layers of dried blood. The stone structure around us groaned ominously, a strange wind blowing through the area from some sort of skylight.

When we reached the lower level, I saw that the floor around the arena was littered with bones, which seemed to have been swept to the side, creating a thin path to walk to the arena. Even with the strange emotional drain that afflicted me currently, I felt a pang of sadness that Black Bones couldn’t see this; he would love to play here.

Still, the atmosphere made me lick my lips. The dried blood and bones made me hungry.

-Should have eaten again before we left.

-Probably could have gotten above 3000 biomass….

I stepped, tapping lightly into Thunder Stance methods to cross the distance to the arena instantly. Simply walking towards the center waiting for something to happen was extremely boring.

Ashni imitated me, or rather upstaged me, I was forced to admit. It was irritating how graceful and condensed her step was. There was hardly any noise or discharge of force from her step, and her landing was so light I didn’t even hear it. It also didn’t escape my notice that although I had leapt a split second earlier than her, she had landed on the arena at the same time as me.

-Just means that soon, I will become even more powerful.

My small smile grew, and when the voice spoke, I turned, extremely eager.

“Who dares come-”

A spatial portal rippled into existence, and a broad shoulders minotaur stepped out, its voice low and wrathful. When it spoke steam poured out of its nose, making it extremely difficult to see. Tiring quickly, I cut to the chase.

With a Wind Blade.

That instantly decapitated it.

It gurgled, falling over to the side. My eyes lit up as its warm blood pumped out onto the ground. A single step took me to it, and I began to devour it rapidly.

I kept an eye on the spatial portal, which remained, but given the level of the minotaur creature that had been produced by it, I wasn’t worried in the least.

***POV Ketlia***

Ketlia looked over GIllette’s work, becoming increasingly dubious in regards to GIllete’s “research”.

“So… what makes you sure that whatever you encountered wasn’t just a part of the floor? If it wasn’t a challenger,” Ketlia added, wanting to understand how this alien administrator she admired had become so… average.

Gillette just chuckled. “Just trust me. You learn a few things when you ascend past the 50th floor. What do you know about the origins of the Great Tower?”

Ketlia shrugged. “Nothing I suppose. Yes perhaps I don’t know the backstory of this fucked up gameshow, but-”

“Gameshow!” Gillette bellowed, slapping his knee and doubling over laughing.

“Well not a gameshow, but-” Ketlia searched around for a more diplomatic word, restraining her frustration. “An object designed for entertainment.”

“No, no, no, you don’t understand. The Great Tower existed long before it was used to entertain the masses. No, you could said that the tower is the cradle of our universe. It existed before the Republic. Honestly, we should just start with a history lesson. It is believed that the Tower-”

A knock came at the door, silencing Gillette. He frowned, standing, but the door was already opening.

“Hello, Kettle.” Gillette rumbled, his eyes narrowing.

Kettle nodded to him, glancing at Ketlia as she walked into the room, closing the door behind her.

“Ah, good, Kat you are here as well. I was looking for you both. Gillette, I want permission to begin sharing the details of the plan with Kat. After meeting with all members of the team, I must admit you were right; she is the best option to orchestrate the operation on the field.”

Gillette offered Kettle a small smile. “Interesting. Perhaps this would convince you to defer to me in other areas?”

“Not a chance.” Kettle answered in a flash, adjusting her glasses.

Gillette chuckled, but Ketlia felt something strange. A pressure in the air. A lightness in her breaths, as if the oxygen was leaving the room. It reminded Ketlia of the time Gillette had tested her. She shivered.

“And….” Gillette finally said. “What if I were to grow more insistent?”

Kettle gave him a long look. Seconds passed, a strange series of communications occurring in front of Ketlia without her knowledge.

All in all, she found it quite boring.

Just when Ketlia was considering excusing herself for this strange game, another knock came at the door. Gillette frowned, glancing away from Kettle and to the door.

It remained closed.

“Come in,” Gillette called, leaning back in his chair. Kettle moved and sat down on the red couch running along the far wall. Still the door remained still.

“And by Joint Degree, it is so ordered that our solicitors never once touch a handle or knob, nor open a door in this, The Great Tower, without first acknowledging invitation.” Gillette muttered to himself. Then he gestured at Ketlia to open the door.

“Might as well do it. If they have come to make trouble for me… well, my status should be enough.”

Before she opened the door, Ketlia turned and looked at Gillette, curious. “What you are doing…. It’s illegal?”

Gillette shrugged. Not illegal, but… undesirable. After all, as an administrator, it’s my responsibility to make things entertaining, not pour over old reports and search for myths. Anyways, open the door. Best not to keep them waiting.”

Ketlia opened the door. Two figures stood there, hooded in black robes. The first stepped forward, extending his hand towards Ketlia.

“Good day, my name is-”

The first’s voice was gravelly, but before he could finish, the second figure, who was smaller and slighter, kicked the first in the back.

“You idiot, what did I tell you? You cannot even cross the plane of the doorway without being invited. You are breaking ancient laws! Do you have an idea how much paperwork would result if they filed a complaint?!?!” Then the second turned to Ketlia. “Anyways, may we come in?”

Ketlia looked with bemusement at the groaning figure on the ground. “Yes, come in.”

The second figure stepped over the first, walking into the room and removing his hood. His face remained covered, however, due to a featureless grey mask.

“Ah, Jester,” Gillette said, coming to his feet with a smile. “Handling trainees again? How did they strong-arm you into it this time?”

Jester sighed dramatically, falling on the couch next to Kettle, practically draping himself across it like a crumpled shirt. “Ah, you know. Minor deviances from my proscribed missions. The whole thing was blown way out of proportion, you know how it is…. Anyways, been quite a while, eh Gillette? It’s been what, 1000 years?”

“Give or take a few,” Gillette said while shaking his head. “By the way, I never got the chance to tell you, my condolences for the passing of your brother.”

There was a moment, after Gillette spoke, that Ketlia’s astral senses began screaming, telling her that the world was ending, that existence was shattering, that she would die his day. Here, without an ability to do anything.

Then it passed.

“Ah, of course. Your team ascended right prior to his death, and you likely didn’t hear anything until you returned. Anyways, it was a very long time ago, so no need to speak of it. Much as I hate to admit it, I’m here on business. Boy, the writ.”

The first figure staggered to his feet, removing a scroll from within his cloak. Jester shrugged apologetically. “Driven by bureaucracy, that’s us Solicitors. Anyways,I want to show the kid a full Soul Surgery, so the rest of you should clear the room.”

Gillette hissed through his teeth. “Is that… really necessary?”

Jester tilted his head to the side. “No.”

Ketlia could have sworn that this strange solicitor was smiling beneath his mask.

After a few seconds, Gillette’s shoulders slumped. “Fine, you two leave-”

“Oh no,” Jester seemed apologetic now. “Did I give you the wrong impression? We aren’t here for you. We are here for her.”

Jester pointed to Kettle, studying her clipboard beside him. She looked up and blinked.

“What?”

***POV Predator***

“You cheated!” A second, slightly larger minotaur came out of the spatial rift, rumbling ominously. “You cannot-”

He died just as quickly to a Wind Blade. His timing, exactly opposite of his smell, was excellent. I had just finished eating the previous minotaur. Ignoring my excellent perception picking up just HOW long it had been since this creature had cleaned itself, my teeth sank into the gamey flesh of its shoulder.

-Although it’s not tasty, there is a lot of it.

Biomass +1

Biomass +1

Biomass +1

Biomass +1

Biomass +1

The next minotaur was much quicker, and immediately following it were three others. The final was filled the air with so much pressure that I stopped eating, my instincts focusing to a point.But after a moment, I couldn’t hold the tension and laughed, returning to eating.

The powerful minotaur, which sported a rich blue coat of furr and red horns, folded its arms across its chest and spoke. “You, challenger, are not following the ways.”

I waved a bloody hand dismissively. “If you are asking me to listen to him speak, I refuse.”

“I admire your bluntness, challenger.” The blue minotaur answered with a hard smile, but that is not why. This floor is simple: fight 1 v 1 versus one of the minotaur children. You have had help.”

I ripped off a chunk of minotaur heart, and then frowned at the blue minotaur.

“What do you mean? She’s just been standing there.”

“Not that warrior, although she too will need to be tested. But that other, the one who resides within you.”

Now my frowned deepened.

-.....does he mean me?

-How the fuck can we fight alone?

“If you refuse to let him out for the fight….” The blue minotaur clenched his hands into fists. “Then it will be forcefully ejected, and any damage you sustain… is not our problem.”

Now this was a language I could speak. My smile slowly grew, stretching like a newborn, then curling up like a cadaver’s fingers.

“Oh?” I kept my tone mild, for the first time in a while activating Aura of the Predator. I craved it, this tension. The fighting, the blood, the viciousness.

It recalled to my mind simpler times, reminiscent of back when I was just in a marsh, fighting frogs.

The large minotaur clapped his hands together, a small wave of energy spreading outwards. I slowly stood, my eyes narrowing at the strang energy. It didn’t seem powerful, but….

-But what? We are Apex.

The energy pressed towards me, and I forcefully suppressed the urge to dodge out of the way. The energy came and I met it, gathering my mana to combat anything that it would cause.

But when the energy touched me, nothing seemed to happen. It passed through me without incident. I frowned.

-If anything, I feel stronger than before.

Nodding, the minotaur said. “Now that you are simply one, you may fight. I must warn you, you should not rely too heavily on another’s strength: it will not pay off in the end.”

Then he turned and left. So too did 2 of the other minotaurs, leaving only a single one remaining.

“Keh, no way you could have beaten elder brother without relying on someone else. I’m going to crush you and grind your bones into powder- Hey! You can’t let it go back inside you! Cheater!.”

I turned around, and to my shock, I realized that something really was rushing back towards me. It moved quickly, but I snorted, my hand shooting out and snagging the thing out of the air. I felt it turn incorporeal as my fingers sank into it, so I conjured lunar mist, condensing it into chain around the thing. It collapsed at my feet, writhing and moaning.

-This…

-Looks familiar…

And the creature really did seem extremely familiar. Its ghostly body was a pale blue color, and it was covered in a strange, fluttering robe, in addition to my recently added lunar chains. But the most disturbing thing about the creature was that it was extremely chubby. It’s cheeks looked like it was a squirrel ferrying nuts, and its belly bulged forward immensely, warping the fluttering robe and making it skin tight in some places.

It whined up at me, looking on with pleading eyes.

“Ahaha! Now, without that creature, you will die-”

Once more, I effortlessly decapitated a minotaur. But my attention remained on the chained thing.

“You… you are….” I searched around in my memory for the name. “Ah, the Geist of the Cold Moon. I had thought you died in the battle on the 3rd floor. Now….”

I smiled viciously at it. “Why have you been inside me this whole time….?”

The creature began to shake.

-How long can we maintain the chains.

-About an hour- wait.

-What is it?

-....its strange. It almost seems like… our mana regeneration has increased. It’s not related to increases in maximum mana either. I mean, it’s just a 10% increase, but still, that-

My focus once more returned the Geist. My eyes roamed across its body. I took in its extremely plump and well-fed physique.

Fury +1

Fury +1

“Well, well, well…” I smiled brightly at the Geist. It seems you have been a free loader for quite some time.”

It shook its head vigorously. But I just smiled.

“Doing that was a mistake.”

I cut off his connection to me. It was the first time I had voluntarily done this with one of my undead, and I was curious about the process. It screamed, harsh like the grinding of metal chimes. But it slowly faded away to nothing.

Ashni watched the whole thing with disinterested eyes.

Satisfied, I turned back to my meal, enjoying the tactile pleasure of ripping apart still warm flesh. It had been a while since I had experienced that particular pleasure.

Another minotaur coming through the portal pulled my attention away, and I slowly stood to face it.

But it quickly backed away with hands raised. “No! You’ve already passed! I’m here for her. For the teleporter to the next level to open, she must also pass. Sighing, I returned to my meal.

Ashni fought the creature, but it was just as much a slaughter as my battles had been. She still used so much power that most of the body was reduced to mush, effectively ensuring the only way I could eat it was slurping it off the ground. Another small slight.

I watched her out of the corner of my eyes as I finished my spear. She cleaned her spear, acting like she didn’t even notice my attention.

As promised another portal had sprung into existence, on the far side of the arena, likely leading upwards to the 7th floor.

-That was quick.

-Although not completely a waste of time. But I wonder….

Licking my lips, my grin found its way out. I couldn’t restrain it. My stomach rumbled eagerly.

-I wonder where this rift leads?

***POV Ketlia***

Jester came out of the office, looking annoyed. The individual he was training followed.

“That was fast,” Gillette casually remarked, watching Jester carefully, liking hoping to glean the results of the search. The two of them had opted to remain outside staying near to the procedure. Gillette due to worry, and Ketlia because she was secretly hoping that Kettle would no longer be a problem she had to deal with.

If she had to die to make it so, so be it.

Jester made an annoyed noise. “Meh, your girl is fine. I’ll report her innocent. But… personal business draws me away. Although this is a good opportunity for him too… Anyways, goodbye Gillette.”

“Goodbye, Jester”

The two Solicitors immediately disappeared. GIllette hurried back into his office, and Ketlia, almost unwillingly, was pulled along in his wake.

They found Kettle on the floor, puke caked around her lips and down her suit. Kette coughed unevenly, rolling onto her side.

Gillette frowned at her. “What were you charged with.”

Kettle spat vehemently, a glob of vomit hitting Gillette’s desk. Ketlia wondered if she should read anything into the gesture, but knew that the dynamic between those two was a complicated one.

“The gambling houses put up my name as using prophecy to fix challenger results. And the only reason that they had any evidence....”

Kettle curled her hands into fists. “That fucking bimbo Jenn was using scrying to check my bets and copying them. She had enough sense to somehow hide the subject matter of her spell, but not the fact she did it, and the type-”

Crack.

Ketlia blinked. Gillette had stepped, crushing Kettle’s thumb beneath his heel. What surprised Ketlia the most was that Kettle didn’t even respond, just turned her vomit covered face and looked at Gillette.

“Never speak of Jenn like that. Ever.” Gllette said coolly. “Now clean up my office and get out.”

“And you.” He turned towards Ketlia, his eyes burning. “You are also dismissed.”

***POV Predator***

The blue furred, red minotaurs turned out to be just as fun to fight as I had imagined.

“INTRUDER!” The 2nd I had encountered bellowed, stumbling upon me slurping up the entrails from some of its weaker kin. I looked up, annoyed, but could already feel the thrill of the coming battle. When I passed through the portal, I arrived at what I assumed was the minotaur city, or world, or whatever, which appeared to be a strange interconnected series of burrows. Ashni had ignored me and waited by the portal as I began to wander around. The layout was so labyrinthine that it took me a while to find anyone, but usually once I found one…

-They will call and bring more right to us.

Standing, I wiped my hand across my mouth, attempting to rid myself of some of the residue that evidenced the enthusiasm with which I had attacked the uneaten biomass. Ultimately, my hands were already crusted with enough dried blood that I made very little headway. Still, I imagined that I must look like quite the sight, hands and mouth stained red.

Originally a human should have been around ¾ the size of the average brown minotaurs. Due to the evolution that I experienced, I was of a size with them, if a bit more slender. The blue minotaurs were a further 25% bigger, and most of that was in width. They were built like bulls, and I could see that this one’s rage seemed to make it swell up even further, its eyes reddening to be a color with its horns.

After several more seconds of accumulating rage-

-I legitimately have no idea why it is taking so long to attack

The minotaur finally charged, the sheer velocity of its large form enough to lend an imposing aura to the attack. It was without guile or finesse, but I had no doubt that it had traditionally been effective for the minotaur’s purposes.

-But it has never encountered me. It has never known a Predator.

It might have been easy to use spells to slow down its bull rush, but I was after something else: a thrill.

So, without even utilizing a Thunder Stance form to enhance my acceleration, I raced to meet the charging minotaur, eyes glittering, grinning like a madman.

BOOOM.

“Keh,” I grunted, a sharp breath forced out of my lips from the impact. I staggered backwards a few steps, and he stumbled forward, seemingly shocked that I had fared so well in a contest. Due to his confusion, I recovered first, regaining my balance and moving smoothly forward to grapple.

HIs rage was evidence as he realized what I was doing, and he raized his huge hands to meet mine. When struggled for a few seconds, and I was forced to admit that this minotaur was stronger than I had imagined. Growling furiously, he began to push me backwards, and I began to feel my muscles and tendons near the edges of their endurance, beginning to tear.

Even with my high pain tolerance my bones began to creak and scream, painful beyond what most people could endure.

But for me, it was just what I needed. It made me lick my lips. It made the light in my eyes burn brighter.

This is what I wanted.

I began to laugh, my struggles turning from quiet determination to manic glee. It wasn’t exactly that I grew stronger, or that he was thrown by my strange reactions, but in that moment, I was sure of my victory, of the superiority of my strength.

He began to doubt himself.

Just as I was pushing powerfully back, my hands constricting on his larger fingers, beginning to grind his bones down, several brown minotaurs in bronze armor rushed into the tunnel we were standing in.

“Hurry, we must aid our Baron! He is being suppressed!” They rushed towards us, the knees of the blue minotaur trembling as he weakened, and I simply chuckled.

-Other me?

-Itadakimasuuuuuuu

With a small effort of will, the air around me filled with lunar mist. Then I pressed, creating 7 lunar mirrors. Then I filled the air with more lunar mist, creating another batch. A notification popped up briefly, but I quickly dismissed it, ignoring it as I guided my mirrors towards the approaching minotaurs.

Congratulations! Due to your actions, your skill has changed to “Lunar Reflection Lvl 5”. Lunar mist compresses more quickly. The amount of mana required to maintain has decreased to almost nothing. You have a higher chance of maintaining a larger amount of Lunar Reflections.

I wouldn’t have enough mana to use them all, but I would likely only need to use a few to buy time for my toying with the blue minotaur to finish.

A lunar reflection flitted through the air, arriving at one of the approaching minotaurs barely large enough to show its knee. My smile snaked out and up.

It would be enough.

-Shatter.

The noise was the tinkling of wind chimes, and then the dull, wet thunk of a loud impact. Yelping in an extremely strange way for such a large creature, the first minotaur fell, its eyes wide and white as it gazed at its knees.

Another lunar reflection arrived at a minotaur’s face, reflecting its left eye. When that tinkled apart into oblivion, there was a wet pop as the eye exploded. Strangely, the minotaur collapsed without a sound, but then I realized that it was possible the mental damage aspect might be responsible. These minotaurs didn’t seem to be creatures with particularly strong mental defenses.

Fear crept into the eyes of the blue minotaur before me, and my hands curled tighter, my nails digging into the back of his hands, leaving long troughs of shredded skin and revealed bone.

Seeing the effectiveness of the first lunar break on the head, I sent the remaining three that I could afford to shatter.

One shattered on an ear, blood spurting out of a ruptured eardrum. That one collapsed silently.

Another exploded on a chin, shattering the jaw and leaving the minotaur gurgling but conscious.

The final one I used on the back of a neck. Shuddering, the minotaur fell silently to the ground with its neck twisted at a strange angle and a bit of the spine piercing up through the skin, clearly broken. I couldn’t be sure if that one had to do with the mental portion of the damage, or whether it had simply died instantly.

Either way, I was rewarded with another notification.

Congratulations! Due to your actions, your skill has changed to “Lunar Break Lvl 3”. Mana costs have slightly decreased. Damage will go slightly deeper, beyond the image of what is on the Lunar Reflection. You have slightly more control over the area damaged.

I grinned.

-Truly, using abilities on live targets makes them level much more quickly.

The remaining brown minotaurs stumbled to a stop, horrified as they looked at their fallen comrades.

With a sickening crack, the blue minotaur’s hands shattered, causing it to fall to its knees. Still it roared its defiance, slamming its head forward to smash me with its horns.

But I just grinned and headbutted back.

Crack.

I blinked in a daze.

-Perhaps that wasn’t such a good idea.

-He does have horns. We need to our strengths, too.

-What, charm and good conversation?

-No, killing.

It seemed just as stunned as I was, and it didn’t even react as my hand blurred, my razor sharp nails slashing through its neck, decapitating it in a smooth motion.

I let its body fall to the ground, reaching up to my chin and pushing, cracking my neck to relieve some of the stiffness.

-If it hadn’t been on its knees when it tried that….

-But it was, and it died. That’s all that matters. Just another dead prey.

Grinning to myself, I turned towards the armored minotaurs, who were looking a me with abject horror. Before I could act, another notification popped up.

Congratulations! Due to your actions, your skill has changed to “Aura of the Predator Lvl 6”. Creatures within a certain area of you, even if they are unaware of your presence, will have an instinctual sense of unease. Creatures so afflicted will be stunned for a brief time upon becoming aware of you. Weaker creatures will die if left within the influence of Aura of the Predator for too long.

-Heh, it’s been quite a while since that has come into play.

-Well we haven’t been hunting overmuch. It does its best work when ripping through trash like this.

Laughing, I said, “Die for me.”

Wind Blade’s diced them into small cubes of meat, bone, and gristle, which fell to the ground in a splash of blood.

A notification that I had been long dreading, and looking forward too, had arrived.

Congratulations! Due to your actions, you have reached level 23. 4899 Biomass has been consumed.

Due to your special circumstances, you have the choice of retaining the previously earned Racial Growth Rate of “CTZ-103 Hunter-Seeker Model” or use the Biomass to receive another randomly assigned Growth Rate. Note, retaining a Growth Rate will allow you to learn Racial skills at the typical level they are learned. Note, if a Growth Rate is retained, the Biomass will instead be converted into random chances for improvement.

Retain Growth Rate? Y/N

I looked with longing at the diced minotaur meat that I had missed out on, but no use crying over spilt blood.

-Really the only way to control when we level is to level with 0 biomass, then stop from accepting the level until the amount is high enough. Otherwise…

-Drawbacks to that method are significant, however. No eating until we level? Off of fodder like this…

My stomach rumbled.

-Would have liked to make it to 5000.

-This is still double our highest total previously. Let’s just roll the dice. I’ve had enough of balance.

I selected no.

Due to your special circumstances, you will receive the racial growth rates of a random race based on the amount of biomass consumed.

Congratulations! You have received the racial growth rates of a “Obsidian Magma Gator.” Would you like to splice another race onto this one?

-Obviously. Unfortunately, I don’t think robots function well at high temperatures.

-Debatable. What if it just inherited metal, not the robotic portion.

-Are you willing to risk it?

-No. Birds are also not very high temperature friendly. Nor are cats.

-But are ogres?

-Well I think we are hoping for the variance.

-Ogres gave a lot of End too if I remember correctly… thick skin…. Alright fine.

Determining Spliced Race…

Outcomes encountered errors due to unexpected synchronicity. Recalculating…

Updating system parameters…

Awarding explanation bonus due to impetus for system growth...

Congratulations! You have obtained the growth rates of a “Thrak-Char, Outcast of the Molten Core.”

Thrak-Char was born to a clan of ancient species from which most fire dwelling salamanders have descended. Born of a royal lineage, Thrak-Char was deformed from birth, possessing four mouths, but no eyes. Left to die at the edge of the core, Thrak-Char’s voracious appetite sustained him as he literally ate his way out, his body sustaining itself on the incomparably dense rock and metal formed near the world’s core. Thrak-Char continued to eat until he grew to such a vast size that he returned to his homeland, unknowingly devouring his family and kin. His appetite was so large that he hollowed out the world, reducing his planet to a cold wasteland. Myth holds that Thrak-Char still sleeps in the center of that hollow world, barely keeping his hunger at bay.

Vit +39

End +226

Str +66

Memory +91

Mana +378

Would you like to retain the race “Obsidian Magma Gator” for future use?

I selected yes, and deleted the Ogre race. Honestly, although the variance was nice, the Obsidian Magma Gator had similar stats, just better ones.

-Although the fire leanings might make things more complicated down the line….

Congratulations! For reaching Level 23 as “Thrak-Char, Outcast of the Molten Core”, you have the option of learning the racial skill “Immolation Lvl 1”. Would you like to learn this skills?

Congratulations! You have learned the skill “Immolation Lvl 1”. You may activate the skill to cover your body in extremely hot flames, constantly draining your mana. As the skill levels, it will approach the level of heat of the core of a world.

-Hehe, quite the gains this time.

-I would have liked more Processing Power to help with perception, but this will certainly due nicely.

I brought up my status screen to examine myself.

Name: Predator Level: 23 Racial Growth Rate: Thrak-Char, Outcast of the Molten Core Biomass: 0 Light of the Unlucky Star: 0 Essence: 22/29 Health Regen: x4.6 Mana: 1106/2655 (+85) Fury: 7 Vit: 145 (+30) End: 341 (+30) Str: 171 (+30) Agi: 153 (+30) Dex: 163 (+30) Memory: 405 (+30) Processing Power: 330 (+30) Parallel Computations: 2 Wis: 125 (+30) Luck: 33 (+30) (#Error) Timeless Perception: 153 (+30) Balance: 221 Titles A Predator Raceless Nurturer of the Undead Singer of the Dark Cadences Bringer of War Master of Throwing Knives Warden of Glacier and Moon One Who Denies His Own Mortality Gene Splicer Born Under a Cursed Star Black Exo-skeleton with 9 Lives Student of the Arcane Skills Air Affinity Lvl 4 Endless Stomach Weapons Mastery Lvl 2 Silent Kill Lvl 1 Code of the Dragon Aura of the Predator Lvl 6 Summon Lesser Dead Lvl 7 Bile Emission Lvl 2 Unholy Bestowal Lvl 3 Physicality Lvl 8 Song of the Murloc People Lvl 1 Thunder Stance Lvl 6 Cadence of Earth Cadence of Water Wind Stance Lvl 2 Wind Blade Lvl 8 Pain Tolerance Lvl 8 Greater Resistance to Fire Lvl 1 Sneak Attack Lvl 2 My Heart is the Bellows, My Body the Metal Lvl 5 Lesser Ice Affinity Lvl 5 Lunar Affinity Lvl 5 Automated Air Armor Lvl 1 Flicker Lvl 1 Poison Resistance Lvl 2 Absolute Control: Self Lvl 3 Arcane Mastery Lvl 3 Lunar Rlefection Lvl 5 Iron Will Lvl 2 Lunar Break Lvl 3 Immolation Lvl 1 Saved Growth Rates Sable Haired Lynx Obsidian Magma Gator Carnivorous Dusk Wing Owl XN-00013

I flexed my fingers, my eyes glittering. This immolation…

-That boost to End…

Grinning, I turned to head down another burrow, searching for more minotaurs to try it out on, but I found myself facing two cloaked figures, one of them very familiar.

“Tsk tsk,” Jester said, shaking his masked head. “You always get into such trouble. Don’t you remember what I said about trying to avoid notice until you are stronger? And here you are making trouble again, drawing attention to yourself by moving in the areas between floor. Be a good child and take a nap, okay?”

Jester casually reached forward and flicked a finger towards my forehead. I strained, attempting to dodge, or block, or anything, but I couldn’t.

Impossibly, before my very eyes, the finger swelled to fill my entire field of vision, ominously grinding towards me.

My heart began to beat then, and I felt it. The powerlessness. The frustration. The vicious hate for anything that could overpower me.

The glee that the world was even bigger, and I could grow even more.

Then the finger hit me, and everything went black.