Lag 6.6

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –​

Multiple muffled screams of "my nose" didn't seem to make the situation any more serious to Greg Veder, at least from what Sparky could tell. Judging by his belly laughs and the way he pointed at Mal and his friends groaning in pain on the floor, it managed to accomplish quite literally the opposite.

Granted, it was hard not to laugh at all of them on the verge of tears, not that Sparky held himself back much either. I mean, everyone else is laughing. Might as well join in. Truthfully, a large chunk of the crowd were in stitches themselves, the sight of Mal and his friends so quickly beaten by Greg Veder of all people hilarious to see, even more so when the air was still filled with cries of "by thode!" as the Empire kids clutched their bleeding and likely-broken noses.

Despite having been knocked around the most, Mal still somehow found it in himself to rise to his feet, shaky as they were. Forcing himself to tear his hands away from where he had cradled his bruised face, the Kaiser Youth spat a mouthful of bloody phlegm to the alley floor, the action eliciting several loud "Eewwws" from the crowd that he willfully ignored.

"Listen..." Greg began again, laughter fading away as he spoke, "listen, we're not so different you and me. Like, our hair colors are very similar, for one."

Mal let out another hacking cough, stumbling back just a bit as he tried to stay upright. Even still, he pushed past it, body tense as his meaty hands clenched back again into tight fists.

"Ew. Point is, Malcom, we live in a world of similar things. Lots of stuff is the same as other stuff." Greg's lips turned down in a slight grimace, head tilted to the side. "I forget where I was going with this but the takeaway is that your parents don't love each other or you."

Malcolm bristled, uttering a mountain of swears under his breath and, without a doubt, in his own head. "I swear," he spat the words out, almost hissing them even. "Veder… I fuckin'..."

"You fucking what?" Greg asked with a smile, Sparky's frown reappearing again as he watched his friend take a step forward, hands out in front of himself as if daring the junior to try something.

Okay, fight's over. Sparky thought to himself, about to yell out to Greg to quit it. Too much of a good thing or whatever.

"I h-h… Fuck you." Mal managed a bloody triumphant smile through the pain as he sneered back at Greg. "You and your fucking buttfag can go suck each other off."

...on the other hand, Sparky folded his arms, leaning back up against the alley wall as his eyes returned to their apathetic, half-lidded state. A couple more hits might teach him to shut the fuck up, I guess.

"Now, that's just mean," Greg outright laughed, clearly enjoying how Mal seemed to flinch every time he did so, hits to his pride almost as damaging as those to his body. "You don't mean that. Like, I actually have a girl though."

Mal grit his teeth and rose to his feet fully, fists clenched tight as he shouted out, "Fuck you and her! I hope that g-ginger bitch dies in the hospital!"

Greg Veder froze in place.

He wasn't the only one.

Amber eyes widened as realisation crept into his thoughts slowly. A second or two later, it hit him all at once in a sudden wave of awareness.

Sparky took a step forward.

"... Greg."

Both Sparky and Mal paled as they witnessed the playful and slightly vacant smile disappear from Greg's expression. "What did you just say?"

Heart pounding in his chest, Sparky made to get in front of the blond, but he wasn't anywhere fast enough. By the time he had taken just one more, his friend was already right in front of his opponent, staring the taller boy in the face. The faint hostility on Greg's face ratcheted up without him even twitching as he leaned closer, eyes like ice.

"I said, What did you just say?"

Mal opened his mouth again, expression defiant if unwary, but he didn't get a chance to answer back. Five fingers wrapped themselves deftly around the junior's throat almost faster than anyone could see, keeping him from letting out a breath, let alone a sentence.

"Greg!"

The pressure around the bully's neck grew tighter despite the fingers around it not so much as twitching an inch, the bully's back pressed up against the chain link fence dividing the alley. Heavy, meaty hands beat at Greg Veder's face and body, yet he barely even blinked. His eyes remained focused, intently so on Mal's increasingly panicked expression, a growing fear visible in his eyes.

"Brah, stop it." Sparky dropped his hand on Greg's outstretched arm and locked eyes with his friend. It took him all he had not to flinch as that anger was directed his way, grim seriousness more than unsettling on a face that just wasn't built for it. After a moment, though, the blond's expression quickly cooled as he met Sparky's eyes. "You don't gotta do this," he added, as he tightened his grip on Greg's arm in a reassuring squeeze.

It didn't take long for Greg to nod, expression lightening as the tension faded from his face. Sparky felt his own mood rise slightly but not by much. Just a slight flicker of his eyes to the side let him know that someone's hand was still tight around someone else's neck, the second someone beginning to go blue in the face as he thrashed helplessly against Greg's grip.

As if fighting against himself, the sophomore's hand trembled for a few seconds before he finally extricated his fingers from Mal's thick neck, the bully falling to the ground in a gasping heap of sweaty, bruised limbs.

Letting go of a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding, Sparky spoke up again, "He's not worth it, okay? Trust me on this. You're better than him. You and me. Ain't that right, brah?"

The entire alleyway was almost completely silent, apart from the hushed and quiet mutters of the crowd of high-schoolers that showed up expecting a murder and the fading groans of Malcolm's crew. With that, it was all too easy for Sparky to catch his friend's whispered reply.

"...Yeah."

"Can't hear ya." He threw an arm around Greg's shoulder and turned both of them around as he forced a smile onto his face. Before he spoke again, he began stepping towards the alley exit as naturally as he could, Greg following along. "What was that?"

Greg smiled back, shaking his head. "I said, yeah. You heard me."

"There we go," Sparky continued smiling, the expression starting to waver back to something more his usual expression, the teenager feeling more relaxed with every he took away from what was almost an attempted murder. he punctuated the last sentence with a lazy gesture to Mal and his friends on the ground. As the gathered mob of students parted to make way for both of them, Sparky let out another breath. "I thought I went deaf for a sec."

"Holy shit."

"I know."

"Did you see Veder's guns? Fucker's shredded like cheese."

"Right, like bro, where can I get those fucking 'roids?"

"Yeah, Mal got fucked all the way up."

"Like, is he gonna be okay?"

"No idea, but did you know Veder was a fucking monster?"

"Fuckin' hell, did he even get hit once?"

"I heard he was on 'roids."

"I heard he joined the Empire."

"I heard Veder was gonna die."

"Me too. I bet on Mal."

"Fuck me, I'm out twenty bucks."

"Why's he fighting Mal anyway?"

"Dude, I don't know. I showed up to see a murder, not a massacre."

"You think you can find what he's juicing with for cheap?"

"Fuck, we gotta pay Veder lunch money now?"

"Something happened to Barnes? Why's she in the hospital?"

Holy shit. Sparky felt his eye twitch at the comments growing in volume around them as he tried to walk Greg out of the alley as quickly as possible. Could you retards shut the fuck up? They didn't understand the seriousness of what he was dealing with, Sparky very well knew that, but they just fucking saw the same thing he did. Pissing off the guy who did that just wasn't smart, in any fucking sense of the word.

"Veder!"

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck me. The olive-skinned boy closed his eyes and sighed, head hanging down the instant he heard the angry, guttural scream.

"Vederrrrrr!"

A half-second later, he forced himself to bite back an audible curse as Greg stood up straighter at the voice calling his name a second time, unconsciously shrugging off Sparky's arm from his shoulder. His face hardened again, mouth once again a single flat line, as he turned around in the opposite direction.

Sparky opened his eyes to sigh again and turned around, entirely aware of what he would see.

And to his complete lack of surprise, he was right.

Sparky, and everyone else within the confines of the alley, stared right at a beaten, bloody and bruised Malcolm Duncan. The junior was struggling to stay upright from the looks of him, breaths leaving him in hard, heavy gulps. His neck was already darkening from where Greg's fingers had tried to deprive him of air and the Empire member seemed to cradle his right arm on reflex, probably having hurt it somehow - maybe from falling on it wrong, Sparky mused.

Smeared and half-dried blood marred the seventeen year-old's face, that along with the dampness of sweat did it's job in making him look even more of a deranged mess.

Pulling himself up to full height, Mal shouted Greg's name one more time, clearly too angry to care about the fact that he was in no shape to fight.

And yet, he charged forward anyway.

Amber eyes flicked to his side to take in how his friend simply waited in place as Mal rushed forward. Greg seemed utterly unbothered by it, body language seemingly loose and unprepared, but Sparky knew better than to believe what his eyes told him. It's not like he needs to be ready. He wasn't sure exactly how strong the blond was right now, but judging from what he'd seen - what the entire internet had seen - Sparky was sure that letting him use that strength in anger was a bad idea.

"I'll kill you!" Mal screamed out another pointless threat as he finally neared the smaller boy, swinging his fist like a hammer. Greg Veder ducked the first blow without a word, ducking to the right as Mal was sent scrambling to an unsteady stop from his own reckless momentum.

The rampaging steroid user turned around, unhinged rage in his eyes, and made to rush forward again. "Fucking die alr-"

Hard knuckles met a harder jaw.

"FUCK! God fucking damnit! Shit!" Axel Ramon let the curses fly as he stepped forward and shook his aching hand, regretting that last decision even as Mal lay dazed on the ground in front of him. "Why the fu- whydididothat? Fuckmechristalmighty."

"Wow. Nice job. I had that, though."

Sparky slowly turned his head around to face the speaker, one hand cradling the other as his eyes watered from the pain, and did his best to flip his friend the bird. "What you had would have landed you in juvie. You're welcome."

Greg's lip twitched and he began to snicker, his attempt to hold back a laugh failing almost immediately. "Thank you, bro. I'll buy you some lunch or whatever. My treat." He slapped his palm on his friend's back, eliciting a yelp of pain and a dirty look, but the blond just laughed even harder. "And some ice for that hand too."

Asshole. He narrowed his eyes at his friend as Greg broke into another bout of laughter at that last comment. Fucking idiot. I half-broke my knuckles for this dumbass.

Utterly tired of today already, Sparky shook his head, only to let out a slight hiss at the new source of pain that was his entire back. Gritting his teeth, he glanced down at Mal's face and stared him in the eye, the other boy clearly conscious but too beaten to move. "Know your fucking place, dipshit," He spat down next to his face, the bully not even flinching as the wad of spit barely missed his cheek. "That was me being nice."

"Ooh, I got chills from that. Scary Sparky."

The olive-skinned teenager rolled his eyes at that remark from Greg, simply shooting him a dirty look. "You're an idiot."

Greg shrugged. "High-five?"

Sparky shot him another glare, raising the single hand he was cradling.

"Oh, shit, yeah, let's get you some ice on that." He threw a hand around Sparky's shoulders and began rambling in his own special way as he guided him towards the alley exit. "Ice first. Food stop later. I'm feeling… chinese?"

With that, the duo casually made their way out of the alley with their business complete, leaving Malcolm Duncan to stare at their backs as they left, his face blank and expressionless.

"Holy shit, that just happened."

"I knoooooow."

"Who knew Veder was a psycho?"

"I knoooow."

"What do we do with these guys? Are they knocked out or what?"

"... I don't know."

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

​

Greg Lucas Veder Job: Student Age: 15 Title: Ninja - Low Class Level 33 Experience 26000/60000 Health 3320/3320 Mana 1240 Will 1245 STR 220 INT 90 SPD 137 (142) WIS 22 (-70%) VIT 201 CHA 33 (+9) (-90%) Stat Points 0 Perk Points 10 Cash: $2,550 TRAITS

Nerd-Geek Hybrid: Your obsession with video gaming, computers, fantasy/sci-fi literature and 80's/90's pop culture has left you in the rare middle of two circles; the obsessive fandom-loving geek and the intelligent, knowledge seeking nerd. Sadly, your hobbies have left you with an aversion to physical exertion.

+50% bonus to INT gains

-50% penalty to STR, SPD & VIT gains.

Asperger's Syndrome: Ever since you were a little kid, you've always been a little bit off. Impulsive, obsessive, socially obtuse and emotionally needy, you're a bit of a weirdo. You now know that you have Asperger's Syndrome. Thanks to the help of a PRT doctor with good advice, you're now more aware of your own mental state.

-70% to total WIS

-90% to total CHA.

Casanova Bloodline: As a Veder man, you have a great smile, natural charm and a confident approach to life that draws the ladies in like a moth to a flame. Your great cheekbones don't hurt either. It's how your dad got your mom to go out with him while dating at least three other girls and sleeping with two others, at least that's what he always told you - even when you didn't ask - all the time.

+ 9 CHA

Dragon King’s Blood

Touch my skin, feel the pattern of my scales. Look into my eyes.

Feel the magic of my being. Know that I am dragonblood.

You’re more than just dragon-touched, now. For all intents and purposes, you are a dragon, in all but form. The blood of dragons and kings now runs through you. Your scales may yet be soft skin and your teeth may lack fangs, but that may yet change.

+ 500 HP

+ 20 STR

+ 20 SPD

Dragon King’s Soul

One does not need the size of a dragon to have the soul of a dragon.

You’ve defeated the Dragon of Kyushu for the second time and proven yourself more worthy of the role of ‘Dragon’ than he. What does that mean, though?

+500 MP

+500 Will

+20 INT

+20 VIT

Greater Human

The true power of human beings is that we can change ourselves on our own.

Pushing yourself past the limits of what could ever be considered human, you have entered into a realm that even the most obtuse would notice as distinctly in-human. (Unlocks perks for STR, SPD, VIT and INT once a stat crosses a benchmark of 200 pts)

PERKS

Baby Steps (1/3)

With Catlike Tread...

Allows very light movement across surfaces, allowing you to move or stand on surfaces that would normally not support your weight.

Battle Concentration

Keeping a calm head during a fight is often all you need.

Your experience gain increases by 90% due to your increased focus during battles.

Bulwark

Facing off against an opponent who far outclassed you has given you an ability to withstand impossible pain in the face of impossible odds.

Takes 50% less damage from opponents over five times your level.

Burdened Spirit

The soul grows through suffering.

All Mana Skills increase in magnitude by 2% for every debuff active on you, up to 50%.

Capegoat (5/5)

Their pain is your burden and boy, is it a burden.

Removes harmful status effect from your chosen target by absorbing the negative status, inflicting yourself with a lesser version.

Catch!

Hey batter, batter.

Your SPD is increased by 25% when it comes to catching thrown projectiles.

Danger Sense (6/10)

My common sense is tingling.

You gain a sixth sense that allows you to sense the presence of incoming danger.

Darkvision

It is pitch black but that doesn't matter to you.

Allows perfect night vision, regardless of the level of light.

Developed Mind (7/10)

I like to think of myself as enlightened.

Every time you gain a level, you gain an additional 5 MP for each rank of this perk.

Dragon Blood's Gift

What is a knight without armor? A dragon without scales? A lion without teeth?

All equipped armor and gear is self-repairing at a rate of 1% a minute, so long as it is constantly being fed mana or will in some manner.

Dragon King's Aura (1/10)

A dragon's breath is both sword and shield.

At a rate of 2 MP per second per rank, draw upon your [Elemental] Skills to generate an Aura of Mana that supersedes lesser [Elemental] effects based upon the Skill used and enhances the use of Skills of those [Elements]. Your equipment and body are immune to the effects of the Aura, but your surroundings are not. While your Aura is active, you may also utilize your Elemental Skills as a [Breath Weapon] with no harm to yourself.

Fast Healing

Just a flesh wound, right?

You heal much faster now, regaining Health at a rate of a fifth of your VIT every fifteen seconds.

Flowing Mana

The true power of the Warrior lies in his Breath.

Recovering from countless struggle has forced your physical energies into a state of rapid circulation. Your base mana recovery rate is multiplied by 10. (1 MP/s)

Growing Will (6/10)

Some people say you're rather willful.

Every time you gain a level, you gain an additional 5 Will for each rank of this perk.

Greater Iron Body

"It's a good thing I'm so buff, or that fall would've killed me. "

What is your body made of, exactly? It can't be anything human. All physical damage is reduced by your level number, applying after all other damage reduction.

+Blunt Force-based Status Effects require a Critical Hit to manifest

+10% of blunt damage inflicted totaling less than 5% of innate health is negated.

Keen Vision

20/20? That's weaksauce.

The clarity of your vision scales with your INT by a ratio of 2:1. (100%)

Lifegiver (10/10)

Health is more than just not getting sick.

Every time you gain a level, you gain an additional 5 HP for each rank of this perk.

Not Quite Dead

People die when they are killed… usually.

Survive after your HP sinks below 0 and a harmful status effect is active.

10% Chance to recover with full health when HP drops to 0.

Savior's Strength

Catch me as I fall!

If you're strong enough to hold an object when you catch it without hurting yourself, you can also catch it without hurting it.

Sleep It Off

Great advice, honestly.

Negative Status Effect durations are lessened by 25% while Asleep.

Super-Fulcrum

"Let me just lift this bus by its rear bumper."

When you lift something that you're strong enough to pick up without hurting yourself, it doesn't matter where you grip it. You can lift and move it as a single unit, no matter how the internal stresses should cause it to break. It might still bend or even flop with movable joints, but as long as you can lift it, it won't break due to how you're holding it. This won't stop somebody else from breaking it.

Surefooted

I don't trip.

Allows perfect traction over any solid ground, eliminating the chance of slipping and falling over your own feet.

Swift Learner (2/10)

You're no idiot.

You gain an increased amount of experience, increasing by 10% for each point in this skill.

Transformation Sequence (1/3)

"It's Morphin' Time!"

By willing yourself to transform, you can equip any full outfit within your inventory, transforming in a flash of blue light, mana glitter and/or a whirlwind of aerokinesis obscuring you.

Warrior's Breath

The true power of the Warrior lies in his Breath.

Recovering from countless struggle has forced your physical energies into a state of rapid circulation. Your base Willpower recovery rate is multiplied by 10. (1 Will/s)

TITLES

Dragonbane Knight

To hurt a dragon, one must hone their blade till it is sharper than teeth and claws. To survive a dragon, one must temper their armor until none but a dragon can pierce it. To catch a dragon, one must run and jump until both are akin to flight. To slay a dragon, one must become a dragon.

+ 10% Physical Resistance

+ 10% Resistance to Fire

+ 20 to VIT

+ 10 to STR

+ 200 to Health

+ 100% Damage against [Dragon]s.

Fear Bringer I

Who puts that scare into people?

Strikes fear into enemies equal or below 25% your level.

Lucky Bastard

Fortune smiles upon you. You have experienced good fortune at a time when you assumed all was lost.

+???

+???

+???

Man Slaughter...er I

It was an accident... right?

Direct physical attacks on an enemy with VIT equaling or below 5% of your ST has 5% chance of causing instant death.

Low-Class Ninja

Hide in shadows and darkness. You're a ninja! A NINJA! Cool...

Increases the effectiveness of Evasion, Acrobatics and Stealth-based skills by 35% and + 5 to SPD STAT.

Punisher I

Revenge is a dish best eaten through a straw.

Increases all forms of damage by 5% to those who do damage to your allies.

Squire

Training to be a knight, I see?

Title grants +15% increased damage with a sword and 15% increased physical resistance when equipped with a sword.

SKILLS

Gamer's Body (Passive) Lv. MAX

Allows you to live life as if were a game.

Sleeping restores HP, MP, Will and removes most negative status effects.

Gamer's Mind (Passive) Lv. MAX

Grants immunity to mental status effects, emotional and mental trauma and severely dangerous emotional states.

Aerokinesis (Adept) Lv 19

"Storm's a brewin'... Metaphorically too."

Exert the force of your air control over the range of a football field and with the raw wind speed of a Category 7 Hurricane.

Cost: 100 MP per second of sustained use at maximum range & power.

Analyze

The more you know...

An immediate upgrade to Observe, this Skill grants you added knowledge on the subject in relation to other realms of knowledge you might already possess.

Cost: 1 MP

Dash Straight Lv 20

Force equals Mass times Acceleration.

You may suck at physics, but you know that much.

Through reinforcing the body, you smash your fist into a target while moving at high speed. Damage scales based on distance moved. (1.5x Damage Cap)

Cost: 25 Will + 2 Will for every meter

Electrokinesis (Minor) Lv 1

A human taser. Impressive?

You've got the power of lightning at your finger-tips. Sadly, that's pretty much as far as it goes.

Cost: 10 mp per second of sustained use

Mana Barrier Lv 6

Some kind of force-field!

The power to generate and manipulate defensive fields of arcane energy as a projected construct of your Mana. When using this Skill, your barriers can negate and/or deflect all physical damage up to a certain level. Any damage above the negation level shatters the barrier immediately.

Warning: Strength of barriers can decrease proportionally and drastically with complexity.

Cost: 50 Mana

Magnetism (Minor) Lvl 1

Magnets? How do they work?

You possess all the power of an office magnet toy.

Cost: 5 mp per second of sustained use

Mana Bolt Lv 3

Magic Missile for the uninitiated.

A projectile of raw kinetic force that flies with incredible speed toward your chosen target.

Cost: 100 MP

Mana Glitter Lv 9

Sparkle like the pretty bishounen you were always meant to be. Or a princess. Or a pedophilic slightly-rapey vampire. Who's judging you?

Release particles of mana from your body in the form of iridescent sapphire sparkles. Max Range increases by half a meter per level. (5 meters)

Cost: 1 MP per second

Mana Platform Lv 7

I call it walking on air.

Using raw mana, you create semi-solid platforms under your feet that last only as long as you remain still. Platforms double in size every five levels. (0.5 m)

Cost: 1 MP per 2 seconds

Pyrokinesis (Adept) Lv 6

Great Balls of Fire!

You're a walking firestorm, the ability to launch enough flame at once to set an entire building ablaze from hundreds of feet away.

Cost: 250 MP per second of sustained use at max range.

Raging Combo Lv 18

A blistering barrage of belligerent blows built to batter baddies.

By repeatedly using weaker forms of Angry Straight, you pummel your target with raw frustration and anger. (36 Hits)

Cost: 65 Will

Reinforcement (Acolyte) Lv 6

Enhance your physique to new levels, your body and soul working in tandem.

Reinforcement imbues you with the efforts of the physical aspect of your soul given form, pushing your actual body to heights it might never had reached otherwise. Increases your effective strength and speed by 200%. Improved control means that weaker usages of Reinforcement is within your grasp for lower costs. Increases your effective strength, speed and resistances by 5% per level with this technique. (230%)

Cost: 5 Will/s

Subskill: Burst

Cast from hit points. Yeah, it's one of those skills.

A short, yet extremely concentrated and focused burst of Reinforcement applied to the extremities for an insane burst of ability lasting 2 seconds.

x 3 top Reinforced SPD/STR

Cost: 50 Will, 50 HP Subskill: Layer Reinforcement

To improve on an item is to improve the very soul of it.

Increases the quality of non-living items, increasing their sharpness, durability, and hardness. This form of Reinforcement can be used on non-living substances for a multiplier of ten.

Surface Adhesion Lv 20

You ever wanted to be Spider-Man? Don't lie. Of course you did.

This skill allows you to stick to walls and hang on to ceilings and vertical surfaces without a risk of falling. While not denying gravity, this allows you to adhere to surfaces unaided.

Cost: 2 MP per second

Structural Analysis Lv 13

Judging the concept of creation, Hypothesizing the basic structure...

Grants the ability to gain a rudimentary understanding of the internal structure and functional design of simple, non-living objects.

Cost: 2 mp per square half-meter of object.

Subskill: Physical Analysis

Allows an innate understanding of the human body with the levels of complexity based on the progression of the primary skill, Structural Analysis.

Weapon Charge Lv 23

Conceptually do twice as much damage with a weapon. Broken?

What's that mean?

Boosts weapon damage x 2.

Length of charge increases by 1/2 second for every level. (11.5 sec)

Cost: 8 MP

ABILITIES

Acrobatics Lv 46

Parkour!

An ability that enables you to pull off backflips, frontflips and any manner of jumping-based ground-movement technique with greater ease.

Awareness: Willpower Lv MAX

Willpower, ki, chi, qi, stamina, aura, mantra, physical energy, life energy, od, or even hamon… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end.

You have gained awareness of your Willpower, the physical energy found within all living organisms. Gaining awareness of your physical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.

Ballroom Dancing Lv 1

I wouldn't call it dancing yet. More like a full-body dry heave set to music.

Represents your skill in the art of dancing in a fancy, romantic manner when with a partner.

Anatomy: Intermediate Lvl 2

The quickest way to a man's heart? Directly through his ribcage.

Gain a more experienced understanding of the human body and how interconnected systems function.

[Status Effects] become easier to inflict in melee combat by 2% every level. (4%)

Basic: Increases [Critical Hit] damage by 10% per level. (100%)

Beginner Combat Lvl 20

I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.

The next level of combat, Beginner Combat is a fusion of fighting and footwork into the ability to learn new styles of combat, fusing them into a novice martial combat capability.

Increased bare-handed damage by 2% per level. (40%)

Blunt Weaponry Lv 5

Carry a big stick. Speaking softly is optional.

Measures your skill with using a blunt weapon.

Increases damage with a blunt weapon by 2% per level. (10%)

Breath-Holding Lv 25

Asphyxiation is a terrible way to die.

Increases time able to stay conscious without air by 30 seconds per level. (12.5 min)

Bullshitting Lv 6

First, you tell a lie; then you believe it; then you become it.

Increases chances that any lie you tell is successful by 2% with every level. (12%)

Cooking Lv 10

Some people are just born to cook and talk.

People have been cooking since the discovery of fire. Who knows what you could create if you put your mind to it?

Disarm Lv 18

Take their weapon from their warm, living hands.

Increases chance of disarming the enemy by 2% with every level. (36%)

Driving Lv 4 (XP: 25%)

NASCAR, here we come.

Measures your skill at operating a four-wheeled motorized vehicle.

Gunplay: Handguns Lv 8

Possibly more than the automobile, the handgun is synonymous with America.

Improves aim/accuracy/stability with a handgun by 5% per level. (40%)

Improves damage with a handgun by 2% per level. (16%)

Gunplay: Rifles Lv 4

Slightly better than a stormtrooper.

Improves aim/accuracy/stability with a rifle by 5% per level. (20%)

Improves damage with a rife by 2% per level. (8%)

Intimidation Lv 17

If you want to control someone, all you have to do is to make them feel afraid

Strike fear into the hearts of man and throw them off their guard, allowing you to score critical hits much easier. Increases chance of [Critical Hits] on enemies by 1% every level. (17%)

Kissing Lv 8

Looks like practicing on a peach actually paid off.

Represents your skill in the art of smooching.

Language: Japanese Lv 15

Gratuitous Japanese indeed.

Reflects your speaking skill, and understanding of, the Japanese language.

Language: Spanish Lv 16

Me llamo Gregory.

Reflects your speaking skill, and understanding of, the Spanish language.

Manipulation: Mana (Limited) Lv 10

Mana, magic energy, magicka, prana, ether, thaum, spiritual energy, magatsuhi or even chakra… Call it what you want. It all rests in the palm of your hand to command.

Your awareness of mana has advanced to an understanding of how to force the energy resting within your mind and soul to your eager and unprepared will. Adds a 1% bonus to effect of all mana-based skills. (10%)

Meditation Lvl 30

Breathe in the good shit. Breathe out the bullshit.

By finding your inner focus, you push out all earthly distractions and enter a state of mental and physical harmony, allowing a greater understanding of your mind and body. While meditating, your Mana and Will recover at a rate of 10% faster per level into this ability. You retain this bonus for a period of ten minutes post-Meditation. (300%)

Parry Lv 17

To deflect an attack is a double-edged sword;

Risking more damage for the chance to inflict the same.

Increases the effectiveness of any attempt to divert or deflect a physical attack by 2% with every level. (34%)

Reflexes II Lvl 1

That's two bullets. Child's play. When you can avoid six bullets, then you will have accomplished something.

Decreases innate reaction time by .1% per level. (95%)

Resistance: Biological Manipulation Lvl 5

Some people like to work with clay, or glass, or wood. Others prefer the mutability of flesh.

Measures your ability to resist any attempt to directly control your physical form, referring to skin, nerves, organs or otherwise. Increases by 2% per level. (10%)

Resistance: Blunt Force Lv. 70

Going from punching yourself in the face to actual self-mutilation?

Bold move, Veder. Let's see if it pays off.

Reduce all blunt force damage by 0.75% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (52.5%)

Resistance: Cold Lv 8

The cold never stopped bothering you.

Increases resistance to cold temperature by 1% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (8%)

Resistance: Electricity Lv 8

Everyone knows electrocution is harmless.

Increases resistance to electrical damage by 1% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (8%)

Resistance: Heat II Lv 4

"You have to respect anything that can just stand there, on fire."

Reduces heat damage by 1% with every level from attacks up to 200% of health. (4%)

+ Increases resistance to heat damage by 1% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (75%)

Salamander's Skin

I burn... well, not really?

Complete immunity to heat damage with a magnitude up to half of 1% of Innate VIT.

Resistance: Piercing Lv 40

The thrust or stab is risky because it can kill and yet not stop

Reduces piercing or stabbing damage by 0.75% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (30%)

Resistance: Poison Lv 4

I wonder what counts as a poison...

Reduces damage and effects caused by poison by 1% every level that will cause damage less than 100% of your health, in any way, shape or form. (4%)

Resistance: Slashing Lv 18

The cut will stop but not kill.

Reduces slashing or cutting damage by 0.75% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (13.5%)

Seduction Lv 1

I didn't mean to turn you on… or did I?

Manage to draw the attention of a member of the opposite sex using your innate attraction skills. Increases chance of [Critical Hits] on enemies by .5% every level. (.5%)

Singing Lv 2

Stick to doing musicals in the shower for now.

Represents your ability to hit the correct notes, harmonize and anything to do with the art of vocals.

Sneaking Lv 25

Ugh… stealth missions suck.

Allows for 2% quieter movement per level while trying not to be heard. (50%)

Stamina Lvl 25

Whatever I lack in talent I have in stamina.

Increase Will by + 5 with every level. (125 Will)

Swordplay: Single Blade Lv 40

All swords are the same.

Represents your martial skill with the art of a single blade.

Increases damage with a blade by 2% per level. (80%)

Taunt Lv 19

"And this! Is when I taunt you!"

Draw the attention of a target through nonsensical, idiotic, but occasionally piercing, verbal attacks. Increases chance of Critical Hits on enemies by 2% with every level. (38%)

Thrown Weapons Lv 4

Throwing your sword always works. Except, you know, when it doesn't.

Increases the skill, range and force by which items and weapons can be thrown by 2% with every level. (8%)