Chapter 5

Mana Rainbow

Alright now that all the maintenance is done, I need to keep leveling up until I can finally evolve and upgrade from a virus. I do not even know what I can evolve into. Will it be something big or small. Ferocious or hidden like my current virus form. There are just so many possibilities. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. I want to open my present now, but I have to wait. At least this form allows me to wait while hibernating. Before I hibernate I need to update my custom command list. I had everything stop once I mutated into a Chimera Virus. Custom Virus Command List.

Please Insert Your Parameters to check their validity.

Parameter 1: When in Hibernation it will be interrupted for the following conditions:

Threat to primary virus intelligence or the need to transfer to a new host. Traits reaching evolving statuses. The reaching of a new level. New species of Hosts being infected or new traits being learned. When all requirements are met for primary virus intelligence to evolve into a new species.

Parameter 2: For every fifteen hosts of a species that are infected a single random host of that species with more than 20 million viruses will initiate attack mode. During every attack mode or war defense the benign mutation will be attempted if not already present for that species.

Parameter 3: All Custom Virus Commands in this list will cease upon the host reaching level 20 or evolving into a new species.

Checking Parameters. Parameters fall within acceptable limits. Custom commands will now be implemented.

Ok time for the long sleep. Virus Hibernate. Custom. 25 generations.

I did not even make it through my first hibernation session before I was bombarded with a slew of message updates.

You have infected Quercus magicii.

You have infected Pollinamus bladicus.

You have infected Veriforma insectica.

You have infected Heptoma alfonsis.

What the heck is going on? Oh right, I have evolved into a Chimera Virus which can infect anything. I must be infecting everything around all my hosts. Plants, animals, insects, fungi, everything is now my prey. I will never be able to hibernate away the time until evolution if I keep getting interrupted like this. I am going to need to edit my custom commands. Edit Custom Virus Command List Parameter 1.

Please Insert Your Parameters to check their validity.

Parameter 1: When in Hibernation it will be interrupted for the following conditions:

Threat to primary virus intelligence or the need to transfer to a new host. Traits reaching evolving statuses. The reaching of a new level. After 50 new species of Hosts being infected or new traits being learned. When all requirements are met for primary virus intelligence to evolve into a new species.

Checking Parameters. Parameters fall within acceptable limits. Custom commands will now be implemented.

Alright time to try this again. Virus Hibernate. Custom. 25 generations.

Once again I am woken up after what feels like no time at all.

Trait Learned Photosynthesis.

Trait Learned Chemical Warfare.

Trait Learned Boost.

Trait Learned Mana Manipulation.

Trait Learned Poisonous.

Trait Learned Iron Defense.

Trait Learned Direction Sense.

Warning you have reached the maximum level of traits allowed for your class Evolver. Due to your Unique Class all future traits learned will be banked. Traits can be switched out only after reaching maximum level.

Alright this time it was my mistake. I forgot that new species would eventually mean new traits learned. I did not know there was a maximum number of allowed traits either. Luckily the ones I got all seem useful at the moment. It is nice that I will keep earning traits and I can eventually switch to them once I reach maximum level in the active traits. That means I can “customize” my build if needed in the future. Since I have learned the maximum number of allowable active traits I guess I can modify my custom commands once again. Edit Custom Virus Command List Parameter 1.

Please Insert Your Parameters to check their validity.

Parameter 1: When in Hibernation it will be interrupted for the following conditions:

Threat to primary virus intelligence or the need to transfer to a new host. Traits reaching evolving statuses. The reaching of a new level. After 50 new species of Hosts being infected. When all requirements are met for primary virus intelligence to evolve into a new species.

Checking Parameters. Parameters fall within acceptable limits. Custom commands will now be implemented.

Everything should be in place for me to just hibernate until I level up and/or evolve. Let’s try this one more time. Virus Hibernate. Custom. 25 generations.

Ah there it is. Somehow I know that I managed a full 25 generations this time without being interrupted. Time to continue until I improve. Virus Hibernate. Custom. 25 generations.

After three more hibernation cycles I got a message that I had successfully infected 50 different species. Awesome, I am spreading like a virus. Huh, no laughter, I guess my sense of humor has not changed even if my body has. Continue on hibernation mode. It took 4 more after that to reach level 8. My leveling has definitely slowed down. I thought it might speed up getting new species but I guess losing the boost from omnivore really lowered my experience gain. I need to evolve into something with a mouth soon to get that bonus back. I might as well check on my progress and see how the new traits are doing. First though let’s see if this will work or the whole thing will be cluttered with new species. Edit Status display.

Input desired change.

Same display as previous but only show the top three infected species.

Parameters accepted and changed.

I seem to be finally getting the hang of this thing. Status.

Name: Mark Stefanopolis Race: Virus (Chimera) Veriforma insectica - 212 hosts

Level: 8 Lepidoptic hornicaa – 154 hosts

Caanis sangre – 47 hosts (Benign)

Infect: 50% Hibernation: 10% Absorb: 40%

Traits:

1. Mimicry Level 10 – MAX

2. Hidden Level 20 – MAX

3. Greater Resist All Level 5 – 16%

4. Adaptable Level 10 – MAX

5. Greater Multi-Infection Level 4 – 9%

6. Devour Level 0 – 1%

7. All is One Level 2 – 24%

8. Basic Tactics Level 4 – 23%

9. Photosynthesis Level 3 – 81%

10. Chemical Warfare Level 2 – 35%

11. Boost Level 0 – 1%

12. Mana Manipulation Level 0 – 1%

13. Poisonous Level 2 – 14%

14. Iron Defense Level 2 – 77%

15. Direction Sense Level 0 – 1%

Well I would have thought that one of the plant species I was infecting would be at the top, but I guess this makes sense. If I remember right they are more resistant to diseases than animals. I think the top spot is an insect which makes sense as they live in colonies and there are a lot of them. The other two have been infected for a while so they might stay ahead for a bit until the new species have a chance to catch up. I still do not have benign in anything except the species I am in. I am starting to think that some mutations require the me the primary virus to be in that type of organism. With as many of the others that are infected I should have hit that mutation by now. It is not worth switching hosts though since everything else is going so good.

All those level 0 traits seem to be ones that I would actively need to use to be able to level them up. Direction sense is kind of useless right now as I don’t have a means of movement other than infection and floating in the bloodstream. However, I am not sure on what exactly Boost is. Mana Manipulation should have to do with magic, and I probably should experiment with it. Let’s check them to see if that gives me more information. Observe Boost and Mana Manipulation.

Boost: Allows the user to increase all attributes by 50% for 30 seconds X level of trait.

Mana Manipulation: Allows the user to sense and manipulate the mana at a basic level. Control increases as level increases.

Pretty much as I thought. Boost is not very useful in my current form, but should be a good finishing skill/trait as I progress. Mana manipulation is probably the basis of all magic in this world. I probably should try it out and see if I can sense and actually direct mana in my virus form. I think I will save the 5 trait level bonuses from this level and all the next ones until I can use enough to evolve a trait or until I evolve myself. Let’s try out that Mana Manipulation trait though.

Hmm, I have never actually tried to use one of my traits actively. How do I go about this? In stories it always involves meditation. Can I even meditate as a Virus? I mean I guess I do have a mind since I am thinking and discussing things with myself. Alright calm, go to your happy place, now eliminate all distractions and try and sense your surroundings. I was working on this for who knows how long when suddenly I could “feel various particles of a variety of colors surrounding me, penetrating me and everything around me. Are these mana particles? Let’s watch and make a list of the colors first.

Yellow, red, black, white, brown, green, blue, orange, purple and pink. Ok, from everything I know about magic culture in stories the red should be fire, the blue should be water, the brown should be earth. I can guess at yellow, black, white and green, but I have never read anything in any story about purple, orange and pink. I know, Observe yellow, red, black, white, brown, green, blue, orange, and pink particles please.

Yellow: Lightning Mana

Red: Fire Mana

Black: Darkness Mana

White: Light Mana

Brown: Earth Mana

Green: Nature Mana

Blue: Water Mana

Orange: Air Mana

Purple: Destruction Mana

Pink: Creation Mana

Most of that makes sense, but why do I get the feeling that whoever created this system of magic started to run out of color choices at the end. Oh well, as long as it works I guess I can’t complain. I need to see if I can affect these particles. I concentrate on the closest particle to me which happens to be black and try and draw it closer to me. It seems to be working, focus Mark. As soon as it reaches me I stop concentrating and it flies off into the distance. Well shoot, I moved it but how do I get it to stay. I mean I figure I have to store these particles inside me if I want access to them to power a spell. Wait that’s it, inside me.

I start my meditation exercise over again and focus on diving inside myself instead of outside. After a while I sense a deep but empty space inside of me. Alright there is something that can hold those particles. I probably just need to bring them inside my body to store them and then use them. There is only one way to find out. Without losing my concentration I focus on what is outside of me again. I was again see a rainbow of particles floating and moving all around me.

There that one is closest. I carefully coax it towards me, here little purple particle, come to Mark. As it gets closer I get more and more excited and start to lose control, reign it back in Mark, don’t screw up now. I get myself under control and bring the purple particle right next to my being and then I try and shove it inside of me towards the space I discovered earlier. I suddenly have a very satisfied feeling, kind of like after eating a large meal and see a blue message pop up.

You have gained an affinity. Destruction magic tiers are now unlocked. Continue gathering destruction mana to get stronger.

That seems simple enough, but before I get more destruction mana I am going to get all the other ones if possible. I do not know the rules, but having access to every type of magic is never a bad thing in any story I have ever read. I start the whole process over again and make sure the new particle is of a different color. Come over here little yellow mana, don’t be afraid, Mark will take good care of you. Soon enough it is close enough that I can force it into the mana space inside of me.

You have gained an affinity. Lightning magic tiers are now unlocked. Continue gathering lightning mana to get stronger.

Excellent, I can have more than one affinity. Two down and eight more to go. After some time, I have managed to gain all ten affinities. I had a very difficult struggle with the opposites of whatever I already had though. It took me four times as long to get a Creation particle close enough for me to force it inside my mana space. I think that I will probably be one of the few beings on this planet that has diametrically opposed mana elements. I am sure there will be a few other prodigies or those blessed by fate or the gods, but the sheer pain of catching a particle of an opposite type and making it get close enough so I can capture it in my space was exhausting. They are so slippery when they do not want to be caught, you really have to focus and concentrate and make sure your entire will encompasses them or one little distraction and poof off they go.

My little mana space now has a colorful wheel of spinning particles with everything having its opposite. Fire is opposite of water, destruction is opposite of creation, earth’s opposite is air, and of course light’s opposite is darkness. Strangely enough lightning seems to be the opposite of nature. I can’t really figure that one out. I mean all the other ones make sense according to games I have played and past knowledge from earth, but that pairing is just weird. I finally decide that it must have to do with lightning always destroying nature and starting fires.