Surprised Greg didn't get [+1 WIS] for making the sensible, and as stated at the beginning of the chapter, life saving, decision to immediately buy the Quick Healer perk.
Never change, Greg, never change.
This was an especially good chapter. And what happened to Tattles was just a cherry on top. (Not that I have anything against her in general.)
Launching himself directly at Lung's face a moment after recovering a sizeable yet still middling fraction of his health had been a new level of retarded, something he wasn't aware he was capable of reaching.
Once again, thanks to @kenmadragon, @DasStan and @Segev for their timely assistance and help. Also, as a note to all the readers, Reinforcement Subskill: Burst has been edited.
Aggro 4.8
– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –
"You're… alive?" The bug girl's voice was raspy, the dense smoke in the air obviously clogging her airways. Even then, Greg could hear the sheer disbelief in her voice as she limped over to him, one arm wrapped around her midsection. Lady Bug visibly flinched as she caught sight of the body next to Greg, the bloody, slowly healing form of a near-human Lung as the silver scales began to slough off his skin.
Greg cut off his laughter and slowly turned his head to face her. A hand rose to his face, Greg wiping the remaining crumbs from his mouth as he tried to think of something to say, staring blankly at her cracked lenses. It was a struggle, really, and that was without any exaggeration.
The pain in his chest, courtesy of Lung's claws, was only made worse by the fact that he could literally feel the blood leaving his body, his health slowly dropping with every second. His legs, or at least the parts of them that didn't survive Lung's flames unscathed, were also a testament to how hard-fought the battle was.
Reinforced cloth and plastic had warped and melted onto the bare skin underneath, adding on a [Second-Degree Burn] debuff in addition to the [Moderate Bleeding V] that was draining his life-force so steadily.
Hell, if it wasn't for that new perk he had just chosen, he'd definitely be a goner by now.
"You're alive," she echoed, raw shock clear in her voice.
"Sorry… to… disappoint," he forced out, wincing.
"No!" She shouted, her voice as uncomfortable as her posture with the way she seemed to shrink in on herself. "I-I just thought you… died. Lung… his claws… the fire…"
Yeah, Greg thought, gasping slightly as he shifted his body. Blocking a blast of fire like that with his unfocused aerokinesis was definitely not one of his brightest ideas. Launching himself directly at Lung's face a moment after recovering a sizeable yet still middling fraction of his health had been a new level of retarded, something he wasn't aware he was capable of reaching.
Still, he thought to himself, breath coming to him in short, shallow gasps, I saved the girl. Not all bad, right?
He gave the girl in question a smile, utterly uncaring of how the blood splatter all over him may have made him appear to the insect-themed cape. "Yeah, the fire. Figured… figured only one of us was a Brute, so…"
The bug girl didn't respond, simply staring at him through those creepy lenses.
"'Sides… Ev… everybody gets one." Greg gave a shrug, wincing at how the drop of his shoulders seemed to send spasms of pain through his ribcage for some reason. I'm gonna feel this in the morning… or not, I guess. Thank you, Gamer's Body.
"Really?"
"... No." Greg grit his teeth with pain again, trying to pass it off as a grin. "Joke. Family Guy… June Sixth. Two-thousand."
"... Oh."
"Yeah... classic episode." Greg let out another wheezing laugh again, his own joke getting him.
"I can't… ," the bug girl cut herself off, her body language somehow conveying a mix of gratitude and shame, "you... let yourself get hurt to… to save me?"
"I wouldn't say… that, exactly," Greg replied, dragging himself forward with the sword he had planted blade-first into the asphalt. "I didn't think about it. My body just… acted on it's own," he blinked, smiling slightly for a single moment at his own reference, "Besides... what kinda jerk... would just watch a girl die?"
"So, you knew you wouldn't die, right?" She seemed to be almost pleading, her legs bowed as she tried to get closer to him without quite squatting low to the ground. "You knew you'd be…" Her head turned to glance at his charred legs, the costume still smoking in the cool night air, "...fine."
"No..." Another pained laugh spilled from Greg's throat, the sound more like a hoarse cough than anything else. A second hand gripped onto the hilt of his sword and he found himself leaning on it from his position on the floor. "... I didn't."
Lady Bug seemed to slump slightly, unsure of what to say as she sunk to the ground next to him, sitting on a large clump of bricks apathetically.
"If it's any consolation," he glanced up at Lady Bug's mask, "it does hurt like hell, yes. Just not as much as it should." The truth of that statement could not be exaggerated.
Anyone else in his position should be one of three things right now; screaming their head off, numb from blood loss, or dead. By all rights, he probably had to thank his powers for whatever it was doing right now to keep him thinking relatively straight. Although, Greg thought to himself, I could be the second.
Still, he doubted it.
"It's… it's not." She seemed to give off a full-body finch as she spoke the short sentence, Greg letting out a quick, hoarse bark of laughter as the pain in his legs flared in time with her words. Ironically, that seemed to make her flinch again.
"That's great," he paused for a moment, groaning as the skin on his legs began to quiver, burned flesh slowly sloughing off as the healing process continued, "I… I guess. Don't worry, though. I'm healing up fine. Be good as new in under an hour or four?… fuck."He said the last part in an undertone, trying to avoid scaring the newly christened Lady Bug anymore than she already was.
"Why?"
"What?" Greg blinked slowly at the question, confused for a moment as to what she was referring to.
She didn't repeat herself, her hands wrapping around her mid-section and tightening as if in some kind of self-hug. Funnily, to Greg, it kind of removed any lingering fear factor her costume had for him, seeing the wearer so nervous and unsure of herself.
"Honestly, I… have no idea," Greg spoke up, smiling slightly. He closed his eyes for a moment, shifting his arms away from his slowly-sealing chest wound and pulled tighter on the sword he had plunged into the ground. "Normally, I'm all about that zero accountability life but… yeah, burning is a…" he paused, smile fading slightly, "painful way to go. Couldn't let that happen… you know."
Chuckling again, Greg looked up at Lady Bug, a wide grin beneath his slightly melted mask. "At least you're okay, though. That's… the good part."
"I almost died."
The sentence came out of nowhere, Greg blinking in surprise this time rather than pain. "Well, yeah."
She tilted her head toward him, her mask displaying no emotion and leaving Greg floundering somewhat as he tried to think past the pain.
"Well, it's true."
"Thanks." There was no hiding the sarcasm in that, no matter how quietly the actual word was spoken.
"Not like… forget it." Greg shook his head, his hands rising to the hilt of his sword and grabbing tight. "Don't… don't." Groaning, he grabbed hold of the sword and began to pull himself to his feet, slowly. The blond let out a hiss of air as he felt the the burnt skin on his legs cracking as he began to put weight on them. Closing his eyes, he did his best to ignore the odd sensation of rivulets of liquid dripping out of his leg wounds as he got to his feet, not wanting to spend the time to even contemplate exactly what could be running down his thighs.
Opening his mouth, the word came out with a low hiss. "Reinforcement."
He kept the level of it low, just enough to let him stand and move without too much trouble, not for any sort of daring-do. The skill was like a balm, a soothing warmth that spread all over his body, slightly easing the pain he felt from both his legs and his chest wound. As low as it was, the glow wasn't even visible, which was even better.
A much more relaxed smile on his face, Greg pulled himself up to his full height and rested both hands on Gram's hilt, the newly-named sword still lodged in the asphalt.
"My lady," he began, voice somewhat steadier with the constant pain at a much lower level. He stretched out his slightly deformed gauntlet, opening his hand for Lady Bug to take as he slipped into his well-polished accent. "You performed valiantly, especially against a foe so fearsome as the one which we faced together. You would have died without my assistance as would have I without yours. Now, will you take my hand so we may kindly make our escape before the dragon awakens once more?"
Lady Bug nodded slowly and placed her hand in his, Greg quickly pulling her light frame up with barely any effort. He tilted his head to glance down at Lung's tattooed form, the cape's naked body sans scales, before glancing back up at Lady Bug again. "Hold up… wanna take a selfie with Lung?"
The question came out quickly even in his hoarse voice, Greg simply saying the first thing on his mind the moment he glanced at Lung's body.
"What." She almost pushed away from him, her hand freezing before she made contact with his slightly deformed, blood-splattered breastplate. Instead, she simply stood there holding his hand and repeated the same word. "What."
Greg shrugged slightly, his shoulders bobbing as his smile grew. "Yeah, I mean, why not, right? I need a new PHO pic. 'Sides, how many people can say they got a selfie with Lung and lived to tell about it? Emphasis on lived."
"N…" For a moment, she seemed to be thinking about it, her head tilting slightly before she shook it. "That's a terrible idea."
"Really?" Now, it was Greg's turn to tilt his head. "Somehow worse than attacking Lung by yourself with bugs?"
At his words, Lady Bug flinched, prompting Greg to frown slightly as she shrunk away from him slightly, letting go of his hand.
Blinking slightly, Greg stepped forward. "What's wrong? Yeah, it was a dumb plan but… I mean, I've had dumber. Well," he pursed his lips, "not dumber. Definitely not nearly as dumb either. I mean, this was Lung we're talking about," Greg remarked, gesturing to the unconscious Asian man off to the side. "Still, relatively dumb."
Smiling, Greg glanced back at Lady Bug, the cape silently staring at him from behind her mask. She seemed almost unsure of what to do, her arms tight around herself once again. Greg lifted an eyebrow, noting a few bugs beginning to make noise in the background as they skittered back to their hiding places.
"So… we doing this or not?"
Before the girl could answer, Greg froze as he heard something clambering towards them and glanced around them, the sounds of flickering flames making it hard to triangulate the source of the sound. Lady Bug obviously heard it too, the girl suddenly drawing closer to him. Around them, bugs began to drone.
Suddenly, three massive creatures hit the asphalt.
Greg's eyes widened behind his mask and he wrenched his sword from the ground, and protectively moved in front of Lady Bug, mouth set in a determined frown.
Massive barely described the beasts. At least a good seven feet tall at the shoulder, they were covered in spikes and stained, bloody-looking bone spurs, with their visible skin looking like well-tenderized hamburger meat. Their mouths were open wide, disgustingly large amounts of saliva dripping from their rather sharp teeth as they growled at the two of them.
Oddly, Greg didn't feel the least bit threatened. He did feel annoyed, though.
Incredibly. Annoyed.
Still, he didn't let the annoyance rise to the surface, his mind trying to focus on how to beat three of these things while keeping Lady Bug alive. She was his responsibility and unlike the pet goldfish he had when he was nine, he wasn't gonna let her die after knowing her for less than half an hour.
Legs burnt to a crisp or not, he could [Reinforce] them into fighting shape for at least a few minutes. He just fought Lung and wasn't dead, so Greg definitely wouldn't let himself go down to a bunch of demonic things. Not if he could help it, at least.
"Holy shit, did you kill Lung?"
Greg frowned at the voice, both at the question and wondering where it had come from. His gaze slowly, reluctantly, rose until he spotted the four figures riding the monsters, his eyes widening as he took them in.
"No," his mouth answered for him, his eyes locking on to the skinny teen wearing a poofy shirt and a white opera mask, realizing he was the one who asked the question. I know this guy.
Lady Bug remained silent.
"He's just knocked out," Greg continued, keeping one eye on the dogs as he tried to shake off the faint feeling of familiarity he seemed to be getting from not just the white masked cape but all four of the capes in front of him. "And a bit busted up," he added, rather downplaying the collection of slowly-recovering wounds that littered the Asian cape's naked body.
"Looks like you gutted him." The next voice was from the girl… boy?... muscular individual on the creature next to the opera boy, a person wearing a plastic dog mask, like the type you'd get from the dollar store. Whoever they were, their voice was gruff enough that he doubted he could tell their sex with it on.
"He did," came the third voice, a blonde girl, finally speaking up. She wore a domino mask and a dark purple costume, her eyes staring past the two of them to lock on to Lung's still-healing body. "That sword… all the blood…" Her voice became slightly distant at this point, "... severed Lung's axillary vein, cut out an eye, flayed him in several places, ripped open his stomach… and that's not even going into all the bee stings and insect bites. "
Her pensive expression transformed into a knowing smile as she shifted her gaze onto Greg, her eyes glancing at his sword for a moment, before glancing back at him, "Wow, you're one ruthless kid."
"And you're… Tattletale." The word left his mouth as a smile grew across his face as well, sudden realization hitting him as Greg recalled where he knew these guys from. The four of them were a new villain team that had popped up not too long ago in the city, mostly known for robbing other villains and other small-time stuff. Undersiders.
"Oooh, looks like Tats has a fanboy," the white masked cape, Regent, cooed.
Greg frowned at the same time as Tattletale's smile brightened. "Not exactly, Regent."
"Not exactly is right," Greg interjected, his grip tightening on his sword. The hilt and guard was already glowing a soft gold, even without Greg having even reinforced it yet, the blade itself more lustrous than he'd ever seen it. "I know her, I know all of you, because I edit your wikis on PHO, even though someone keeps trying to change it."
"Ha! He's a nerd!" Regent crowed, raising his scepter as he let out a cackling laugh. "A fuckin' nerd, Tats! Who edits wikis in their off time? Fuckin' nerds, that's who!"
Both Tattletale and Greg scowled at Regent's sentence, both for clearly different reasons. "That nerd cut Lung up with a sword, Regent."
Greg's grip tightened again. "This nerd has a name."
Their leader, Grue, a well-muscled cape who dressed to fit his powers, was the next to speak, his voice deep and low. "What is it? Your name, I mean."
Greg tilted his head to face him, just barely spotting the outline of a skull on his biker mask. "Glad you asked, Mr. Zork. The name's Prodigy and this here," Greg said with a gesture behind himself, "is my partner, Lady Bug. Lady Bug, these guys are the Undersiders."
He paused, gesturing to the one in black. "The boss, Grue," his hand moved to the girl in purple, "The Thinker, Tattletale." The girl in question wiggled her fingers at them as he moved to the one in white, "Regent, and finally," he paused, turning to the girl in the dog mask. "Hell-"
"Bitch."
Greg blinked as she interjected. "Really?"
"Mmhmm," Tattletale hummed affirmatively as she leaned forward on the dog-beast, her gaze locked on to him. "She prefers Bitch."
Ignoring the painful twinge in his stomach, Greg shrugged. "Sure, why not? A bit… much, but okay."
Sensing that the situation was no longer quite as volatile, Lady Bug stepped out from behind his back, the sound of swarming insects fading to nothing as she calmed down. "Hey."
"Hey there," Tattletale's smile quirked upwards at the Bug Girl's words. "Thanks for taking care of Lung. Tonight could have ended badly for us."
For us?
"For us?" Greg echoed. He blinked rapidly as he took a few steps forward, barely noticing the monsters in his path as he stared daggers at Tattletale. "Lung was after you guys?"
"Yes." Grue nodded hesitantly, his voice slightly less forceful than before. "He was, yes. Thanks for taking him down. It couldn't have been easy."
Greg stared at him for a few moments, his mouth slightly open, before he let out a bark of wheezing laughter. "Yeah, you're right. It wasn't. I mean, the fire gave me a mad case of dry eye but other than that," Greg retorted, letting out another hoarse laugh, " I can sleep it off. Got off pretty easy, all things considered."
"Your legs look like hamburger," Bitch cut in, voice little more than a growl.
Shooting her a look, Greg snapped back, "So do your dogs, but at least, I'm nice enough not to mention it." The girl growled at him, her dogs following her lead.
Rolling his eyes, Greg chose to ignore her, turning back to Grue. "In all honesty, it could have been a lot worse. Luckily," Greg's mouth opened into a slight smile as he put an arm around Lady Bug's shoulder, pulling her forward slightly even as she tried to wriggle out of his grip, "I had my partner here on support."
"I can see that," Tattletale spoke up, grinning. "She did a good job too. A couple hundred bites and stings to the crotch alone would keep anyone off their game. Although," she glanced back at Greg, eyes locked on to the sword in his grip, her eyes flicking between it and him, "you and that sword…wait... what is that?"
Her voice came out in almost a whisper, her smile shriveling the longer she stared at him.
"My sword?" Greg glanced at the blade, idly lifting it closer to eye level, before glancing back at the Thinker cape, blinking in confusion as she pressed her thumbs to her temples. "My powers make it glow different colors sometimes, I guess. What of it?"
"Huh," Tattletale shook her head furiously, one eye open as she kept staring, almost as if she couldn't tear her eyes away from either him or the object in his hands. "I… I don't…" She blinked, both eyes opening for a second before she shut one tightly again, leaving the other fixated on Greg. "... doesn't make sense… concepts?"
"Tattletale," Grue's voice seemed to relax it's impressive baritone, the cape actually sounding worried about his teammate. "What's wrong?"
"Yeah, Tats," Regent cut in, the humor in his tone still present. "You fried your brain or something?" Bitch said nothing, simply turning her masked face to stare at Tattletale as her dogs idled beneath her, obviously uncomfortable at being still.
A twinge at Greg's side brought attention to the pain in his ribs and still-healing chest, Lady Bug's gentle prodding far more painful than she realized. He turned to face the girl at his side, her black hair blowing in the gentle breeze as she whispered a sentence. "These guys… They don't seem like… heroes."
Greg opened his mouth to quietly affirm her correct assumption that the Undersiders were not, in fact, heroes of any sort only to find himself unable to speak, his eyes widening in shock.
The words froze on his lips as the cute-looking blonde let out a strangled, choking scream, sounding for all the world to hear as if someone was trying to kill her. A moment later, her hands flew to her head, the rest of her suddenly going limp as she fell bodily off the giant monster dog.
Everyone froze as Tattletale's body hit the ground with full-force, her hands not instinctively moving out to break her fall like one would expect. In unison, their gazes locked on to the Thinker as she twitched wildly on the ground, limbs spasming as she foamed at the mouth.
Four masked faces turned to face him in eerie synchronization, the atmosphere suddenly taking on a much more serious tone, the beasts' growling only adding to the tension.
Suddenly struck with nerves, Greg let out another hoarse laugh and said the only thing that came to mind at the moment, his grip tightening on Gram as he spoke.
"So… does she do that often or...?"
– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –
Greg Lucas Veder
Student
Level 19
Title: Ninja - In Training
XP: 1510/32000
Age: 15 (and three-quarters!)
HP: 1207/1207(1209)
MP: 475/475
Will: 448/448 (451)
STR: 59 (+2 [61])
SPD: 52 (+2, +2 [56])
VIT: 59 (+2 [61])
INT: 39
WIS: 13 ((-10.4) [3])
CHA: 17 ((+9) (-23.4) [3]) (+10 [13])
Unspent Stat Points: 63
Unspent Perk Points: 12
Cash: $20,068.57
Fate/Prototype: Saber Costume (Home-Made) Sewn, glued and stapled together by your best friend Sparky with hours of his own personal time out of a desire to have you look your best. Despite being made from parts of other Halloween costumes and sports equipment, this costume still somehow gives off a somewhat regal appearance.
+10% Damage Reduction
+5 to all [Swordplay] abilities
+2 to STR
+2 to SPD
+2 to VIT
+10 to CHA
Gram: Bastard Sword Lv Max Forged by the flames of a dragon's breath, molded in battle against a scaled demon, and cooled in the blood of the same dragon, this sword represents the ideal of a true dragon slaying knight.
+50% [Slashing] Damage
+50% [Piercing] Damage
+250% Damage to all [Dragons]
+25 to [Parry Ability]
+25% [Bleed-out] length
+25 STR Sword Skill: Dragon Slaying Shockwave
By calling out the name of the sword while fueling it with mana, you unleash a powerful shockwave that is only as strong as the power you put into it.
Nerd-Geek Hybrid: Your obsession with video gaming, computers, fantasy/sci-fi literature and 80's/90's pop culture has left you in the rare middle of two circles; the obsessive fandom-loving geek and the intelligent, knowledge seeking nerd. Sadly, your hobbies have left you with an aversion to physical exertion. (50% bonus to INT gains, -50% penalty to STR, SPD & VIT gains.)
Ambiguous Disorder: Ever since you were a little kid, you've always been a little bit off. Impulsive, obsessive, socially obtuse and emotionally needy, you're a bit of a weirdo. It was easily written off as normal behavior when you were younger but now you're fifteen. Yet, you still come off as someone over five years younger. Maybe Mom should have had you tested like Dad said? (-80% reduction to overall WIS, 90% reduction to overall CHA.)
Casanova Bloodline: As a Veder man, you have a great smile, natural charm and a confident approach to life that draws the ladies in like a moth to a flame. Your great cheekbones don't hurt either. It's how your dad got your mom to go out with him while dating at least three other girls and sleeping with two others, at least that's what he always told you - even when you didn't ask - all the time. (+ 9 CHA)
Dragon-Blooded Fire and fury flows through your veins, blood of the dragon.
The mythical hero Siegfried was baptized in the blood of a magical dragon and became nigh-invulnerable, immune to nearly all forms of damage. You, on the other hand, were splattered in the blood of a not-so-magical dragon. (+ 250 HP, + 10 STR, + 10 SPD)
Dragon-Souled For some, baptism by fire tends to be a symbolic term. Not for you, though.
Facing the heat of Lung's flames head-on has purified the strength of your will and the power of your soul. The beginnings of draconic power grow throughout your being. (+250 MP, +250 Will, +10 INT, +10 VIT)
Peak Human What is peak human, anyway?
Somehow, you have surpassed the physical threshold of humanity, surpassing those inherent limits man is beholden to. (Unlocks perks for STR, SPD, VIT and INT once a stat crosses a benchmark of 50 pts)
Baby Steps (1/3) [Ranked Skill] With Catlike Tread...
Allows very light movement across surfaces, allowing you to move or stand on surfaces that would normally not support your weight.
Bulwark Facing off against an opponent who far outclassed you has given you an ability to withstand impossible pain.
Takes 50% less damage from opponents over five times your level.
Danger Sense (2/10) [Ranked Skill] My common sense is tingling.
You gain a sixth sense that allows you to sense the presence of incoming danger.
Dragon Blood's Gift What is a knight without armor? A dragon without scales? A lion without teeth?
All equipped armor and gear is self-repairing at a rate of 1% a minute, so long as it is constantly being fed mana or will in some manner.
Fire Dragon's Aura (1/10) [Ranked Skill] "Bathed in Dragon Fire and Blood, I shall fear no flame"
At a rate of 1 MP per second per rank, draw upon your pyrokinesis to generate an aura of fire. Your equipment and body are immune to the heat, of it and anything cooler than it. It is, however, actual fire, so try not to burn down your house. In addition, you can literally breathe fire instead of air while this is active.
Lifegiver (3/10) [Ranked Ability] Health is more than just not getting sick.
Every time you gain a level, you gain an additional 5 HP for each rank of this perk.
Not Quite Dead People die when they are killed… usually.
Survive after your HP sinks below 0 and a harmful status effect is active.
10% Chance to recover with full health when HP drops to 0.
Quick Healer Don't worry, it won't scar. You heal rather fast, at a rate of a tenth of your VIT every fifteen seconds.
Transformation Sequence (1/3) [Ranked Skill] "It's Morphin' Time!"
By willing yourself to transform, you can equip any full outfit within your inventory, transforming in a flash of blue light, mana glitter and/or a whirlwind of aerokinesis obscuring you.
Gamer's Body (Passive) Lv. MAX
Allows you to live life as if were a game.
Sleeping restores HP, MP, Will and removes most negative status effects.
Gamer's Mind (Passive) Lv. MAX
Grants immunity to mental status effects, emotional and mental trauma and severely dangerous emotional states.
Basic Aerokinesis Lv 12 "Winds, guard me!"
Exert the force of your air control over a range of 35 meters. (140 mph)
Cost: 20 mp per second of sustained use at max range & power.
Basic Pyrokinesis Lv 1 Burn, baby, burn!
Generate flames and control them up to a range of 2 meters. Cost: 20 MP per second of sustained use at max range.
Dash Straight Lv 11 (XP: 35%) Force equals Mass times Acceleration.
You may suck at physics, but you know that much.
Through reinforcing the body, you smash your fist into a target while moving at high speed. Damage scales based on distance moved. (1.5x Damage Cap) Damage: 165 Cost: 25 Will + 2 Will for every meter power sprinted
Mana Glitter Lv 4 (XP: 65%) Sparkle like the pretty bishounen you were always meant to be. Or a princess. Or a pedophilic slightly-rapey vampire. Who's judging you?
Release particles of mana from your body in the form of iridescent sapphire sparkles. Max Range increases by 25% with each level. (2.5 meters)
Cost: 1 MP per second
Mana Platform Lv 1 I call it walking on air.
Using raw mana, you create semi-solid platforms under your feet that last only as long as you remain still. (.25 m)
Cost: 1 MP per 2 seconds
Observe Lv 9 (XP: 5%)
A skill to find out basic information relating to the chosen object. Cost: 1 MP
Raging Combo Lv 13 (XP: 15%) A blistering barrage of belligerent blows built to batter baddies.
By repeatedly using weaker forms of Angry Straight, you pummel your target with raw frustration and anger. (36 Hits)
Damage: 390 Cost: 65 Will
Reinforcement (Apprentice) Lv 13 (XP: 15%) A discount version of the Kaio-Ken for the squishy wizard.
Increases your effective strength, speed and health by 5% per level with this technique from a base of 50%. Does not increase actual points of vitality or willpower. Improved control means that weaker usages of Reinforcement is within your grasp for lower costs. (110%)
Cost: 5 Will every 2 seconds Warning: Overuse will lead to HP damage.
Subskill: Burst Cast from hit points. Yeah, it's one of those skills.
A short, yet extremely concentrated and focused burst of reinforcement applied to the extremities for an insane burst of ability lasting 1 second.
(x 2.5 top Reinforced SPD/STR)
Cost: 20 Will, 40 HP
Subskill: Layer Reinforcement
Increases the quality of non-living items, increasing their sharpness, durability, and hardness.
This form of reinforcement can be used on non-living substances for a base quality increase of 250% Each level improves this by 25%.
(550%)
Cost: 2 Will every 5 seconds.
Surface Adhesion Lv 9 (XP: 35%) You ever wanted to be Spider-Man? Don't lie. Of course you did.
This skill allows you to stick to walls and hang on to ceilings and vertical surfaces without a risk of falling. While not denying gravity, this allows you to adhere to surfaces unaided. Cost: 2 MP per second
Structural Analysis Lv 5 (XP: 35%) Judging the concept of creation, Hypothesizing the basic structure...
Grants the ability to gain a rudimentary understanding of the internal structure and functional design of simple, non-living objects. Cost: 2 mp per square half-meter of object.
Weapon Charge Lv 17 (XP: 75%) Conceptually do twice as much damage with a weapon. Broken?
What's that mean?
Boosts weapon damage x 2.
Length of charge increases by 1/2 second for every level. (8.5 sec)
Cost: 8 MP
Acrobatics Lv 21 (XP: 35%) Parkour!
An ability that enables you to pull off backflips, frontflips and any manner of jumping-based ground-movement technique with greater ease.
Awareness: Mana Lv 8 (XP: 25%) Mana, magic energy, magicka, prana, ether, thaum, spiritual energy, magatsuhi or even chakra… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end.
You have gained awareness of Mana, the spiritual energy found within the human mind and soul. Gaining awareness of your magical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.
Awareness: Willpower Lv 6 (XP: 15%) Willpower, ki, chi, qi, stamina, aura, mantra, physical energy, life energy, od, or even hamon… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end.
You have gained awareness of your Willpower, the physical energy found within all living organisms. Gaining awareness of your physical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.
Ballroom Dancing Lv 1 I wouldn't call it dancing yet. More like a full-body dry heave set to music.
Represents your skill in the art of dancing in a fancy, romantic manner when with a partner.
Basic Anatomy Lvl 5 (XP: 85%) Anatomy is to physiology as geography is to history.
Gain a basic understanding of the human body.
Increases [Critical Hit] damage by 10% per level. (50%)
Beginner Combat Lvl 4 (XP: 5%) I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.
The next level of combat, Beginner Combat is a fusion of fighting and footwork into the ability to learn new styles of combat, fusing them into a novice martial combat capability.
Increased bare-handed damage by 2% per level. (8%)
Blunt Weaponry Lv 5 (XP: 4%) Carry a big stick. Speaking softly is optional.
Measures your skill with using a blunt weapon.
Increases damage with a blunt weapon by 2% per level. (20%)
Breath-Holding Lv 13 (XP: 15%) Asphyxiation is a terrible way to die.
Increases time able to stay conscious without air by 30 seconds per level. (6.5 min)
Bullshitting Lv 5 (XP: 5%) First, you tell a lie; then you believe it; then you become it.
Increases chances that any lie you tell is successful by 2% with every level. (10%)
Disarm Lv 3 (XP: 55%) Take their weapon from their warm, living hands.
Increases chance of disarming the enemy by 2% with every level. (6%)
Driving Lv 4 (XP: 25%) NASCAR, here we come.
Measures your skill at operating a four-wheeled motorized vehicle.
Gunplay: Rifles Lv 3 (XP: 35%) Slightly better than a stormtrooper.
Improves aim/accuracy/stability with a rifle by 5% per level. (15%)
Improves damage with a rife by 2% per level. (6%)
Kissing Lv 5 (XP: 75%) Looks like practicing on a peach actually paid off.
Represents your skill in the art of smooching.
Language: Japanese Lv 7 (5%) Gratuitous Japanese indeed.
Reflects your speaking skill, and understanding of, the Japanese language.
Meditation Lvl 10 (XP: 30%) Breathe in the good shit. Breathe out the bullshit.
By finding your inner focus, you push out all earthly distractions and enter a state of mental and physical harmony, allowing a greater understanding of your mind and body. While meditating, your Mana and Will recover at a rate of 10% faster per level into this ability. You retain this bonus for a period of ten minutes post-Meditation. (100%)
Parry Lv 8 (XP: 60%) To deflect an attack is a double-edged sword;
Risking more damage for the chance to inflict the same.
Increases the effectiveness of any attempt to divert or deflect a physical attack by 2% with every level. (16%)
Reflexes Lv 14 (XP: 15%) DODGE!
Increases your innate reaction speed by 10% per level. (140%)
Resistance: Blunt Force Lv. 56 (XP: 25%) Going from punching yourself in the face to actual self-mutilation?
Bold move, Veder. Let's see if it pays off.
Reduce all blunt force damage by 0.75% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (42%)
Resistance: Cold Lv 6 (XP: 80%) The cold never stopped bothering you.
Increases resistance to cold temperature by 1% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (6%)
Resistance: Electricity Lv 8 (XP: 25%) Everyone knows electrocution is harmless.
Increases resistance to electrical damage by 1% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (8%)
Resistance: Heat Lv 46 (XP: 75%) "You have to respect anything that can just stand there, on fire."
Increases resistance to heat damage by 1% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (46%)
Resistance: Piercing Lv 21 (XP: 50%) The thrust or stab is risky because it can kill and yet not stop
Reduces piercing or stabbing damage by 0.75% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (15.75%)
Resistance: Poison Lv 3 (XP: 15%) I wonder what counts as a poison...
Reduces damage and effects caused by poison by 1% every level that will cause damage less than 100% of your health, in any way, shape or form. (3%)
Resistance: Slashing Lv 9 (XP: 90%) The cut will stop but not kill.
Reduces slashing or cutting damage by 0.75% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (6.75%)
Seduction Lv 1 (XP: 5%) I didn't mean to turn you on… or did I?
Manage to draw the attention of a member of the opposite sex using your innate attraction skills. Increases chance of [Critical Hits] on enemies by .5% every level. (.5%)
Sneaking Lv 11 (XP: 20%) Ugh… stealth missions suck.
Allows for 2% quieter movement per level while trying not to be heard. (22%)
Stamina Lvl 11 (XP: 15%) Whatever I lack in talent I have in stamina.
Increase Will by + 5 with every level. (55 Will)
Swordplay: Single Blade Lv 25 All swords are the same.
Represents your martial skill with the art of a single blade.
Increases damage with a blade by 2% per level. (50%)
Taunt Lv 10 (XP: 10%) "And this! Is when I taunt you!"
Draw the attention of a target through nonsensical, idiotic, but occasionally piercing, verbal attacks. Increases chance of Critical Hits on enemies by 2% with every level. (20%)
Thrown Weapons Lv 4 (XP: 75%) Throwing your sword always works. Except, you know, when it doesn't.
Increases the skill, range and force by which items and weapons can be thrown by 2% with every level. (8%)
I'm pretty sure that tattletale's power would tell her Greg's power is trump bullshit. At the absolute most she might get 'the secret love child of eidolon and dauntless's powers with a quicky with uber's. She doesn't have enough to really give her a brain hemorrage here.
And I really do hope you aren't adding the gaia shit here. If you don't want to give him a shard, just leave it unexplained. As I've said before, the gamer comic is kinda terrible, it's about as poorly paced as a battle shounen series can get (and that's saying something), the characters lack spatial dimensions, and its' plot is kind of a collection of rehashed scenes from better works. But aside from that, there is no need to shoehorn in another source of powers when you have a perfectly functional source already. Confuses the setting, practically forces you to add the kinda shitty magical criminal underworld present in the gamer to make gaia an ongoing thing, which begs the question of why cauldron doesn't know about them, ongoing super powered investigations would turn up something so the protectorate would be peripherally aware, so tattletale would get at their files so she would be aware. And then you have to change everything about the setting. The gaia thing is barely an explanation in the webcomic, there is a better one in worm, so just use the worm explanation or none at all if you have to make Greg the specialest little snowflake.
By the by, anyone else find the trump power rating name is... corrupted with the presence of Putin's pet potato with butthole lips?
Normally, I'd make a pithy remark about Tattletale.exe crashing and joking about making sure it was up to date on the latest patch and such but that joke would get old.
I'm just waiting for Armsmaster to show up and just be confused as all hell before bringing Greg, Taylor, the Undersiders, and Lung in so things get hashed out and the record's set straight.
Oh, that doesn't happen in Worm? Well it should because why wouldn't Armsmaster do that; he's a professional!
Is this a gamer crossover, or just inspired by the mechanics in a loose sense?
My impression so far is that it just took the concept of a game character, not the actual lore and other baggage of the gamer comic.
Is this a gamer crossover, or just inspired by the mechanics in a loose sense?
My impression so far is that it just took the concept of a game character, not the actual lore and other baggage of the gamer comic.
So with all the FSN stuff creeping in, and the wog that that reaction was all Tats and not the shard,,,
I am moderately sure TT just saw the underlying nature of the universe/the root/whatever, and there is a 50/50 chance she might learn magic.
Which actually wraps back around to the gamer because, as people tend to forget, in the Manga the whole " gamery" aspect of the MCs power is not the intended function, but rather the framework that his mind built to deal with it.
The whole thing kind reminds me of a Mage Awakening in the OWOD, which if it's anything like that, there is a fair to middling chance it would boot out her shard.
So with all the FSN stuff creeping in, and the wog that that reaction was all Tats and not the shard,,,
I am moderately sure TT just saw the underlying nature of the universe/the root/whatever, and there is a 50/50 chance she might learn magic.
Which actually wraps back around to the gamer because, as people tend to forget, in the Manga the whole " gamery" aspect of the MCs power is not the intended function, but rather the framework that his mind built to deal with it.
The whole thing kind reminds me of a Mage Awakening in the OWOD, which if it's anything like that, there is a fair to middling chance it would boot out her shard.
Translation for the regular reader: A current setting power source has encountered a manwha called "The Gamer" and modeled a power set off the fictional parahuman portrayed --much as has been done with various parahuman power sets (Alexandria ala Superman Etc .Etc.). While modeling the "Gamer" mode, it is trolling the host significantly.
The Shards may not even be aware that there is such a thing as "Fiction" and we end up with the whole "Historical Documents" idea from Galaxy Quest.
(Made a ship to match the plans. What do you mean acting is 'lying'? What's a lie? Ohhhhh.)
For what it's worth, now that we know that it wasn't "Tattletale's shard blue-screened at Greg's weird power", I really like the theory that Lisa went "does not compute" upon realizing that she just got saved by Void Cowboy of all people.
I think it's heavily hinted that she had problems figuring out the inherent dragon-ness of Greg's sword, though...
