I opened my eyes.
"You are awake!" Charlotte almost jumped at me.
She had puffy eyes. It seems true that fighting together in life and death situations made people open their hearts.
"How long was I out?"
"15 minutes."
I sighed in relief. Only a few minutes had passed. The Grade 2 Machine laid at the centre. It had a few parts that could be sold.
"We'll move soon. You should take whatever you can sell from that thing." I said to Charlotte and sat in the corner.
"Status," I whispered.
[Your stats have risen greatly.]
[You have reached Power level 10 (Grade 1 Peak).]
[Your stats cannot be increased any further.]
"So it finally happened."
Using the potions was a good idea.
When one's Grade increases, their race evolves and they unlock new skills. The stats provided by the race also increase.
The best thing about reaching Grade 2 was being able to choose a second subclass.
There were thousands of classes in Destiny Fall.
Each class had benefits and shortcomings.
The most important factor when choosing the subclass was Talent.
[Talent] determined how our skills manifested.
I had [Clown] Talent.
All of my skills would be related to a Clown, no matter the Class or subclass.
The synergy between Talent and class was more important than the class itself.
"First things first."
[Please choose your Evolution Pathway.]
[1. Gold-blood Human: Evolve into a mighty universal race. They are the most common type of humans in the universe. But common doesn't mean bad. They have proven time and again that their potential is unmatched. Strength +1, Charm +1 per level.]
[2. Three-Eye Human: They are experts in analyzing other's behavior, mood and thoughts. Nothing escapes their eyes. Beware of choosing this race as they are ostracized by all. Perception +2 per level.]
[3. Veinwielders: The race that uses their blood as a catalyst for combat. They are adept at potion-making and poison creation. Dexterity +1, Constitution +1 per level.]
All options were great.
Gold-blood Humans were physical fighters. They were overwhelming at close combat.
Three-Eye Humans were a mysterious race. Most of them were swindlers or con artists. At higher levels, they become one of the strongest magicians.
Veinwielders were support types at the early stages. This option appeared because I used potions to increase my stats instead of leveling up. It had high synergy with my Potioneer Subclass.
[You have chosen Veinwielders.]
[Beginning Evolution.]
My senses were cut from the outside world. All I felt was a familiar surge of energy within my depths.
I could tell that the energy was altering me at the smallest cellular level.
But I didn't feel any pain. Instead, it was as if I was undergoing a heavenly massage.
Two hours later,
[Evolution complete.]
[The limiter on your stats has been broken.]
[You have taken one path closer to Godhood.]
[Your Genes are reacting with your Talent. A small miracle occurs.]
[Skills [Puri Puri Mist] and [Poison Resistance] unlocked.]
A sense of wonder enveloped me, making me feel invincible.
Charlotte was sitting a bit away from me. She was meditating to recover her energy.
I noticed that Charlotte hadn't found anything wrong with me. As expected, the first evolution occurred without any bang or burst of energy.
There was no difference in my appearance.
Even so, the internal changes were not so subtle.
My vision, along with my other senses, had improved greatly. I also felt that I could draw and throw the cards in a split second.
If I fought with the Grade 2 machine again, I wouldn't need external help to create an opening. Instead, I could finish the machine on my own.
I silently collected my cards and hit the floor at various places.
My smile grew when I found what I was looking for.
"But first…"
I hit Charlotte in the back of her neck, making her faint. It would be bad if she saw what I was going to do from now on.
Using my card, I cut out a section of the floor.
The floor had rusted over time, it was easy to tear it open.
There was a drainage system below.
"What should I do?"
I didn't jump in immediately.
The hole in the ground would be soon repaired by the maintenance machines that would enter this room. I couldn't leave Charlotte here.
The only choice was to bring her along.
"Show list of available Subclasses."
[Subclasses Available]
[1. Drug-addict]
[2. Gym Trainee]
[3. Insomniac]
[4. Porter]
..
…
[123. Card Dealer]
[124. Con-artist]
[125. Master of Tongue.]
[126. Training Maniac]
In Destiny Fall, our past actions determine the available Subclasses.
Players could choose up to three subclasses. Once chosen, it was impossible to change the subclass or main class.
My second subclass slot unlocked after reaching Grade 2. Similarly, the third subclass slot would be unlocked at Grade 3.
I knew the Subclass most suited for Clown Talent. This class helped me defeat Devil Lord's 5 star character.
"Choose Subclass: Porter."
[Selecting designated Subclass.]
[Your subclass is reacting with your Talent. A small miracle occurs.]
[Skill [Magic Pocket] unlocked.]
Magic Pocket was one of the most unique subspace skills.
It allowed me to create a 1.5 cubic meter subspace inside any piece of clothing. The cloth to be a closed space and attached to my body.
Magic Pocket could store living beings inside it.
Subspace skills were rare and Magic Pocket was one of its kind.
"Here you go."
I opened the Magic Pocket inside my hat and put Charlotte and the Ticket slip inside it. The ticket slip won't be able to track my location anymore.
The drainage system below had no lights. I used the torch I had prepared to light my path.
I continued moving while covering my nose.
Soon, I came across giant ducts. These tubes were used to transport machines across the underground tunnels. A lot of them were damaged.
"One, two, three, four, five and six."
I stopped before the sixth duct. It should take me directly to the center of the planet.
The surface of the tubes was smooth. It felt like I was going down a slide at 300 Kmph.
At the end, the slide began to curve and my descent slowed without any problems.
The duct opened into a destroyed lab. Many mechanical parts were scattered around, the lights kept flickering and an uneasy silence filled the place.
I moved cautiously while making sure to not touch anything. In the game, these machines were unable to work, but I didn't want to test that theory.
[Please enter the passcode to open the door.]
[Passcode is correct.]
The door opened with a swoosh.
It led to an expansive spherical room. Judging by the area, the floor and roof were at least a kilometer apart.
At the center, a fiery mass of fire levitated. Dozens of paths extended from the walls and came together below the ball of flames.
It was a surreal experience.
I was at the core of the planet, yet there was gravity and the heat of the core was contained.
Taking a deep breath, I stood beneath the ball of flames with the Grade 3 monster core. It was time to use it.
"Ding dong, open the gate. It's Santa."
Tiny holographic cubes appeared around me. They multiplied rapidly, converging into a holographic sphere with eyes and mouth.
"Hello, there Orion. Nice day we have today." I waved my arm with a smile.
"Please do not move. I have been monitoring you since you entered the tunnels. From the data I have gathered, I can tell that you have seen, or at least you are aware of, the future." The planet's ego, Orion, retorted.
I rolled my eyes.
"So what?"
From the thousands of times I have interacted with this planet's ego, there was one thing I realized.
It was a bastard. The more you let it have its way, the more it would try to take.
So taking complete control was the only way to make it work properly.
"Should I throw this monster core into the planet core?" I threatened it.
Throwing a Grade 3 monster core into a fusion reactor would create a cataclysmic reaction, which would be strong enough to destroy this planet.
"If the intruder does not cease his violent actions in the next 15 seconds, sentinels will be dispatched. Warning again. Please cease violent actions, or sentinels will be dispatched."
It was a bluff that I had heard too many times to care about.
In this place, only two doors worked. The one I came from and the one where Orion's brain was stored.
The sentinels, production lines, and other important facilities had long gone berserk. Orion had destroyed their door circuits when it still had control over the facilities.
Or else, those machines would've destroyed the planet core themselves.
Just then Orion said a line I had never heard.
"Which Lord do you serve?"
"Sauron."
"...?" Orion's eyes showed confusion.
The show of perplexity was a farce. Behind its artificially generated expression, it must be trying to understand my words.
Too bad, it wouldn't understand the joke.
"So it was a joke from your world?" Orion questioned.
"Yes, it was a joke…" It took me a few moments to understand what it had said.
"My world?"