Short summary of the last chapter:

Spoiler : There was an update so Voice had to log off. Apparently Bit-Bee wanted to talk to him in real life. They talked for a while and he learned that his extra skill was because she thought he was cute. He also found out time runs five times faster in the pod. When he got home he got in his pod. He bought a small house for his white room. He joined EDI in a party, ordered weapons for both of them, and found a lab that increased his potions potency.

Voice had planned to make about 35 potions. He could do about that much since it was daytime, at least according to how many he had done last night. He assumed it was last night, since Susan didn’t seem perturbed about his absence.

He put all of his ingredients that he couldn’t use into the vats.

“So why don’t you just use this to do make all the potions for you?”

Susan replied with a sad smile. “Well, all of the potions that come out are at the base values. Besides, that wouldn’t be fun now would it?”

Voice had to agree. There was nothing like managing to make a better more powerful product. If he could use the same materials as everyone else and make the final product three times better, of course he’ll put the time into. Susan seemed to always be a logical one.

“Also I need to buy 200 glass bottles.”

Susan gave him an understanding smile as she handed him three glass bottles. Two had a stack of 99, and one had a stack of two. “I thought you were going to do something like this, so I got these ready. Of course I have more, but you shouldn’t buy more than you need.” The glass bottles were already filled with water, so he didn’t need to do that before he started.

I knew there was a reason I like Susan. It sure wasn’t her voice or looks! Voice silently laughed at his own joke.

He gave Susan the agreed upon amount, totaling to only forty copper. She was losing a little bit of money for each potion bottle, but since Voice sold her his potions anyway she easily made it up with the profits.

Susan led him to the alchemy table; it was mostly hidden by the giant vats. He took out his alchemy book, set it down, and started to get to work. The alchemy lab was giving him some sort of inspiration for his potions.

“Message EDI. “

He heard a reply a few seconds later, “Oh, hi. I’ve never sent any messages before sorry about that. What is it, are we leaving early?”

He was glad he had connected to her. “No I was just wondering if you could tell me like five minutes before we need to leave. I might get a little distracted.”

Voice didn’t know it, but EDI smiled. “Sure. I’ll message when it’s about time.”

“Thanks.” He said as he got to work.

He took out all of his materials. He quickly cut at the perfect places to get as much of the needed properties as possible from each of the ingredients. For the common weed he cut right below the white blossom; for the green healing herb he cut at the very edge of leaves. As he was cutting the ingredients up he put all of the waste into his inventory for later.

He quickly grabbed two common weed puffs, and a green healing herb leaf. In the same motion he threw the ingredients into the mortar and grabbed the pestle. As he started grinding he used his critical strike.

After waiting exactly thirty sic and half seconds he did another critical strike. He knew this because as he was keeping time in his head; he realized that he made exactly two strikes per second. His critical strike skill now only cost 40 stamina per use. After a fifty seconds, his green healing goop was completed. This was impressive since he used to take about twice that time.

He poured the mixture into a glass bottle filled with water. He swirled it around for a little less than ten seconds. When it was complete he marveled at the speed at which he could do this now. He had gone from two minutes per potion, to a little under minute.

Each potion took 60 seconds to make. Since he only regained 66 stamina in that time he could only do nine potions with two critical strikes. He would only be able to do one critical strike for the next two potions. He would be able to do another with two strikes, then one with one strike. It would continue like this alternating between two without one with, to one without one with, with a few exceptions, until he was out of ingredients.

This is going to go by a lot more quickly than I thought at first. Maybe I could use up most of the ingredients.

He realized his mind had been elsewhere for a while.

While he had been marveling at his own magnificence, and calculating the amounts of potions he could make, his body was already doing the potion making for him.

He received a notification but waved it away while he was getting his ingredients for his next potion. He decided to level up his Endurance so that his stamina regen would increase. If he could get that up to at least 1.4/sec then he would be able to do exactly two critical strikes per second.

He was able to let his mind wander, he noticed his stamina had been decreasing at the rate he thought it would. So his body was still using the critical strike skill. The hour and five minutes he had allotted himself were up. It was nearing 2 pm in the game. He had made a total of 65 potions. 31 of the potions were created using two critical strikes, 34 were made with only one.

Since his earlier idea of 100 health points was based on being able to do two critical strikes per potion, he had 30 potions that only healed 75 points. He had four potions that healed 80 points, and 30 that healed 102. He also had one potion that had somehow gained the power to heal 120 points.

He looked in his recipe book. Apparently several of his strikes didn’t hit their exact mark. Since the book recorded his best effort made he expected it to have updated. The recipe was exactly the same.

Stupid fucking book, it can’t even fix the recipes unless I’m actively working on it.

He read the earlier notification.

You have gained the skill Automated for automatically doing tasks without think about it.

“Identify skill: Automated.”

Automated

Current Level: Novice Level 1 Exp 0.00%

By doing tasks automatically you have gained the skill Automated.

Each level in this skill improves the quality of task done automatically. For every rank you increase your Automated skill you will be able to do more difficult tasks automatically

To level this skill you must do tasks automatically. This skill cannot be used to do things you have never done. At this time this skill cannot be used to do things you have done less than 100 times.

Current quality: Slight mistakes are committed often. Extreme mistakes are committed rarely.

Voice was beaming.

NEW SKILL!!!

After reading the skill he was less happy. Basically he could only use this skill if he had a basic mastery of whatever he was doing. Even then he would be forced to make mistakes.

At least I can think while gathering ingredients. Come to think of it why haven’t I ever collected multiple ingredients from anything? I’ve pulled up THOUSANDS of plants.

Alright, whatever it’s time to go get our weapons.

Just as he thought this he was contacted by EDI.

“Hello? Did I do it right? Uh... It’s almost time to leave.”

Voice responded, “Alright, I’ll be there in a minute. Thanks.”

He went to Susan, since he had a little over seventy potions now he decided to sell some to make some of his money back.

Of course he would keep the best eighteen, nine for him, and nine for EDI.

He went upstairs and met Susan. She was working on something that that looked like a rusted mound of iron. She was pouring some sort of liquid out of it. The oddest thing about it was the glass dome surrounding the iron.

Voice asked her what she was doing.

“Well, with the information you gave me, I took it upon myself to watch Evan de –oxidize some rusted objects. This potion absorbs oxygen from the surrounding area. Well actually it was thought to produce oxygen, it let people breathe under water. I did a few experiments, and it seems to be able to take oxygen out of an area. Did you know if you encase an area in a closed cage, you can take out all oxygen from the air, it still leave substances? I guess this is what you meant by the elements other than oxygen are in the air.”

“So why are you surrounding the iron ore with that case?”

“Well I when I found out I could use this potion to extract the oxygen, I decided to see if it could turn the rusted iron, into usable iron. You see it takes several hours to smelt the iron, but if you could just make this potion, it would only take a few minutes. The potion only costs about half a silver to make, so it’s pretty cost effective.”

“So are you planning on helping Evan out with this?”

“I am indeed, you are quite the clever one. I’ll be getting the materials to make this potion in bulk. After putting them through the vats, I’ll sell the resultant to Evan for the price cost of the materials and his continued help in my research.”

Well that’s a good idea I guess. It’ll make Evan be able to make me better gear for cheap, since he’ll have access to more materials.

“Well I’ve come to sell some potions.”

“Yes, yes. Put them over there in the chest. Take fifteen copper per potion.”

He did a quick calculation. He put the potions in the chest and took eight silver and sixty copper. He could have taken more, and would have since he guessed Susan wouldn’t notice. On the off chance that she did notice he was sure he would lose a lot of intimacy with her.

So he just took the eight silver, and sixty copper.

He met up with EDI at the fountain.

“Alright I bought our weapons already; they should be ready by this time.”

He led her to Evan. He smiled when he saw his blood brother walking with a girl he smiled.

Gotta make him look good in front of the little lady now.

As Voice approached Evan seemed to become slightly more presentable.

“Here you are Voice, the weapons you requested. And who might you be young miss?” As he asked this he hugged her by the shoulders. His hug was as tight as his grip.

“My name’s EDI.” EDI said with a slight blush. She was not used to people being so friendly with her.

“Well EDI, you seem to be Voice’s friend, and any friend of his is a friend of mine. Did he tell you how we met?”

Voice’s mouth went slightly agape. Evan had started talking to EDI and they were discussing HIM. While they were talking it felt like Voice shouldn’t interrupt so he identified the items he saw on the table beside the grinding wheel. He saw two Sai, and a staff.

“Identify Sai.”

SaiMaterial QualityLowWork QualityExpertDamage20-35Durability45/45This weapon was created in a pair. When wielded by with its counterpart effectiveness increases by 25%

This weapon was made by an expert craftsman. This weapon gains plus fifteen minimum damage and plus twenty five maximum damage. This weapon gains twenty durability.

“Identify Sai.”

SaiMaterial QualityLowWork QualityExpertDamage20-35Durability45/45This weapon was created in a pair. When wielded by with its counterpart effectiveness increases by 25%

This weapon was made by an expert craftsman. This weapon gains plus fifteen minimum damage and plus twenty five maximum damage. This weapon gains twenty durability.

“Identify Staff.”

StaffMaterial QualityLowWork QualityExpertDamage20-25/20-25Durability60/60This item can be wielded as a dual weapon. You may make extra attacks at the cost of mobility.

This weapon was made by an expert craftsman. This weapon gains plus fifteen minimum damage and plus fifteen maximum damage. This weapon gains twenty five durability.

Wow, looks like Evan is pretty good. Glad I didn’t try to become his apprentice. To learn that much skill I’d have no time for alchemy.

Evan noticed Voice staring at the weapons.

“Yup, it took me awhile since I wanted to put in a little extra oomph. I think it was worth it though.” Evan smiled, proud at his accomplishment.

“I’d say,” Voice said impressed. “You basically doubled the damage and durability of all three items.”

“Voice, are you sure you’ve never done blacksmithing before?” To be able to tell that information so easily was very impressive.

EDI interrupted, “Well we just received a new skill called Identify. Although all the information I could get from these is that they were made by a talented blacksmith.”

Voice didn’t realize EDI had gotten the Identify skill. No doubt the update added it. That meant that most likely all the other players had it too. This was probably to make it fairer since he got two skills at the beginning.

EDI continued, “The update said that all players would now start with the identify skill.”

Well there goes one of my advantages. Oh well at least I’m not in danger of getting in trouble anymore.

After they got their weapons and left EDI spoke to Voice, “So Evan said you saved his wife’s life. You cured a genetic disorder? How freakishly high is you alchemy skill?”

EDI was very confused, and impressed, by this. When she heard it she thought the blacksmith was lying to make Voice look good. But the way Evan looked at him, there was no way to fake that.

“No. Well I mean, I just figured it sounded a lot like scurvy. So I gave her a health potion mixed with some citrus.” He didn’t need to tell her that he had looked the info up online, or that the system labeled him a cheater for it.

“Well if you are that intelligent I’m surprised they didn’t ask to write part of your biography.”

Voice had, at that moment, remembered that he wanted to go to the library to buy some books on alchemy. He had totally forgotten in all the commotion. He vowed to go there after this. After all the library would still be there, the animals may all die before he could get a chance to kill any of them, seeing as two of the other players were so high level.

They took the weapons. Voice asked Evan for their armor, for now EDI wanted leather armor, while Voice wanted heavy iron armor.

Evan, concerned, asked, “Are you sure about that? Since you’re an alchemist I know you don’t have very high strength.”

“I’m sure Evan, but thanks for worrying.”

Voice decided to buy a few things from some of the stalls before leaving the town. He bought enough food to replenish both of their satiety levels three times. He bought four apples, a large bread loaf, and two cheese wedges. It seemed like they were going on a picnic instead of a hunt.

After thanking Evan Voice led the way to the nearest gate. They arrived in a little over twenty minutes of running. Of course EDI had to stop to catch her breath, so Voice ran in between the houses to keep his stamina draining. If Voice were by himself he could have made the trip in five.

He started doing sprinting exercises. He would now sprint to each from a house on one side of the two cart road to the other; all while keeping pace with EDI. By the time he had made it to the gate he had also had to stop twice.

This extreme twenty minute sprinting marathon netted him two endurance, and two vitality. He was pretty happy about this. The only problem was his satiety was now at three.

When they got to the gate he asked about EDI’s satiety. She also had less than ten. So he handed her two apples and half of one of the cheese wedges. He ate the same. Since each small fruit basically restored the same amount of satiety he had randomly chosen an apple. He gained 20 satiety from each apple and forty from the cheese wedge. So the both had a little more than eighty satiety.

That should be enough for a while. I don’t want to waste the food by filling us up all the way.

After they ate they looked around. The entire area seemed to be a plains region. It had one long river that connected it to a distant village.

They spotted a rabbit.

When Voice looked at EDI to signal the hunt he regretted inviting her to the party. She was basically making doe eyes at the rabbit. Voice knew that he could convince her to kill it, but she would probably not be happy with him afterwards. The rabbit was cute, but he wanted the exp. It looked like an ordinary rabbit. Not oddly colored, no horn, just ordinary. HE decided against slaughtering the entire family of little thumpers.(Bambi reference)

He saw a few feral wolves a little ways out and decided to try convincing her to kill them instead. They looked horrible, mangy fur, red eyes, and a rabid looking face.

“Hey, instead of killing the cute little bunnies do you want to try to kill that wolf?” He pointed to a lone wolf.

EDI looked at it. Her eyes glistened slightly.

DAMNIT! This bitch is fucking sympathizing with all the fucking animals. What the fuck did I get her a weapon for?

Voice was very irritated at her, but since he needed her to be on his side at least until he could get other players to join him, he decided to go try to coax a rabbit into attacking him first.

“Alright, alright I understand.” Voice feigned patience and understanding. “How about we go over there and try to get that bunny as a pet. I don’t know if there is a pet system but it’d be nice.”

EDI agreed with a vigorous nod of her head.

Voice went up to one of the bunnies, but as soon as he got within attacking range it… ran off.

FUCK

He chased after it to no avail. He almost caught it after thirty seconds of running, but the damn thing hopped out of his grasp.

He saw EDI trying the same thing.

He found another rabbit and decided to try to get it to attack him first. As he got close the rabbit again bolted. He chased this one until his stamina hit zero. It took just under two minutes for fully restore his stamina.

EDI was having even less luck then him. She couldn’t even keep up the cute little critters.

Voice thought of another plan.

He looked around the plains carefully. He noticed occasional purple and orange dots around the land scape. He went to the orange dot.

He realized that since it was orange and there were rabbits everywhere these were probably carrots. He dug up the orange thing, and it was indeed a carrot. He was very careful to dig it up, and one dug he examined the surrounding area of the carrot. He did the same with the purple dot less than five feet away.

The purple dot was a turnip. He didn’t know if rabbits could eat turnips, but he knew the loved carrots. At least in cartoons and TV they were always eating carrots.

“Locate carrot.”

Suddenly he was basically blinded by the massive amount of light shown. His radius wasn’t huge, but the number of carrots was.

He quickly gathered over forty carrots before doing the same with turnips. The entire time he kept a watch on the wolves in the distance. They did not seem to want to bother coming over.

He gathered twenty turnips, since he wasn’t sure if rabbits even liked them. During this time his gardening skill had leveled up to level six. He was quite content at this point to sit down and relax. He figured he would wait for EDI to come over so he could tell her his plan of capturing one of these little shi… bunnies, with some carrots.

He looked around the plains at the same time as gathering the turnips and carrots. He was trying to find some new ingredient for his alchemy.

The town was a starter town so he didn’t really care that there was no major ingredients there. But he was quite peeved that the only alchemy ingredients he could find out here were the green healing herb, and common weed! He continued to look for more for the entire twenty minutes he was gathering the rabbit food.

He found nothing else.

Guess I have to go to a higher level place to be able to find better ingredients.

He sat the food he just gathered on his lap. He closed his eyes and started thinking about how to get attacked by the wolves without seeming intentional about it.

He heard noise around him. Every time he would start to feel like he was almost in some sort of zone he would get interrupted. Ten minutes later and he was getting very agitated by this. He refused to give up though. He felt he could obtain something precious, maybe even a skill.

He decided to look into his skill fusion. He tried to fuse each of his skills together. Most gave him the message:

The skills you are trying to fuse are incompatible.

For the skills Deception + Critical Strike, and Automated +Critical Strike he got the message:

The skill Critical Strike is too low of a rank to fuse. You must get Critical Strike to apprentice rank to fuse.

He managed to fuse Automated + First Aid, and First Aid + Alchemy.

The results were:

Auto Aid

Allows the user to automatically use first aid on followers or party/guild members in the area.

Current level: Novice Level 1 Exp 60.00%

To activate say Auto Aid while thinking of the person you wish to aid.

This skill will automatically preform first aid on the target with the materials you have on hand. This skill gains experience from using it, and using the first aid skill.

The higher the level the more total healing is provided.

This skill heals 50% of the maximum healing potential actively using the first aid skill would heal. This cannot be increased.

“Identify skill: First Aid.” To his surprise it was in fact different, and he even gained exp for the identify skill…skill.

First Aid

Current Level: Novice Level 1 Exp 60.00%

By using salves and bandages, you have learned how to give first aid.

Each level in first aid provides a 10% healing bonus to healing using the first aid skill, and you will become quicker at fixing wounds. For every rank you increase your first aid skill you will be able to suture more increasingly difficult wounds.

To level this skill you must successfully use it to help the wounded.

Auto Aid provides experience for this skill.

Alchemic Aid

Allows the user to create bandages and other things needed for first aid, using alchemic potions.

Current level: Novice Level 1 Exp 00.00%

To use this skill merely create the necessary items using first aid, but add in the desired potion during production.

To level this skill you must make bandages and other materials needed in first aid using this skill instead of first aid.

Every level in this skill provides and extra 10% healing potency to your first aid skill, plus the potion used to create the materials.

WHAT!? I could have made my own bandages this whole time? Then why did I make the NPCs tear up their clothing this whole time?

He checked his First Aid skill again.

First Aid

Current Level: Novice Level 1 Exp 60.00%

By using salves and bandages, you have learned how to give first aid.

Each level in first aid provides a 10% healing bonus to healing using the first aid skill, and you will become quicker at fixing wounds. You may also create the salves and bandages. For every rank you increase your first aid skill you will be able to suture more increasingly difficult wounds.

To level this skill you must successfully use it to help the wounded, or by creating the materials used to help the wounded.

Auto Aid provides experience for this skill.

He was happy about the new skills, but it was really annoying to not have been told he could have made his own bandages.

Then another sound came. This time it was very close. It sounded like… eating? He opened his eyes.

Around him stood several dozen bunnies. He smiled an innocent smile. Now he could say that he was attacked and was defending himself.

The only problem was he had several bunnies around him, several bunnies and one EDI.

She was astounded at the turn of events. Voice was surrounded by at least 40 bunnies.

What he heard was a bunny, perched on his lap, eating one of the carrots. The other bunnies were looking at the carrots with ravenous hunger.

Since EDI was here he decided to act like this was his plan the whole time. He gently pet the rabbit. Holding in his blood lust on by concentrated power of will. The rabbit stiffened for a moment, then relaxed.

As the rabbit chewed on the carrot he rubbed his head on the man feeding him.

Is this stupid thing a cat? Voice asked himself exasperated.

After the rabbit was done eating it hopped away. Only to be immediately replaced by another. This one started rubbing its head and neck vigorously against Voice’s right leg.

Voice had the radishes on that side of his lap so he figured the rabbit wanted one. He gave it to it.

As more and more rabbits approached he tried to anticipate which food they wanted.

He was a little sad at not making money from the vegetables, but EDI’s servitude, err... friendship, was well worth it.

After all the food was gone, Voice thought about the rabbits. He thought some of them had taken more than one piece of food, but he didn’t mind. As long as he got EDI in his pocket. Besides he could always gather more. Just as he stood up from his position he almost fell to the ground again.

You have gained the title Bunny Lover, The Feeder of the Fluffy Hordes.

When you have this title equipped people will recognize you as a person that loves rabbits. This title makes animal lovers, and owners friendlier. This title may make others scoff at you.

You gain an automatic + 10 intimacy with animal lovers with this title equipped. This does not raise the rank of intimacy.

You gain an automatic + 50 intimacy with bunnies near Rand with this title equipped. This does not raise the rank of intimacy.

You gain an automatic + 25 intimacy with bunnies that do not live near Rand with this title equipped. This does not raise the rank of intimacy.

You now deal half damage to bunnies, even if this title is not equipped.

With this title equipped you gain 50% to all stats to fight someone attacking a rabbit.

Ps. This title cannot be taken off your list of titles.

You have gained the title Bunny Comrade.

When you have this title equipped bunnies will recognize you as a person that loves rabbits. This title makes you immune to getting attacked first by all sane rabbits, even if this title is not equipped.

You now can interact with bunnies as you would humans.

With this title equipped you gain 10% to all stats to while a rabbit is in the party, includes pets.

Ps. This title cannot be taken off your list of titles.

You have gained knowledge of the Bunny Language. You may now communicate to all rabbit type life forms.

For showing love towards bunnies and nature you have gained 10 affinity towards nature.

For showing compassion to an easily catchable, and even easier to kill, life form you have gained the compassion stat.

Compassion

This stat is generated by the pure of heart. You have gained this stat for being compassionate towards others.

This stat will increase all intimacy gains by a percentage equal to the stat level towards: Beggars, Outcasts, Loners, Holy Clergymen, and those that follow the teachings of Mar the goddess of love and compassion.

An increase in the compassion stat is retroactive. It will affect previous intimacy gains.

This stat will decrease all intimacy gains by a percentage equal to the stat level towards: Corrupt Nobles, Slavers, Dark Clergymen, and those that follow the teachings of Davros the god of hate and destruction. (Davros is a reference to something. If you can guess it without looking it up you get one imaginary cookie.)

For giving out large quantities of food you have gained 25 compassion.

What? What!? WHAT!? The fuck you mean bunny love? Shitty ass game made it so I basically can’t even fight the bastards? FUCK!

Voice was royally pissed. His whole plan was to trick the damn rodents into attacking him. Now he would be extremely disadvantaged if he were to fights.

And what the fuck is the bunny language? I just wanted a little bit of experience damnit! Is that too much to ask?

The notifications just kept popping up.

For gaining the nature affinity, and becoming close to an animal type you can become an animal tamer. Would you like to become an animal tamer?

…

“Yes please.”

You have become an animal tamer.

Well, well, well. Maybe I overreacted a bit. I mean becoming friends with those rodents.... I mean bunnies wasn’t all that bad. After all I… GOT… A … CLASS!

Voice was so excited he let out an involuntary whooping noise. EDI and the bunnies turned around in confusion.

He just returned their confused looks with a smile.

Now it’s time to tame some animals. I’m thinking a pack or two of wolves…

Stats WindowNameVoice0fReasonClassAnimal TamerHealth100Mana110Stamina150Level1Current TitleBunny LoverHealth Regen/Sec1.0Mana Regen/Sec2.0Stamina Regen/Sec1.3Strength11Agility10Wisdom20Intelligence11Endurance13Dexterity25Luck10Vitality15Charisma11Compassion35Fame310

Skills WindowIdentify Novice Level 2 Exp 35.00%Skill Fusion Novice Level 2 Exp 75.00%Identify Skill Novice Level 4 Exp 80.00%Herbology Novice Level 1 Exp 40.00%Gardening Novice Level 6 Exp 17.50%Plant Location Novice Level 2 Exp 50.00%Alchemy Novice Level 6 Exp 99.82%Planting Intuition Novice Level 1 Exp 00.00%Alchemical Fusion Novice Level 1 Exp 00.00%First Aid Novice Level 1 Exp 60.00%Deception Novice Level 3 Exp 75.00%Critical Strike Novice Level 3 Exp 86.00%Automated Novice Level 1 Exp 00.00%Auto Aid Novice Level 1 Exp 60.00%Alchemical Aid Novice Level 1 Exp 00.00%

Affinities WindowNature10

Also thanks to superloner for the idea of fusing first aid and alchemy! You go superloner!