P-System Log

Oh, speak of the devil. We discuss titles, and suddenly Jerome gets one. I was thinking a bit ago--surely Jerome hasn't managed to get through his life without divine assistance of some sort. I was half-joking when I thought that before, but I might not be now. The gods of this world seem to smile upon his idiocy.

Well, the title's neat to see, at least. I saw similar titles on some enemies already, so its existence isn't really surprising or anything. I've actually been wondering whether or not it was a monster-exclusive type of thing, since Jerome killed a decent number of people and monsters and hadn't received it till now.

Time to see what it does!

[Killer I]

Effect: Increases ability to kill by 1%.

Progression:

P-System Log

Well, that's just fantastic, isn't it? Once again, my super cool W Inertia manipulating powers are foiled by the Origin System refusing to make those powers actually useful!

The 1% could be a damage multiplier. It could be a mana multiplier. It could be fucking anything! There's no specificity here, and I don't want to waste any more W Inertia.

Also, Jerome's still fighting. I should probably focus on facilitating his attacks.

Overcharged [Blazing Spear] (1.5x) activating! [Blazing Spear] dealt 23 damage! [Blazing Spear] dealt 24 damage! [Blazing Spear] dealt 19 damage! Party Chat

[Jerome Smith]: 23, 24, 19.

[Aster K'lon]: Be careful with your mana usage.

Strength contest initiated! Strength contest won by [Godkiller] Jerome Smith! Damage from [Ensnare] lowered! [Ensnare] dealt 26 damage to you! [Ensnare]'s trap failed to close! P-System Log That was sure something to witness, wow. Lemme tell you, gory horror monsters look a lot weirder when there's a Health system preventing them from actually, y'know, goring people. Jerome [Blazing Spear]ed them and then ran in straight after the flames finished burning out, and then one of the Lesser Devourers--ugh, that's a convoluted name for you--literally just scuttled under him and tried to eat him. They're surprisingly large, maybe the size of a big laptop, and it got one of his legs stuck inside. After that, there was a blur and a weird convulsion of mana and something else that wasn't mana or W Inertia--the Strength contest, presumably--and then Jerome was able to pull his leg out, none the worse for wear besides the damage. It's like watching a G-rated horror movie. The process of his leg going into the fucking thing's mouth was almost disturbing to watch, but it's almost comical without the gore. [Misty Strike] activating! [Misty Strike] dealt 79 damage! Enemy defeated! Experience rewarded! P-System Log

Aside from stupid decisions that he makes, these enemies are honestly basically a cakewalk for Jerome. Low level he may be, but his class is ridiculous, he's got incredible stats, and he has me. Parker Wu, System extraordinaire.

Okay, I cringed at myself before I even finished thinking that. Putting that thought away now.

Anyway, he has all that and he has me. I'm generating new skills for him, giving him the pseudo-quick cast spell, giving him danger sense... damn I'm good. I wish he was more thankful for me, but whatever. I'm getting W Inertia and it's kind of fun pointing Jerome at problems and watching them go away. Kind of like playing a tower defense game, now that I think about it.

Still two more. Jerome is giving them a pretty thorough bashing, but he's burning through mana like crazy. Good for him that he started out with high stats, I guess. If it was Axel, he would've been completely out of mana by now.

[Lesser Mana Storm] cast! Enemies defeated! Experience split and distributed! P-System Log

Holy shit, stop kill-stealing! That's my fucking W Inertia you're taking, Aster!

...at least the skill was cool. Lots of swirly colors and really neat effects that I can appreciate even if I don't have eyes in the proper sense. I'm pretty sure there was a lot of elemental magic involved in that attack. Fire, ice, water, earth, air, plus a whole lot more esoteric shit that I don't have a name for. I think I can copy the mana pattern for Jerome, though. Maybe get him a properly [Legendary] attack skill.

Still. Aster. Please, for the love of god(s where applicable). Give me the points.

Party Chat

[Jerome Smith]: You keep doing that.

[Aster K'lon]: Doing what?

[Jerome Smith]: Taking my kills. Entering the situation when I've already got it.

[Aster K'lon]: You mean helping you?

[Jerome Smith]: I had that. Also, how did the skill not even damage me? I was right there.

[Aster K'lon]: By "had that," you mean that you were about to get stuck into two separate [Ensnare]s. As to the latter, we are partied. There are more benefits to that than just a party chat.

[Jerome Smith]: Oh. Okay.

P-System Log

So what if Jerome was going to get hit by those? What, was he going to take a little more damage? He still has 200 HP left bare minimum, it's not like he can actually die until he gets hit a lot more. And I mean, like a lot more. He killed two of them before he got hit a single time, and sure he was about to take more damage but he's fine.

Aster is kind of frustrating me, not gonna lie. Which sucks, because she was like the one reasonable person in this entire damn planet. Continent, whatever.

Ugh. I'll try talking to her. I kinda hate the idea of anything approaching socializing, but I think I can manage if it's through the veneer of the System.

Private Message [Aster]

[P-System]: Query. Allow Jerome to obtain maximum XP from his fights.

[Aster K'lon]: Hello, P-System. I am aware that you maintain some level of intelligence. Must you maintain such a machine-like facade? You are a growing organism to my eyes, not just another rigid set of rules.

[P-System]: Response. No.

[Aster K'lon]: See? Just like that. That has personality.

[P-System]: Repeating query. Cease stealing kills.

[Aster K'lon]: I understand your issue, but you must understand I am trying to protect Jerome.

[P-System]: Query. You earlier stated that your task was not to protect him.

[Aster K'lon]: I lied.

[P-System]: Noted.

[Aster K'lon]: You do not talk to Jerome about this.

[P-System]: That was not a question. I do not take orders.

[Aster K'lon]: It was also not an order. I do notice these things, you know. Jerome is not the type of person who could remain silent about an issue so important, not unless you silenced him.

[P-System]: Query. Why do you believe I did not silence him?

[Aster K'lon]: If you held that power, you would have the power to silence me as well. Yet you have not. Similarly, I have yet to disclose your true nature of intelligence to Jerome. I wish to develop a relationship of trust, not mutually assured destruction.

[P-System]: Fair.

[Aster K'lon]: I simply wish for Jerome's System--P? I forget if you prefer to be called that--to understand the entirety of the situation surrounding him.

[P-System]: P-System or P-S is fine.

[Aster K'lon]: Jerome has significantly more raw power than the supermajority of reincarnators, especially those passing through Maplecrest.

[P-System]: He's an edge case. I am an edge case. This is known.

[Aster K'lon]: Correct, P-S, but I seek to understand why. Why now, after the gods have gone silent for so long?

[P-System]: The gods?

[Aster K'lon]: Truly, a child's knowledge you possess. The gods of this land s̴t̷e̵m̵ ̷f̸r̶o̷m̷ ̴t̶h̷e̵ ̷O̵r̶i̸g̶i̸n̵ System that provides us with the power. The gods are manifestations of the Origin, representing its different aspects. In times past, there were those who were godsent, granted abnormally great powers by those manifestations. Not only reincarnators, but others from our world as well.

[P-System]: And then they stopped?

[Aster K'lon]: Correct. Nobody knows why, but the boons slowed. Reincarnators stopped coming in with the mana signature of the gods. New Integrated stop gaining their g̵o̷d̷s̶-given boons.

[P-System]: Mana signatures are traceable?

[Aster K'lon]: Indeed. As a [Mage], I myself am able to.

[P-System]: Are you able to trace my mana signature?

[Aster K'lon]: I have not yet tried. I may attempt to once I finish this point.

[P-System]: Continue.

P-System Log

Man, it's tough maintaining that facade, but it's better than the alternative, at the very least.

Also, I got W Inertia from that fight, but I can distribute it later. I think what Aster's saying right now carries a good deal more importance than Jerome's fiftieth powerup of the day does.

Private Messages [Aster]

[Aster K'lon]: Jerome is godsent. Unless my colleagues have been hiding information from me, he is the first in decades. He must be examined and questioned. He will not be harmed, but we must learn why the gods have begun activity again.

[P-System]: He has the same mana signature of the gods of old?

[Aster K'lon]: Exactly the same as the g̵o̷d̷s̶, yes.

[Aster K'lon]: ...

[Aster K'lon]: You have it too.