I barely started my usual sword practice sequences when it happens.

Mana manipulation baby.

The unpleasantness of leveling is back, perhaps the tiniest bit easier to bear than last time? I guess practicing with focusing mana got me a bit used to this awful feeling of the agitated mana inside of me.

Congratulations, you’ve leveled up!

The System is now more in tune with your mind and body.

Evaluating changes…

It’s nothing like this wall of sensation though. This happens both more intensely and everywhere at once.

It scratches and it itches and it’s like the tiniest feelers ever are probing from inside of me, like my body is suddenly a prison for countless angry ants.

You are granted one point in each stat.

Your Trait-Bound attribute cap has been increased from a maximum of 199 to a maximum of 209.

You now have access to the System Skill Examine.

You now have access to the System Ability Message.

Achievements have been unlocked.

And it’s gone.

I swear it’s like the system wants me to hate leveling up.

Although if I had the ability of going through some discomfort for a minute and get +1 to all stats, I would not hesitate to abuse it.

10 points of attribute cap increase is pretty terrible, we got more than twice as much last time!

Yes, a bad roll. Pheyis told us that as far as she knows, that growth is random but influenced by notable deeds. Poor improvement was to be expected since all the exp of this level came from trait training.

And after that, new stuff. I bring forward the descriptions for examine and for message and the system does not fail to disappoint.

Examine (System skill, rank 1)

Examine allows you to spend time and mana to get some extra information on something [Affected by Unknown Context]. This skill has as wide a range of application as you can think of, from identifying the components of an item to spotting environmental clues that would help you track someone for instance.

Examine success chance is correlated with your personal knowledge relating to what you are trying to figure out.

Current Mana expenditure limit : 35

Current mana expenditure rate : 5 per minute

Message (System Ability)

This ability allows you to send a one way message of up to 30 seconds to a known system entity with the message ability. Those are automatically memorized by your system when they come within arms reach.

A rough distance estimation is provided when you attempt to send a message, based on the last place where you saw the intended recipient. [Affected by Unknown Context]

A message that is not fueled upon creation with enough mana to reach its target will be lost. Any excess mana is dispersed upon arrival.

Mana Cost : 20 (message creation) 1 mana per 100m (message travel)

Well, I kind of cheated, I knew I’d unlock those things. It’s common knowledge that examine is almost never useful before hitting rank 5, and that message is occasionally a life savior but brutally expensive for mundane use. The fact that Unknown Context affects those ticks me off, but there is no helping it, is there?

Twice damned Knowledgeable.

With the unlock of achievements, I have all the features of the system. These are much easier to get than titles.

Achievements: these System-granted awards will give you small rewards for certain deeds, often helping you to repeat or surpass the feat that they are awarded for.

Titles: these are granted by the System after noticeable, often unique deeds.

They are often matched with a unique trait, and they mesh with your aura, affecting the way others perceive you.

Pheyis showed me one of her titles, “fleet-footed scout of the ever-war” it’s not a unique title, and only has the “mild” effect of making her always spot her target first while on scouting missions, if there is a target.

She told me about how she once met the Ever-Moving Ruin of Oltoney too, an outstanding warrior known for having brought the fortified city of Oltoney to its knees alone. The sheer presence granted by that title was enough to cow most soldiers into silence. Not a word on the actual effects, but gilfeith legends are full of titled heroes that become all but invincible in specific circumstances.

With a title like that, momentum must be important.

- - -

I finished my practice, one hour with the sword, one with the whip, then I went around the village to see the handful of people I actually kind of bonded with in my short stay here.

Aetmon and his easygoing antics; slacking as usual. A gentle punch to the shoulder and an invitation to come back when I’m too strong to be chased away.

Zaimeia, just the opposite, ever so efficiently doing her best for the community. A pretty smile and heartfelt farewells.

Guemeros, his good heart and his smoke and mirrors of aloofness. Once more some apologies for how his people are treating me and Alix, and a wish of good luck.

Datari, the patient healer who taught me the basics of both magic and siacnar. Sage advice: unless I can get away with it, don’t make a nuisance of myself.

Skarix, I’ll be counting on the work of this man to defend my life. Come back if I figure steel out or need a new fancy weapon.

I even stumble upon Guervac, the chatty woodsman who spends most of his time traipsing in the mountain. Uncharacteristically serious, he barely meets my eye, quickly nods and wishes me the best before whispering ‘sorry’ and moving away.

Pheyis, the woman who saved me from my own incompetence, who pulled me away from the wilds where my life expectancy was dropping by the minute, and then took the time to push me on the road of self improvement. She gave me her favorite smile. That smile Bob fell in love with, the one with a touch of sadism and just the slightest drop of pure evil. Good job on doing it again Marc, now do it one more time.

All is said.

A handful of kind people in a village of over a hundred souls.

I’ll miss Wathamber.

I get the feeling we’ll struggle to find such a peaceful place again.

And it will be Alix’s fault for sure.

Obviously.

We leave tomorrow, during dawn quarter.

Until then, the night is young, and the stars are glorious.

--------

[???]

In a faraway place, there is a special kind of darkness.

In that darkness, a very unique shade of power exists, it is a burning bonfire of black bleeding bones and broken bonds. A thing of never ending hunger that has been sated but not tamed.

And there, in an expanse where there is no space, for a soul that isn’t a soul, an entity that is neither conscious nor unconscious delivers a message.

Regular Report #2 on subject Mem.3-MR000072161557

flagged for validation.

Most relevant fields below

System integration is within normal parameters.

Subject mental distress is back to normal ranges.

Subject has met subject Mem.3-AL000222917130 within the S.T.U.D.Y..

Subject chance of surviving a full year estimated above insignificance treshold.

Subject does not believe he is in a simulation. Convergence inevitable.

Subject is developing Trait “Vindicator” directed at the Knowledgeable. Likeliness of relevance is below 0,01%. Convergence inevitable.

The Knowledgeable ponders over the report for a moment.

If somehow, someone was there next to them, perhaps, for a flickering moment, that someone would notice what could pass for the Knowledgeable’s version of a smile.

But there is no one there.

In a split second, the fraction of an instant, just a few picoseconds, the answering order is sent.

Proceed normally.