Chapter 82—Give Me the Good Stuff |
“That was a little more than an explosion,” Seeyela said while Yanily outright laughed. Even Laseen was cackling, though that wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, really.
“How’s it feel?” Seena said. “To be S-Rank? It was quite the lightshow. I thought I saw… hells, I don’t even know what I thought I saw.”
“It’s…” Hiral started, only to cut off when a notification popped up in front of his eyes. One look at it, and he could only smile.
“Oh, now he’s got that look,” Romin said.
Snuff.
“No, you can’t hide behind me.”
“What is it?” Seena said.
“One guess,” Hiral said. “Since I’m now S-Rank…”
Everybody paused for a second, before Yanily shouted out. “Advanced class!”
“Seriously?” Seeyela said. “You just got S-Rank. How did you get an advanced class already?”
“I’ve been working on it for a while,” Hiral said. “Looks like it’s bringing together—officially—some of the things I’ve been working on.”
“Are you going to take it?” Seena said. “Or, are you going to edit this one too?”
“I think I’ll leave this one just like it is,” Hiral said.
“Let’s see it then,” Yanily said. “Our first S-Rank advanced class.”
“First of many,” Hiral said. “I’m sure you all won’t be far behind.”
“You bet we won’t,” Seeyela said. “But, I’m agreeing with Yan here. Let’s see what kind of thing we have to look forward to.”
“Sure,” Hiral said. “Got to warn you, though, it’s long.”
“So was your last one,” Seena said. “We’re ready. Hit us.”
Still hovering with everybody a dozen feet about the ground, Hiral shared the notification window. He’d accept the class after everybody had a chance to read it.
Advanced Class: (Lost) Seeker of the Runic Cycle.
Part Duelist, part Vanguard, part explorer, part architect, you are the Seeker, both following and forging a path through the mysteries of the runes and what they represent. Strive ever forward and learn the rules of the universe, so you may create your own.
Class Abilities
Gain +8 attributes per level, starting in S-Rank.
Class Ability (Passive): Eternal Domain—With the Edicts at your side, the area immediately around you acts as a minor, constant domain. Any effects trying to harm you or those you see as close allies have their potency reduced by a minimum of 10%. Any effects trying to aid you or those you see as close allies have their potency increased by a minimum of 10%.
Note: Range of Eternal Domain is 50 feet.
Note (2): Eternal Domain is always active, and costs no solar energy to maintain.
PIM Upgrade: Twin-Star Solar Heart becomes PIM Upgrade: Black Hole Solar Heart.
PIM Upgrade: Black Hole Solar Heart—Possessing an endless capacity to consume, one of your Twin-Star Solar Hearts has evolved / collapsed to become a Black Hole, greatly increasing the rate at which you can absorb any energy, solar, runic, or other. This evolution has further spurred your original Solar Heart to undergo its own advancement, allowing it to passively produce The White.
Note: While the Black Hole Solar Heart does not possess quite the same energy generation potential of a sun (yet?) it provides substantial passive solar energy regeneration while no other source is available. In addition, it passively absorbs runic energy, The Grey, and a portion of any energy you encounter, while generating The White.
Note (2): External energy that mixes with that provided by the Black Hole Solar Heart sees increased potency and efficiency, and is immediately typed automatically based on user’s affinities.
Note (3): The Black Hole Solar Heart itself acts as an additional, substantial reservoir of power.
Note (4): All energy within your body or Eternal Domain is substantially easier to manipulate thanks to the Black Hole Solar Heart.
Class Ability (Passive): Touch of Genesis—While on Genesis, your ability to temporarily access the building blocks of the world and rewrite its rules becomes permanent.
Note: Runic circles and equations are required to implement permanent effects. Effectiveness is increased if written on solid objects or Genesis itself.
Note (2): Range of changes is limited by the size of the runic circles, creating areas of altered rules.
Note (3): Extreme care is recommended, as altering current rules could result in unforeseen consequences.
Note (4): Refer back to Note (3) a second time. It is that important.
Note (5): Efficacy of Touch of Genesis outside of Genesis is unknown.
Class Ability (Passive): Runic Infusion—Through connecting your soul to your PIM via your runes—How did you even come up with that idea?—all abilities granted through the PIM can more easily be improved by rune or Edict-based enhancements. Amount of empowerment is… unknown.
Class Ability (Passive): Custom Made—Due to the development of Runic Infusion, your PIM has been conditioned to more easily interact and benefit from abilities stemming entirely from runes (eg. Claws of Separation, Pseudo-Aspect, and Gravity Bombs). While these abilities will not appear within your Status Window, they will see increased compatibility with you PIM, resulting in greater effectiveness.
Final Note: All abilities from previous advanced classes remain in effect, and benefit from a 20% bonus to parameters, where applicable.
“You weren’t kidding when you said it was long,” Laseen said. “That’s a lot of words.”
“And no active abilities,” Yanily said.
“Does he need them with those passives?” Seeyela asked. “It’s not as combat focused as I expected it to be.”
“I’m doing pretty well on the combat front.” Hiral said. “This is better. The general usefulness of this will help me in a fight, anyway.”
“That Eternal Domain is kind of OP,” Yanily said. “Notice it says minimum of ten percent, but it doesn’t say anything about a maximum. How strong do you think it can be?”
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Only one way to find out.”
“Testing,” they all said together.
“Exactly,” Hiral said, setting the group down. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to accept this.”
“We… should probably step back,” Seeyela said. “If just evolving to S-Rank almost blasted us out of the dungeon, I’m a little nervous about what an advanced class is going to do.”
“Don’t have to worry,” Hiral said. “I’ve already been setting things up while we talked.”
“Wait, Hiral,” Seena said. “Didn’t you want to do something with Left and Right. Aren’t they going to poof when you take this evolution?”
“Not this time,” Hiral said. “This evolution isn’t getting fueled by solar energy. This one is runic energy.”
“That makes a difference?”
“Yes, watch.”
Saying that, Hiral created twenty solar-energy clones that peeled off his body. They didn’t go more than a few feet before they exploded, releasing their preloaded, runic equations. As soon as that was in place, Hiral accepted his advanced class.
There was a terribly loud CRACK that echoed through the dungeon, reality where Hiral stood shattering for thirty feet in every direction, before shards of it began to fall. Like panes of broken glass, it had to look like Hiral—and everything around him—had just come apart, an endless darkness beyond where he’d stood lasting for a single blink of an eye.
Just like that, Hiral was back—as was the space filling the hole carved out of the dungeon—looking like nothing had happened.
“And, done,” he said.
“That’s it?” Yanily said.
“That’s it,” Hiral said. “I’ve got my new advanced class.”
“With your new class,” Seeyela said. “I’m sure I’m going to regret asking this; what do your stats look like now?”
“Good question. Let’s find out together,” Hiral said and shared just that part of his status window.
Name: Hiral Dorin
Race: Builder
Class: (Lost) Seeker of the Runic Cycle
Rank: Low-S-Rank (Level 1)
Attributes
Strength (Str)—18 (135+506) = 1011
Endurance (End)—18 (135+506) = 1011
Dexterity (Dex)—20 (135+1140+174) = 2555
Intelligence (Int)—18 (135+506+190) = 1306
Wisdom (Wis)—18 (135+506+152) = 1247
Attunement (Atn)—20 (135+1140) = 2251
Solar Energy Processing
Absorption Rate: SSS+-Rank
Capacity: SSS+-Rank
Output Rate: SSS+-Rank
“And that’s what we get, folks,” Seeyela said. “When we dump all our free points into dexterity and attunement.”
“Not like you guys are far off,” Hiral said. “Looking at this, Seena’s intelligence is nineteen-hundred, and your wisdom is over fifteen-hundred.”
“Balancing my stats a bit more,” Seeyela said. “I need everything to make my class work. Not fair.”
“I think it’s working out just fine for you,” Seena said, elbowing her sister gently in the side.
“Yeah, yeah,” Seeyela grumbled, but the smile on her face meant she wasn’t really upset about it.
“It’s not just about the raw numbers, either,” Hiral said. “Like with every Rank evolution, each individual point is just worth more. Even though I only have a thousand strength…”
“Only a thousand,” Yanily laughed.
Hiral smiled. “Only. Anyway, I bet if I arm-wrestled Loan right now, it would be a lot closer than he’d be comfortable with.”
“What about Right?” Romin said.
Hiral just looked at his double and sighed. “He’d still crush me. But! That’s a good reminder. Let’s see if my plan works.”
“Time to get used as test subjects again,” Left said.
“Remember me when I’m gone,” Right said gravely to Yanily.
“I’ll never forget you,” Yanily promised. “Or the pastries you stole from me.”
“Oh, like this one?” the double said, the baked delicacy appearing in his hand before he bit in. The instant he did, his face completely screwed up, and he began spitting it out. “Sour! Sour!”
“And that’s what you get for declaring pastry-war!”
“I guess I’ll start with you,” Hiral said to Left, his Hundred-Handed already searing runes into the ground around him to help stabilize the process. “We can let him suffer a bit.”
“That’s right, suffer for your transgressions,” Yanily hissed, like he was some kind of edgy villain in a black cloak.
“Do I need to do anything?” Left asked, stepping into the already-completed, runic circle.
“Just let it happen,” Hiral said, reaching out to his Edicts of Piercing, Energy, Attraction, and Dreaming. “It shouldn’t hurt, but tell me if it does.”
“I’m ready,” Left said.
Around them, everybody had gone quiet. Even Right had given up trying to spit out whatever Yanily had laced the pastry with, his attention focused as Hiral pressed his hand against Left’s chest. With as much practice as he’d had stitching his runes to his own soul, and how he’d empowered his doubles directly with the runes before, this process was no more difficult than taking a deep breath.
In, and the Edict of Dreaming—as tall as the double—overlayed Left.
Out, and the Edictvanished, shrinking down as Hiral embedded a version of it within the center of Left’s PIM universe, right where his soul was.
Just like that, Left, his PIM, and his soul were all one, bound together by the power of the Edict of Dreaming.
“Done,” Hiral said.
“That’s… it?” Yanily said.
“You’re asking that a lot today,” Seena joked with the spearman.
“No explosions!” Yanily said, pointing both hands at Hiral. “It makes me nervous.”
“He’s still got to do Right,” Laseen said with a cackle.
“Great,” Right deadpanned.
“Come here and stop complaining,” Hiral said to his double, while Left stepped out of the runic circle.
“How’s it feel?” Seena asked the double while Hiral got ready to do the same thing to Right.
“Ask me again after I combine, and I come back as S-Rank,” Left said, opening and closing his fist.
“Ready?” Hiral said to Right.
“Give me the good stuff,” the double said.
“You know it,” Hiral said, repeating the same process he had with Left, this time using the Edict of Impact. Like before, the Edict appeared for a brief second, before it shrunk down and became part of Right’s PIM universe. “Done.”
“You talked like it was some complicated, crazy process,” Seena said.
“It was,” Hiral laughed. “I’ve been practicing. Being S-Rank—and getting an advanced class—made it a lot easier. Now, you two, let’s cancel Foundational Split and get you to S-Rank. Ready?”
“So ready,” Right said, one double giving the other a fist bump.
Without further ado, Hiral canceled Foundational Split, his Meridian Lines and tattoos appearing for just a few seconds before he reactivated the ability. Off to either side of him, solar smoke billowed and began to take shape.
To Hiral’s eyes, at the core of each forming shape, a powerful Edict thrummed, and then the doubles were whole again.
“Oh… YEAH,” Right said, gently punching his right fist into the palm of his left hand. That small impact was enough to create a shockwave powerful enough to push everybody else back a step. “I could get used to this.”
“You’ll have to,” Hiral said. “There’s no going back.”
“Not that we’d want to,” Left said, one hand reaching out to the side, while his other went to his back. Inside the double, Hiral felt the Edict of Dreaming thrum while Left shaped something they’d all been waiting for.
Finally—at its full power—a titanic lightning bolt from the clear sky announced the arrival of the Spear of Clouds. Thunder rolled outward from the double, arcs of electricity crawling across the ground—and Left himself—while even the air was left charged.
“YES!” Yanily cheered with a jump into the air. “Spear-buddy!”
Just being near the weapon, it was clear this wasn’t anything like what they’d felt before. Its power wasn’t a well, but an entire ocean. Or, maybe it would be more accurate to compare looking out a window to looking at the sky. The spear was just that powerful.
“I… feel so sorry for Laapdoug,” Seena laughed. “Even if it was Left alone.”
“Do me next!’ Yanily said, running into the runic circle with Hiral. “Do me next!”
“Before that, boy,” Laseen said. “What is this actually doing to us?”
“Two things,” Hiral said. “First off, it’s a straight bump in power, and will lead to an improved evolution. A different one than last time, but improved, nonetheless. Secondly—and maybe most importantly—it will enhance anything you do that aligns with the concept of the Edict.
“For Right, anything he does connected to Impact will be empowered.”
“Anything like, say, punching?” Seeyela said.
“It’s mostly going to be punching, if we’re honest,” Hiral said, Right nodding along where he stood. “Evolving with the Edict already inside you will make it part of your PIM, instead of just something stitched on. I’ve already confirmed it with these two.”
“And it feels great,” Right said.
“Dooooo meeeeeee!” Yanily repeated.
At that, Hiral laughed again, but got to work on his party. For Yanily, the choice was easy. The Edict of Piercing bonded so quickly to the man, it felt like it was meant to be. Seena was just as simple, her body taking the Edict of Energy, Hiral barely needed to do anything. After one sister, it had to be the other, with Seeyela getting the Edict of Gravity.
Romin and Wallop were a little different than the others, getting the Edict of Connection between the pair of them. As soon as the Edict settled into place, the two smiled, the shared power feeling right.
That only left Laseen, and while he could’ve given her the Edict of Restoration, healing was never really her challenge. Filling her healing well was, so he gave her the Edict of Absorption.
“Everybody feel okay?” Hiral asked, his eyes and sensory domain feeling each of them for anything out of the ordinary. To him, it all looked good, but…
“I feel great,” Yanily said. “Can we evolve now? Pretty please?”
Hiral looked to the party leader, and gave her a thumbs up.
Taking a deep breath, Seena met the eyes of each of the party members. “Hells yeah.”