Chapter 77

Changing The Game

I might as well place my new points while I rested. Once again I was levels ahead of my companions, but I felt that with new adventures coming up in the higher dimension that might soon fix itself. Let’s see average out some of the points and there. Status.

Name: Mark Anderson

Race: Primal Elemental Dragon King (Cosmic Entity)

Level: 4,360 - 71%

Unspent Attribute Points: 2

Str: 8,210

HP: 82,100 (X6) 492,600

Int: 8,270 +1000% MP

MP: 1,819,400 (X6) 10,916,400

Wis: 8,270

+1000% MP/Regen

HP/Regen: 4,000% per 15 min.

Agi: 8,210

MP/Regen: 4,000% per 15 min.

Con: 8,210

+1000% HP/Regen

Luck: 8,210

Affinities: Earth - 300%

Water – 300%

Primal – 300%

Fire – 300%

Air – 300%

Resistances: Earth - 300%

Water - 300%

Primal – 300%

Fire – 300%

Air – 300%

Well I hope those ridiculous numbers are useful in the future. It is time to figure out this Great Game and see if there is something I can do to fix it or make it better.

“I would like to know the history of the Great Game now please.”

The Progenitors were a race entirely dedicated to personal and racial improvement. 37.42 million years ago the Progenitors had reached the pinnacle of what they could achieve and do in this dimension. Having discovered that there were other dimensions and multiple universes many years before that they decided to find a way to access these new dimensions and continue to improve themselves and their race. Their search for a means to ascend took another 12 million years to bear fruit.

Several probes were sent across the dimensional barrier to validate that the new dimensions would support them as they currently existed. The probes reported conditions acceptable to life, but also recorded an unknown energy signature. The Progenitors were excited. They envisioned that this energy would be what could be used to improve themselves once again. They dubbed this energy source mana.

Finally, it was time for the first of the explorers to enter the new dimension. This is where the Progenitors made their first mistake. Probes were not alive and thus reacted differently to the new energy source of mana than living things. Being arrogant instead of testing on living creatures they sent one of their own across. His death was broadcast live to the entire race who thought they would be watching the triumphant first steps of a brave explorer.

This caused a deep psychological scar within the race of the progenitors. Instead of teaching them humility it caused them to desire to master this deadly energy for themselves before it could wipe out their race. They completely ignored the fact that they would be safe as long as they stayed in their own dimension.

Testing resumed with animals and plants from this dimension. It was eventually discovered that prolonged exposure at small doses to the new energy mana allowed living organisms to assimilate and even use the energy in ways that were not expected to the researchers. These original tests are where many of the monster species and mutated animals that you know of first came from. Seeing success in their experiments allowed the Progenitors enough confidence to establish an exploratory team. They were sent across the dimensional barrier in pods that isolated them from the new energy mana and then slowly exposed over the course of several months.

This procedure worked. Not only was the exploratory team still alive some had mutated in various ways or had gained new internal powers such as the ability to manipulate elements. Being more cautious, but still determined to improve the race small teams were sent over to establish outposts in the new dimension and to explore it over the next thousand years. More and more of the progenitor race clamored to their leaders to be allowed to experience this new dimension. It was during this time that the second significant death due to mana was recorded.

However, this death was not because of too much mana but rather the lack of mana. One of the original explorers was brought back to discuss in person his experience. He slowly became sick and died in his original dimension. By the time the scientists of the Progenitor race figured out that it was due to his body being starved of the new energy mana it was too late to fix. Thus it was discovered that those that ascended to the new dimension could not return.

During exploration of the new dimension the Progenitors had discovered many new races and organisms. Some of which they got along with and many of which did not welcome their presence. When it was finally decided to switch over the entire race to the new dimension it was these new enemies that caused the Great Game to be developed. The Progenitors decided to send their race across in batches of 10%. This would allow for easier expansion and also keep a safe population in case of some disaster. Having extended their lifespan into the tens of thousands of years it was decided to send one set of people every hundred years for a thousand years until all had migrated.

It was during the third set of transfers that their enemies struck. When the mass transfer occurred the Progenitors enemies not wanting them to keep getting stronger forced a permanent connection to our dimension. Their plan was to poison the remaining Progenitors with mana sickness and thus destroying the majority of the race. If they could not bring over greater numbers than the Progenitors that had already crossed would be doomed to a second class status in the new dimension.

Luckily the Progenitors stopped the ritual that created the permanent connection before it could fully establish, thus saving this dimension from perishing instantly. However, they could not stop it completely. The death would be slower but mana poisoning was going to happen unless they could do something. Using advanced technology they isolated the affected areas and were able to contain the mana to a specific region. This was thought to be enough to solve the problem. They were wrong.

They continued their program of transfer and after 2 more cycles they discovered a problem with the containment area. It had become saturated to a point that their technology could no longer hold in the mana. They then realized that the mana would escape eventually and poison their home dimension. While they were transferring their entire race to the new dimension they did not want to be responsible the eventual death of their home dimension.

With half of their population already transferred they could only put a stop gap measure in place. They created a vast artificial intelligence that would expand the area of mana “infection” at a non-lethal rate. Because their dimension was littered with life that had not achieved sentience yet but had the potential, the program was to shuffle these proto-sentients around until they were ready to deal with such a great change. When the artificial intelligence deemed them ready to adapt to the new circumstances they would be slowly exposed to increasing mana levels until they were able finally be integrated into the expanded mana zone.

To help the new peoples adapt, the concept of making it a game was employed. With advanced technology they could easily flash clone and “restart” most intelligences allowing for respawns and other game like elements. Feeling that they had done the best that they could the Progenitors then continued their migration to the new dimension while leaving a method for new sentient species to join them in the future. Every ten thousand years the Progenitors would send probes through to update the artificial intelligence on their discoveries and update the Great Game they had employed to manage the conversion of their dimension into a mana dimension.

This continued on for over 2 million years. Without warning the updates stopped and all contact was lost with the Progenitor race. After another 5 million years, emergency protocols were instituted by the artificial intelligence. This cause some changes in the Great Game. Integration was sped up in hopes of developing this dimensions races to a point where they would progress to a point where they could re-establish contact with the Progenitors. Due to the possibility that a hostile threat had occurred that prevented the Progenitors from contacting the artificial intelligence, emergency protocols instituted several strengthening games and devices to inflate the capability of this dimension’s people.

It was determined that due to possible hostility that before any being was allowed to cross they needed to reach a certain level of combat ability. Once a being has reached a certain level of capability they are deemed advanced enough to modify certain parameters of the Great Game under emergency protocols until contact with the Progenitors is re-established. Some modification in the past made by other beings from this dimension are the ability to bring other planet and populations through with them to the new dimension. The total number was determined based upon their strength as measured by the Great Game. Very little else has been changed in the Great Game procedures.

Great Game if I ask questions will you answer them?

To the best of my ability. Your access is high enough that I can talk to you directly now.

Great. How much of our dimension has been converted currently?

Currently 31% of this dimension has been converted to accept mana.

What is the approximate time needed to finish the conversion of this dimension?

With the current rate of expansion it is estimated that another 162.34 million years will suffice to convert this dimension.

Is there a way to speed this process up without negatively impacting indigenous species?

There is no current way to speed up the conversion. It is hypothesized that after 50% of the dimension is converted there may be enough mana energy to speed up the conversion, but that is just a projection at this point in time.

Is there anything that I can do to improve the survivability rate of future integrated intelligences to prevent such a significant die off as such that occurred on Earth?

I can hypothesize several methods. I cannot implement them with current parameters.

Can you please list the top three methods that could improve survivability of newly integrated people.

1. Longer exposure to mana before conversion. This would result in less mana shock and more acceptance. However, this would extend the conversion time of the dimension by 51.76 million years.

2. Multiple “lives” granted to participants in the tutorial. This would increase survivability, but would negatively affect integration into the Great Game as a whole as many undesirables that are normally weeded out would now survive.

3. Advanced notification of the event. Dependent on the civilization this could lead to an increase of up to 50% survivability. However, it is estimated that many civilization may react negatively to the news and cause more damage to themselves if given more time to prepare.

For my first change I authorize you to implement option 1. Even if the eventual conversion of this dimension will take longer it would be better to have a greater survivability of indigenous people on a planet being introduced to the Great Game.

Next, is there a reason for the level 5,000 limit for this dimension?

Yes, the concentration of mana will not allow large numbers of high level users as they concentrate and use more of the available mana. The level limits increase as the conversion of dimension continues. Individuals or anomalies such as yourself while using more mana are sustainable due to small numbers.

Can I use one of my changes to increase the level and stats of myself and my companions?

This would be acceptable as you will be transferred to the new dimension within the year if not immediately following these questions. No disruption to the overall mana concentration will happen during that time.

Before I do that what is the estimated levels and abilities of creatures and other beings in the higher dimension.

From data sent back by the Progenitors over the years it seems as if the higher dimension does not quantify your progress as levels, but progresses more like the cultivation novels from your Earth. However, I do know that the beginning monsters and lower leveled animals would be the equivalent of levels 1,000 to 2,000.

If you had to separate the levels of creatures in the new dimensions into five tiers could you give a reasonable estimate of what that would be level wise for what I know?

My best estimate would be as follows.

Tier 1 = 1,000 -1,500

Tier 2 = 1,500 -3,000

Tier 3 = 3,000 – 6,000

Tier 4 = 6,000 – 12,000

Tier 5 = 12,000 and above

So my strength is equivalent to a higher tier 2 or lower tier 3. I am at the pinnacle of this dimension and could barely be considered a lower level mid-range person in the dimension I was going to enter. I mean it was a better start than what I had here, but I did not realize that it would have such a huge difference. How am I going to keep myself and others safe? In fact, how did the Progenitors keep themselves safe?

Great Game why were the native inhabitants of the higher dimension so worried about the Progenitors if they were such a low level compared to their powerhouses?

Crossing dimensions apparently strengthens the foundation of energy absorption in the new dimension in some way. While the Progenitor race may have transferred themselves and started out weak they soon started showing signs of being able to obtain the peak of power in large numbers. Out of 1 billion individuals the chances of a single person reaching tier 5 or higher are still less than 1%. However, the strengthened foundations of the Progenitors allowed them to easily break through tiers in large numbers. According to the information sent back large groups or sects maintain power in the next dimension and most are only led by high tier 3’s or a single powerful tier 4 individual. The Progenitors were close to becoming tier 3 as a group with the possibility of a high number of them reaching tier 4 and tier 5. This would vastly upset the power structure that currently resides in the next dimension. I hypothesize that some of the larger powerhouses banded together to wipe out or enslave the Progenitor race which is why I have not heard from them in millions of years.

So it was not that the Progenitors were necessarily strong, but that they represented a potential future problem.

How strong could I make all of the residents of Earth and the planets I am going to take with me before transferring to the next dimension.

With six months preparation I can concentrate enough incoming mana from the higher dimension to elevate the entire citizenry of ten planets to an average level of 400 to 500. Some would be higher based on their current levels and some would be lower, but no citizen would transfer with less than 350 levels. I would have to take away two more of your Great Game change privileges in order to do this.

Let’s see level up myself and my companions, 1 change. The change from earlier plus these two new ones would put me at 4 out of my 5 changes being used. Since I literally cannot stop the Great Game or make any large changes without putting the entire dimension in danger that is not bad. I do not want to leave one change unused though. What could I do with it? I got it!

Great Game, is it possible for you to design and implement a system that would travel with me to the new dimension and assist me in learning, remembering, identifying, and progressing faster in the new dimension. Ooh, there is a big pause right now. I wonder if that is good or bad?

Using technology and programming knowledge from the Progenitors I could fuse a limited A.I. into your very genetic code so it would be able to travel with you. I cannot guarantee how helpful it would be, but I believe it would accomplish what you are asking for. It should be able to evolve with you as you progress in the next dimension.

Sweet I am going to have an A.I. companion that can help me become as overpowered in the new dimension as here if everything goes right.

I want to use my last four changes to implement what we have discussed.

Very well your companions and yourself will be transferred into the new dimension as soon as your requested upgrades are complete. Your planets will follow at the six month period after I have upgraded their status. The next you awake you will be in a new dimension. Thank you for playing the Great Game. Goodbye Mark Anderson.

My consciousness started to fade out. It was time to move on to bigger and better things. No one can know what the future holds, but I think I have lived a life that was both fulfilling and rewarding while helping out others. I hope I can continue my adventures soon.

THE END FOR NOW.