Его не звали, но он приперся / They never called, yet he is here: Глава 11

Chapter 11

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 14:30

The creature was young, strong, hungry, and very stupid. However, this was a case where the problem with brains and self-control was, in fact, not its problem at all. Taking over the body of the forest beast, which was originally a common moose, the creature immediately began to devour everything and everyone unlucky enough to be near it. Enough blood was spilled to keep it in the real world even without Thunderstorm's influence. It continued to hunt and evolve.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 14:36

The intangible creatures that inhabit the other planes of existence grow strong very slowly, even killing their fellow kin. The very essence of the immaterial planes did not allow to properly assimilate particles of souls of the defeated opponents. That's why spirits had to suffer disproportionately longer, killing hordes of enemies and taking regular risks of becoming prey themselves. All for the sake of another level, for the sake of becoming stronger. Though most of them remained too dumb to realize their status. They were still part of the System, which strengthened them, following the subconscious and instinctive impulses of their volatile nature.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 14:38

In reality, of course, they lose a lot of their racial abilities, which are simply not applicable in the material world, but they develop much faster, gaining as much experience in a few hours as they could not gain in years in their mother realm. It is not surprising that most of these guys wanted to stay in a world that was foreign to them for as long as possible while killing and eating as many of its inhabitants as possible.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 14:41

This creature, for example, has had considerable success: an elk it captured and three wolves it subsequently killed, a wild boar, six of its spirit cousins that also captured vessels, only much more modestly, two orc hunters that broke away from the group, and a whole lot of hares. It could in good conscience call itself a true champion of the Grind, if it had any figurative thought with the ability to comprehend speech at all.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 14:45

Instead of indulging in arrogance over its achievements, it continued to hunt, compensating with the experience it received and the flesh it devoured for the fatigue and trauma it gradually accumulated in its weaned body. It was not intelligent, but it was still able to evolve enough to begin to dream of the power and strength that more death and blood could provide.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 14:46

That's why it lunged at the strange biped, something resembling the two green men whose flesh tasted incredibly delicious, perhaps much tastier than anyone else's. A sharp growl that could frighten, confuse, or even tear the weak heart and eardrums apart, rapid acceleration, and an attack with sharpened and considerably reinforced horns, capable at this stage of development of piercing the knight's armor.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 14:49

Acceleration.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 14:49

Attack.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 14:49

Hit!

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 14:50

The creature watched in amazement as the headless body of some strange creature with spiky skin and enormous hooves ran past her. It didn't take her long to realize that she could no longer feel the entrapped body, but that something cold and unbearably dangerous was creeping toward her very core. Her vision faded swiftly, but she heard strange noises from what appeared to be a bipedal creature:

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:06

"I'm so [bleep] sick of this [bleep] forest!"

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:06

This time it was both easier and harder at the same time. It was simpler because I was not a newcomer to this world, and I was able to run at the speed of a galloping horse for quite a long time. If I neglected recovery and stealth, I could cover the same distance in a day as I had in a couple of weeks at the beginning of my adventures.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:07

It was harder because every moment I had the realization hanging over my head that I was one step away from a normal bed and a warm bath. I was, but because of my idiocy, I decided to play the good guy. I fucking did! Now Losij and Hans are probably wasting my share of the gold, not even going to wait for me. And they're laughing, too.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:08

My intuition and clairvoyance told me that I was wrong and biased about both men, but even if I was, there was a second problem. I don't know where they were teleported to. It could be anywhere in the world, even diametrically opposed to the direction in which I was moving now.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:10

I wanted to kill someone brutally, but most of the local inhabitants had disappeared and hid somewhere. The situation was saved by the numerous monsters that had grown up after the rain, like some mushrooms, but they were either on one bite or ran away from me when I met them. The latter was destroyed on principle through the shadow sphere. I was not going to give them time to gain strength.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:11

I did not encounter any orcs, goblins, or anyone else. The most frightening enemy I encountered during my solo journey through the woods was this horned monster, whose horns I try to carefully saw off for reagents, as well as some other parts of his body. I still do not have a normal container, but some useful potion can be safely poured into a flask, and then drink diluted. In any case, the thing is good, it will come in handy somewhere. At least sell it as a trophy.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:17

I could have taken some gold coins with me, just in case I went out to people, but something tells me that I would have lost them, just like I lost my first spear. Besides, as I told you before, gold is a very heavy metal, so I shouldn't fill my pockets full of coins at all. After all, with my classes and stats, I can earn or steal a pretty decent amount as long as I have someone to steal and earn it from. And if there isn't, I don't see the point in having them.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:17

I took a break only when I began to feel the fatigue coming on. I tried not to think about how I was going to cook and cut up the animals I'd killed when the food ran out, practiced with the shadows, and finally checked my status. I would have checked before, but I didn't want to spoil the mood if there was any more crap in there.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:18

Oddly enough, there was a lot less bullshit this time. Either I'm so cool, or the System thought that lowering my morale even lower than it is now would be too cruel. The first thing I do is to see off two glowing messages in the tray about reaching the characteristic development limit.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:19

Attention, the strength characteristic has reached a limit and will no longer be developed by training

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:20

Attention, the characteristic concentration has reached the limit and will no longer be developed by training.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:20

In fact, it's quite understandable, because, during my last battle, I brought my body to the peak of its capabilities. And there were only four points in strength and only two in concentration before the limit. Now I could put points into any stat I wanted. I'm not interested in strength, but concentration would be nice to get to 100 points, too. To make it easier to control my shadows in combat. Right now I'm a melee mage. Yes, I can play a bald guy with a barcode on the back of his head, or just slay shadows from close range, but if I get too hot, my biggest weapons are daggers and shadows, dancing their "death tango. It is in this role that I reveal myself at my full power. Concentration, then, is critical.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:23

For now, though, I'm more concerned with keeping the rapturous shriek in check, because my development, in which I didn't put points into characteristics until they reached a limit, was finally paying off. They gave me a very amusing title, though they gave me a bit of a nasty pill with a little addendum.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:26

A Persistent Guy: you haven't wasted a single point by reaching your full potential, only to then start investing in it. Foolishness or farsightedness? We don't know, but we're rewarding you just in case. Bonus: +5 to all characteristics, except class characteristics.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:27

What is the bitterness of this pill, you may ask? It's because, according to the certificate, I could have gotten three times the bonus if I hadn't invested a single point up to this point. The worst part is that I am aware of the need to distribute the stats! I wouldn't have survived if I hadn't put points into dexterity and reserve, I just wouldn't have survived. I would have died there, in the underground necropolis.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:32

But, in the name of the Holy Internet, how stifling is the toad!
T.N.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:33

The pain was almost physically tangible, literally penetrating to the bone!

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:41

I shake off this despicable feeling to continue studying the logs. And almost immediately I feel better about my loss because the next title has made up for the missed opportunity.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:42

Those who've seen a lot: Most mortals live and die without ever meeting a Legend. Some are unlucky enough to meet one, and then their lives are cut short. Few could boast of what they had seen. But you defied the laws of statistics and common sense. You managed to meet three legendary monsters in less than a month and survive each of those encounters! Your fearless folly is rewarded! Bonus: +5 to all stats except class stats, +1 free ability point.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:44

Such a gift! A gift of the gifts, and most importantly, I am completely confident that I deserve it. After all, everything written is true. I really, by virtue of my idiocy, managed to run into three legendary monsters in a row, barely surviving such adventures. And this award looks not only like a mockery (admins, I'm writing down your mockery!), but also quite the natural result of a great effort.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:47

The class point is a balm to my soul. The ability point is very, very cool, even for a Hero, let alone an ordinary person. I was also supposed to get a bonus like that for Moose and Hans, who were now really dangerous types. Considering the titles and levels they'd gained in my company. If memory serves me right Losij was a proud twenty-fifth level by the time he went through the portal.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:49

That's pretty cool, right?

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:54

However, it's not that important, because what's more important is that I also developed a lot during this final battle. Considering the quantity and quality of the opponents. Three levels, like out of the bush! Nineteenth level and my intuition tell me that the twentieth, and thus three more class points are not much left.
T.N.
Leveling.
Each level 5 char points. Also.
Hero - 3 class points per 5 levels. (1 for each class)
Locals - til level 10 - 0 (null). From 10 to 25 - 1, from 25 to 50 - 2, 50 to 75 - 3.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:56

Note!

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 15:58

It's time to start grinding up shadow and alchemical abilities while I still have the opportunity. No one in the woods, all the greenhorns, as I realized, were frightened away by the mystical stuff that was coming out of all the crevices, which I was almost not dangerous. The railroad wagon and three oil tankers of time I have. It's a good time for a proper training session. It's not certain that I'll get free points, but at the very least I need to learn what shadow teleportation can do. In the future, the integrity of my beloved skin and the virginity of my equally beloved ass will depend on the skill of escape.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:04

The last gift from the System was a very ambiguous title, which seems not to give any permanent bonuses, but at the same time can bring a lot of benefits if only used correctly.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:06

And perhaps I was one of the few (could there be anyone else among those summoned who was suitable?) who could make use of the prospects opened by the title.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:06

Soul of a Mocker: You are one of the few who is accustomed to looking for someone else's pain points and hitting them as hard as you can with gusto. For justice, for your own convictions, or just for fun, you've come a long way from being a scavenger afraid to face your victims, capable only of insult, to a true maestro, capable even of gracefully dipping your opponent's face in the dirt. Bonus: you intuitively sense a way to poke fun at your interlocutor, whether with harmless irony or extreme sarcasm.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:07

Well, Kostik, would you like to congratulate yourself?

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:08

I've officially been titled a real Trololo, only in reality. I hope I don't turn green and get fat. Better to be slick and thin than fat and banned.
T.N.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:08

If used correctly, it can both help pull off important negotiations and piss off an overly cautious and quiet opponent. Personally, I'd rather have an extra bonus to my stats, but the reward I get isn't useless either.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:09

So what do I have in my status?

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:09

Name: Constantine
Race: Human
Level: 19

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:10

Titles: Hero; Silent Assassin; Night Master, Thunderstruck; The Legend Seer; The Legend Killer; Withstood; Sighted Mentor; A Persistent Guy; Those who've seen a lot; Soul of a Mocker

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:12

Characteristics Points: 15
Class Points: 8

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:13

Characteristics (standard):
Strength: 70
Dexterity: 115
Endurance: 75
Perception: 86
Concentration: 70
Energy: 114

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:15

Characteristics (class):
Shadow: 45
Dreams: 4
Inspiration: 7

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:16

Class: Lord of Shadows
Rank: 2
Basic characteristics: shadows, dexterity, perception.

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:17

Abilities:
Shadow Control: 5/5
Allows you to masterfully control shadows in your field of vision, giving them full physical embodiment; shadows can freely take solid form and are suitable for creating obstacles and barriers; the range, speed, control, and stretching of shadows is greatly increased; shadow density is greatly increased; shadows can inflict energy damage and impose effects that reduce target characteristics; wounds from shadows are worse; with maximum tension and concentration of the shadow on a certain area, you can turn the shadow into a door to another plane; increases the Shadow's characteristic by +5.

Shadow Sense: 5/5​
Allows you to sense all shadows within a large radius; allows you to clearly sense shadow movement and affiliation; allows you to control shadows freely even outside your direct line of sight; allows you to sense invisible persons touching shadows; allows you to see and hear through shadows; shadows within your perception zone are easier to submit to your will; shadows can point out targets you highlight or dangerous to you; if you wish, you can hear voices of shadow inhabitants distantly and vaguely; increases the Shadow characteristic by +5; increases the perception characteristic by +5.

Steps of the shadows: 1/7
Allows, with time and effort, to step into one shadow and out of another by walking on the edge of the shadow plan; the step distance is short, but the time, effort and concentration are considerable; of little use in combat.

Stealing of the shadow: 0/7

Summon of the shadow: 0/7

[undisclosed]

Camrad_RIP 14.12.21 в 16:18