{Welcome to your new system. Prepare for data upload}
{Performing intelligence check...Calculating....Check passed}
These messages were plastered in front of Rapt. Information of how to operate the new system was then injected into his mind after the intelligence check was passed. Rapt instantly thought of Lord Bados as it was similar to how he had obtained the entirety of the beast language. The difference was that the beast language was crammed into his mind, and he was unable to process the information leading to the immense pain of the process.
This time his mind was able to keep up with the influx of information and process it smoothly. Soon the message faded away as the upload ended and showed the new format of the Status screen.
Before Rapt could begin to look through the new interface, an assortment of messages popped up on his screen:
- External mana has been absorbed
- External mana in the process of assimilation
- Purity and quantity being calculated
- Based on purity and quantity, 75 units have been added to internal mana
The messages stayed on the screen until Rapt finished reading them before disappearing. Then right before his eyes, the absorbed mana was added to a new stat called mana well.
Name: Rapt Level: 2 Experience: 72.5/100
Health: 70/70 Mana: 40/40 Mana well: 75/200
Stats: Strength: 19 Speed: 20 Stamina: 18 Intelligence: 21
Skills:
Active
Mana based: [Discharge lvl 1.], [Shock lvl. 1], [Mana sense lvl 1.]
Ki: N/A
Passive
Mana: [Mana well lvl. 1.], [Language comprehension lvl. 2]
Ki: N/A
Skill Shop: 8 New Skills Available
Looking at the new screen, he saw a new tab that showed his tribes basic information. Just with the thought of inquiry the tab opened for him.
Tribe status
Tribe name: N/A
Tribe members: Sorc (tier 2), Blum (Tier 3), Orn (Tier 3)
Tribal skills: Minor telepathy
Seeing that the screen reacted to his thoughts Rapt was shocked. After this discovery, he continued to his own investigation into the new system. The first thing he decided to do was checked out what the Mana well stated in the notification was.
[Mana well lvl. 1]: A container for mana taken from external sources that can be used to obtain or upgrade skills in the shop. The amount of mana acquired is based on the purity and quantity of the mana. Current amount of external mana that can be held: 200 units
Following that thought process, Rapt became interested in what type of skills were contained in the skill shop. He focused on the Skill shop to open the tab, just like with the Tribe status tab.
Before the shop opened a definition popped up on a separate screen:
Skill shop - a shop that creates, upgrades, or changes the element of skills that can be purchased by the host. Each skill will have a required stat level and mana cost needed to acquire or upgrade skills.
Next, a screen showed each of the individual functions of the skill shop.
Create skill - Skills have rankings based on the number of Beasts that have said skill. Those rankings are common, uncommon, unique, rare, and progenitor. The create skill function allows the host to create skills through the use of the intelligence stat, the hosts understanding of how the skill should function, and mana the host contain.
Upgrade skill - This function uses the host's comprehension of a skill along with their stats to create a better version of a skill. Skills that go through an upgrade will have an increase in power and may gain a unique trait as well.
Elemental change - This function uses the host's comprehension of a skill used by a different element to create a similar skill to be used with the host's element.
After seeing what the shop could do, he quickly opened the Skill shop to look at the 8 skills available. The screen shifted to show a list of skills, a brief description, and the skill's cost:
Spark step - A movement skill that increases one's speed by using short bursts of mana to propel the user. (Cost: 5 mana, Str. 18, Sta. 18, Spd. 18, Int. 18)
Ki sense: A sensory skill that allows on to sense Ki. Required to use Ki control. (Cost: 5 mana, Int. 25)
Ki control Lvl 1. - A technique that unlocks the host ability to use Ki to strengthen one's body. (Cost: 10 mana, Str. 25, Sta. 25, Int. 25)
Spark slash lvl 1. - An offensive ability that coats claws in mana allowing that user to inflict elemental damage. (Cost: 10 mana, Str 10, Sta 10, Int. 10)
These three skills were the first that Rapt saw on the list. The next five were a little confusing as they all were very similar in name and description. The five skills were:
Shock mana cultivation technique: a form of mana manipulation that focuses on increasing one's speed, while increasing the other stats at 1/10 that rate. (Cost: 25 mana, Spd. 20, Sta. 20)
Thunder mana cultivation technique: a form of mana manipulation that focuses on increasing one's strength, while increasing the other stats at 1/10 that rate. (Cost: 30 mana, Str. 20, Sta. 20)
Static mana cultivation technique: a form of mana manipulation that focuses on increasing one's stamina, while increasing the other stats at 1/10 that rate. (Cost: 35 mana. Sta 20, Int. 20)
Current mana cultivation technique: a form of mana manipulation that focuses on increasing one's intellect, while increasing the other stats at 1/10 that rate. (Cost: 45 mana, Int. 25)
Lightning mana cultivation technique: a form of mana manipulation that increases all of the stats at a slower rate yet equal rate. (Cost: 60 mana, Spd. 20, Sta. 20, Str. 20, Int. 25)
' What is a cultivation technique?' Rapt asked the system.
{A cultivation Technique uses the element of the user to refine the body and mana of the user.}
Looking back at the shop screen, Rapt began to debate on which skill he would acquire first. The first one that caught his eye was the [Ki sense] skill. Due to it being needed for the [Ki control] skill something that intrigued him after seeing how easily it allowed Orn the kill enemies and shake off enemy attacks.
{Ki sense has been selected for purchased, confirm purchase? Yes or no}
'Yes'
{Ki sense has been purchased}
Appeared in front of Rapt right before an intense pain hit his mind as if it were a door being ripped open. Shocked by the sudden onset of pain, rapt roared breaking the others concentration causing them to stare at him in confusion.
After the pain subsided, Rapt was completely obvious to their stares as he was overwhelmed by a sense of euphoria. His sensitivity to the Ki in his body spiked greatly leading to him laying down to allow his mind and senses to settle.
Once his mind and senses had settled, Rapt immediately opened his status screen and quickly confirming that he obtained the new skill. He then checked his [Mana well] before entering the shop again.
'70 left now to purchase the rest of the skills'
{The Skills: Ki control, Spark step, Spark Slash have been selected for purchase. Due to the number of skills requested you will be subjected to an intelligence check. Will you continue? Yes or no.}
"How is the intelligence check calculated" Rapt asked as he was curious about how the system decided what was considered passing or failure.
{An intelligence check consists of adding the combined intellect rating for the skills divided by the number of skills purchased multiplied by your level minus your intellect stat. Will you continue}
"Yes" rapt replied after little thought. Something he soon wished he didn't do.
{Performing intelligence check...Calculating...…. intelligence check fail...… commencing punishment}
Like a tidal wave pain on par with learning the beast language rattled Rapt's mind. Mind shredding to the point that he couldn't even react leaving him at the mercy of the environment as he was forced to ride the wave.
Minutes passed as he barely endured the pain slowly as information flooded his mind. Luckily slowly he became acclimated to it until words popped up on his screen that made his will waver.
{Spark slash has been learned. Commencing the next skill}
At the moment, Rapt realized he had made a massive mistake. That mistake was in thinking that the pain from earlier was due to learning all the skills at once. Yet he was sadly mistaken as the pain was merely a precursor for what was to come.
For the next 30 minutes, Rapt was convulsing on the ground as his consciousness faded in and out due to the pain.
During this time, the others rushed to Rapt worried for his safety. Once Rapt started to convulse, Orn pinned his upper body to prevent him from hurting himself, while Blum used [Shadow lock] to immobilize him. Sorc soften the ground beneath Rapt just for insurance before standing guard to protect the three.
'I hope that whatever was happening to Rapt would subside before I mana ran out.' Thought Blum as the time passed.
For Rapt, it felt like an eternity as the pain increased during the second and third waves. He began to regain consciousness only to notice that Orn was pressed against his body and that Blum had immobilized him using his shadow. Luckily for Rapt, not long after his recovery Sorc pointed out that whatever was afflicting him had seemed have passed.
After they had moved and allowed Rapt to stand up, questions immediately followed.
"Rapt, what was that?"
"Are you Ill?"
"Is it contagious?"
"Will it pass to us?"
Faced with questions from the two worried Elders, Rapt explained what he experienced and dealt with due to the system and its requirement. Now they had a general and real understanding that this new system could provide great benefits. Though those benefits came with requirements and failure to meet those requirements came with consequences.
"We will continue to watch out for your safety until you are done." Blum stated.
"Thanks" Rapt said before returning to his status screen.
'45 left in the mana well. Wait where did the rest of the cultivation techniques go?' Rapt thought upon opening the skill shop after his purchase.
{The skill shop can only show skills based on the hosts stats and mana available in the mana well}
Rapt began to think about how he could gain enough mana to show the 5 techniques again, when he remembered the frog elder that they succeeded in killing.
"Where's the frog corpse?" He asked.
"It's back at the tree with Ny." Sorc replied.
Rapt then noticed for the first time, that they weren't at the same tree and that Ny wasn't anywhere to be found. Leaving the healing tree they headed back to Ny, discussing what Rapt had learned about the new system. Arriving at the tree caused the conversation to change as they decided how they would split up the Frog.
"Rapt should get the head and torso since this was his kill, plus you need to get as strong as possible before our confrontation with Petra," said Blum. The others nodded in agreement to which Orn used his strength to rip the arms and legs off. Rapt quickly grabbed the head and torso pulling it to a secluded area and proceeding to tear into the corpse without hesitation.
Finishing his meal, Rapt was notified that his mana well increased by 125 units. He immediately opened the shop again and reread the descriptions again in an attempt to gain a better understanding of the difference between the techniques.
'My element is lightning, so I should probably pick the lightning technique' Rapt thought to himself before focusing on the lightning cultivation technique.
{Host has selected the 'Lightning Cultivation Technique'. Confirm your decision? Yes or no}
'Yes'
{Warning....warning.....warning, Host will be subjected to changes. Commencing changes in 5 seconds, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0}