Dix was so busy grabbing his bowl of stew and scooting back on the bed so he could set his back to the wall, that he didn’t notice that the dwarf no longer had an accent. The only thing he could think was STATUS! The wall of text appearing before his eyes he got in reply wasn’t exactly what he was after, but the first few lines cleared his confusion. Digging into the first meal he had eaten since his untimely death, he started reading through the update on his exploits.

M.E.E.S. initialized.

Status of operator: Tutorial, Recap

Error: Current Status Screen unavailable until User has dealt with Tutorial notifications. Beginning display of missed Tutorial notifications.

Status of M.E.E.S.: Hidden

Scanning…

Title Gained: Touched by Death

Name designated: Dix

Query: Would you like to display battle reports at this time?

Dix was pretty sure that the battle reports would simply show damage done and things of the like. He might very well want to go through them later as a way of reviewing his various combat experiences during what was apparently the actual tutorial, but for the moment he just wanted to see what all he had gained through his escapades. “No.”

Query: Would you like to display notifications of enemies slain if there is no experience gained from their death?

Once more Dix simply murmured, “No.” A moment later he realized that he might actually want to see that at some point in time, and he had no idea how to make the changes. He contemplated over trying to figure it out on his own, before remembering that he was actually on Mantra now. He could finally ask a person who actually had the system how the thing worked. The gods had tried, but weren’t as useful as he had hoped they would be. Further thoughts were interrupted by the continuing messages.

New skill gained: Glaives!

New skill gained: Karambit!

New skill gained: Stiletto!

New skill gained: …

There were a LOT of weapon skills gained for a while. He had honestly forgotten how many different weapons he had used under Roanoak’s insistence, but seeing it all laid out now he was starting to understand how he had spent six weeks in the tutorial. He also assumed that the basic things like running and sprinting had been in there, but his mind had started to wander a bit after the first dozen. The messages of new skills eventually had some changes to them.

New skill gained: Polearms!

Skills changed to sub skill: Glaive, Staff, Spear, Halberd, Poleaxe…

New skill gained: Knives!

New skill gained: Swords!

New skill gained: Axes!

New skill gained: Maces!

Each new skill came with a pretty huge list of skills transferred to sub skills attached. Honestly he was, originally, quite curious how many sub skills he had acquired, but he had tuned it all out very quickly after around thirty different weapons. He only noticed the change to the general weapon skills because of the massive listing of changed skills breaking up the monotony. Eventually he found all five of the general weapon skills, and the messages after changed enough that the next new skill that wasn’t a weapon was quite easy to spot.

New skill gained: Stealth!

Apparently his attempts at sneaking up on that first goblin had worked after all. Or at least got him the skill for it. The next two skills he got brought a bit of a wince from him as he thought over his own stupidity, but the following few were rather confusing, as he couldn’t stop the listing to see exactly what the new skills did. He had a pretty good idea, seeing as how he remembered the drastic changes to his fighting style, but there were still some questions.

New skill gained: Meditation!

New skill gained: Pain Resistance!

New skill gained: Battle Sense!

New skill gained: Quick Swap!

New skill gained: Combat Form: Flow!

What the hell? Battle Sense must be how I kept track of everything during fights, and Quick Swap is obvious, but what the hell is Combat Form: Flow? Dix wracked his brain, but the only thing could figure out was that it was a skill that helped him keep moving during fights. In a way it made sense, as flowing water kept moving, and just went around, over, or under any obstacles. Quite a bit like he had in those last two sections of the first test. Shrugging at trying to figure it out without looking at the skill description, he made a note to do that very thing, then got back to his notifications.

The next section of alerts was all about bows, and the active skills he had puzzled out while working with them. He skimmed past all of the passive skills, looking instead for the actives that he had managed to create. The active skills were an actual achievement to have made for a man from a world without the ability to do anything like he could do here. He was amused at the progress he had made through this section for a time, and then amazed as things changed.

New skill gained: Aimed Shot!

New skill gained: Rapid Fire!

New skill gained: Exploding Shot!

New skill gained: Split Shot!

New skill gained: Endless Quiver!

After that little burst things got a little ridiculous. He added well over twenty active skills in short order, not to mention the slew of bow and crossbow passives. There were the basic things like Multi shot, and Power shot, but also some of the crazier things he had thought up like his personal favorite, Chained Lightning Shot. Unlike a chain lightning spell might work, after the initial shot impacted the arrow itself turned into lightning, and then proceeded to stream from target to target, piercing and burning everything in its path. Really his only disappointment in the things he had learned playing with crossbows was that he didn’t really use any of them during the second test. Obviously none of them had actually been needed, but they were rather entertaining to use.

After that was the garbage weapons of slings and whips, which he quickly skipped past. Even now he wanted nothing to do with them. Hurrying to the next section of notifications, he started smiling as he worked down the massive list of all the different sharp or pointy objects he could throw at people now. Once more he had added on almost all of the same actives he had gotten for his bows and crossbows, but these were all listed as Throw instead of Shot. Eventually he tracked down the part he was actually looking for, the moment he started working on his movement skill.

New skill gained: Swimming!

New skill gained: Conditioning!

Skills changed to sub skill: Running, Sprinting, Jumping, and Swimming.

New skill gained: Flexibility!

New skill gained: Tumbling!

New skill gained: Acrobatics!

New skill gained: Wall Climb!

New skill gained: Wall Jump!

New skill gained: Wall Run!

New skill gained: Traverse!

Skills changed to sub skill: Tumbling, Acrobatics, Wall Climb, Wall Run, Wall Jump.

New skill gained: Devouring Stride!

Skills changed to sub skill: Combat Form: Flow, Battle Sense, Traverse, Conditioning, Quick Swap, Flexibility.

Dix stopped reading, stuned. He had known that his movement skill was taking a number of his passives into itself, but this was ridiculous. Some of the skills it had taken to create the skill in the first place seemed to be either extremely powerful, or had the potential to be. He had no idea what sorts of skills other people on Mantra had, but the ones he had gained seemed extremely powerful to him. If one skill had absorbed so many powerful skills into itself, then how amazing would it be? Dix was quite excited to see how strong his Devouring Stride could become.

Looking into the next section he was actually quite surprised at what followed.

New skill gained: Dismount!

New skill gained: Parkour!

Skill changed to sub skill: Tumbling, Dismount!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Parkour!

New skill gained: Aerial Acrobatics!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Aerial Acrobatics!

New skill gained: Swinging!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Swinging!

New skill gained: Balancing!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Balancing!

There were a lot of other passive skills that showed up after that, only to be added into Devouring Stride. Dix would have been pissed to have his skills stolen, but they really weren’t. In truth it was more like a consolidation. Much like with his weapon general skills, Devouring Stride felt like it was actually more than the sum of its parts. He was looking forward to finally being able to see what all the skill had absorbed, and what its actual description was.

He was also curious to see what the notifications said about the second test, seeing as the first had no information, but it appeared the second was the same way. He had been hoping to see his score. Trying to remember what exactly he had done next only needed a quick look at the next notification to clarify. The memories it brought back weren’t exactly pleasant.

You have drank: Galaxy of Mana!

Galaxy of Mana is attempting to awaken your mana network.

Warning! You have ingested a potion that was not correctly tuned to your existence. Galaxy of Mana is flooding your mana network with more mana than it can hold. This will cause catastrophic damage to your mana network if it is not interrupted. Side effects of having your mana network destroyed include: headache, nausea, upset stomach, spontaneous manifestation of elemental mana, permanent loss of ability to work with mana, loss of mental faculties, and death. More than 99% of all people who encounter this issue experience: death.

Galaxy of Mana is attempting to impart knowledge of mana use and spells. Please hold still to assist. Failure to remain still may result in lobotomization or death.

That was a part that Dix was glad to have not known about at the time. Reviewing what all had happened during that whole mess, he couldn’t actually fathom how he had managed to live through it. The pain was the worst he had ever felt, until he had his race changed, and apparently moving would have killed him by exploding his brain or something. Shaking his head at the revelation that the whole endeavor had actually been far more dangerous than he had known, he went back to catching up.

Congratulations! Galaxy of Mana has successfully taught you spells!

Warning! Your soul containment is cracking! If your soul dissipates you will die.

Warning! Your soul has broken from its containment!

Warn-

Your soul has consumed mana! The results of this are unknown!

Your soul has consumed mana! The results of this are unknown!

Your soul has consumed mana! The results of this are unknown!

You cast Conjure Weapon!

New skill gained: Mana Resistance!

Congratulations! Galaxy of Mana has awakened your mana network!

Effect: Galaxy of Mana has ended.

New skill gained: Mana Manipulation!

Dix was assuming that was the end of that particular episode of his life, one he hoped never to repeat. Other than the pain of going through the whole mess, the only real complaint he had was that he didn’t get another title from it. He got one for dying, but not for actually surviving? I think this system is shorting me. What a bastard. He wasn’t really all that upset, as he had gotten a couple of very important and useful skills out of the ordeal, not that he wouldn’t have gotten Mana Manipulation shortly after.

New skill gained: Mana Sense!

New skill gained: Shields!

New skill gained: Improvised Weapons!

New skill gained: Bar Weapons!

New skill gained: Advanced Martial Weapons: Humanoid!

Skills changed to sub skill: Bar Weapons, Improvised Weapons, Shields, Swords, Polearms, Knives, Axes, Maces, Bows, Crossbows, Throwing Weapons.

After those skills, and all of the sub skills he had gathered getting them in the first place, were all of the active skills he had managed to make for melee weapons. Much like the ranged skills he had gathered, they were all the advanced forms of attacks, although these were called Strikes. Power, Precise, Quick, and a whole bunch of others. Some of them worked a fair bit differently than their ranged variants, but all were quite useful. Dix had gone after resistances and the mage weapons next, although he once more skimmed past all of the sub skills.

New skill gained: Fire Resistance!

New skill gained: Ice Resistance!

New skill gained: Earth Resistance!

New skill gained: Wind Resistance!

New skill gained: Water Resistance!

New skill gained: Force Resistance!

New skill gained: Lightning Resistance!

New skill gained: Advanced Magical Weapons and Tools!

New skill gained: Enhance Strike!

Skills changed to sub skill: Power Strike, Precise Strike, Quick Strike, Crushing Strike, Seeking Strike, Multi Strike, Knockback Strike, Ricochet Strike, Piercing Strike

New skill gained: Enhance Shot!

Skills changed to sub skill: …

New skill gained: Enhance Throw!

Skills changed to sub skill: …

New skill gained: Mana Sight!

New skill gained: Overload!

New skill gained: Dual Cast!

New skill gained: Mana Separation!

New skill gained: Empower!

Realizing where he was in the timeline of what he had been up to while stuck training he winced. The next section wasn’t his proudest moment. It should probably be a massive embarrassment for what he had done, but Dix was wincing at how quickly his brain had turned to finding the positive aspects of some rather unflattering actions to use in combat. The gymnastics gains were great, but the rest, he really didn’t want to think about it. He still read them all anyway.

New skill gained: Dancing!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Dancing!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Sneaking!

New skill gained: Hurdling!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Hurdling!

New skill gained: Sequential Jumping!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Sequential Jumping!

New skill gained: Vaulting!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Vaulting!

New skill gained: Pole Vaulting!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Pole Vaulting!

New skill gained: Parallel Bars!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Parallel Bars!

New skill gained: Uneven Bars!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Uneven Bars!

New skill gained: Breathing!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Breathing!

New skill gained: Yoga!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Yoga!

New skill gained: Pole Dancing!

Skill changed to sub skill of Devouring Stride: Pole Dancing!

New skill gained: Channelling!

Dix was surprised that the last skill he gained was channelling, but after thinking back, the only other skills he remembered gaining were the skills Lust taught him. Not that he remembered any of that. Getting able to bang a literal goddess was great, but what was the point if you couldn’t remember any of it? Dix was already making plans on how to resist whatever mental mumbo jumbo she had used to make him forget for the next time.

His high hopes for the next portion were dashed fairly quickly, but he was still eager enough. Soon, he would finish reading through all of this stuff, and then, hopefully, he would finally see what his stats were like.

Warning! You are beginning a ritual to change your race. This ritual cannot be reversed. To return to your original race you will have to undergo this ritual again. Costs and fees can be explained by the representative enacting the ritual, or by reception if you feel that you need to make further changes.

Warning! The ritual to change your race will begin soon. Ritual will last one minute, during which you will be unconscious.

Warning! Normal mode of the race change ritual has been cancelled. To enact your change to race: Runeborn, increased power will be necessary. Ritual will last one minute, you will be conscious, and there will be great pain.

Warning! Ritual beginning!

Your body has been disintegrated!

Your soul is under attack!

Your soul is under attack!

Your soul and body have bonded!

Your body has been reformed!

Your mana network has been reinitialized!

Warning! Your brain is being modified! Don’t worry, this is part of the process. We aren’t making permanent changes to your mind in order to control you, or search your past for treasures. That is illegal.

Warning! To modify your brain into a correctly functioning organ for your mind you must relive your entire life so as to correctly associate your memories. Enjoy your life, again!

Congratulations! You are now: Runeborn! Your age has been set to: 18!

Wait! What the fuck! Why am I a teenager again? I mean, technically an adult, but still. Ugh, this is going to cause problems, I just know it. Dix was steaming, but there really wasn’t much to be done about it. Particularly now that he was on Mantra, and no longer hanging out with the gods on the moon. And he was quite leery of using that formation again, or at all, after having seen the messages that it had tried to impart. Why the messages it sent sounded like it was doing exactly what it said it wasn’t was beyond him, but it didn’t leave him feeling very happy about the situation.

Warning! You are about to absorb a Statistical System! This choice cannot be undone.

Warning! You are about to absorb a Statistical System! There is no changing your mind afterwards.

Are you sure you wish to absorb the Statistical System: Cultivation Stats?

Choice timed out.

Warning! Cultivation Stats are now being absorbed and enacted. If you did not wish to use this Statistical System you missed your chance.

Cultivation Stats accepted.

Skill Implantation Started.

Category: All

Skills Implanted: Adaptation

Additional power accepted

Skill upgraded to Trait.

Trait modification complete.

Implantation successful.

Skill Implantation Started.

Category: Travel

Skills Implanted: Return

Implantation successful.

Skill Implantation Started.

Category: Sex

Skills Implanted: All

Implantation successful.

Title Gained: Pheremonal

Updating Statu…. Command Override.

Override code confirmed.

Command: Message.

Message confirmed.

Displaying Message.

Hey, Dix! Sorry to interrupt, but there’s a few things we need to talk about before this goes any further.