Disclaimer: I don't own Tensura so don't sue my ass.
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I, Jamie, resided in the hazardous landscape of the Barren Lands, where highly dense magicules pervaded the environment, which rapidly spawned ravenous creatures. I discovered the concentrated magicules were also the cause of the tenacious sandstorms that veiled the current time of day.
The air here was highly toxic to organic life and the soil was very damaged to the point of infertility. Overall, the place had a poor quality of life, only creatures like me that were entirely reliant on magicules thrived.
With my newly developed common skill, [Terrakinetic Drive], I traversed the desolate lands with incredible mobility. Combined with my [Accelerate] and [Path Alteration] I was virtually an unstoppable force. My form collided repeatedly against the dense magicules in the air, leaving seemingly no room for my preys to escape. The earth beneath me trembled as I reshaped the surrounding terrain to propel my slimy form forward, causing the ground to rise and fall in rhythmic sequences that made me appear like I was surfing on piles of dirt. After spotting a pack of monsters in the distance, I promptly executed an enhanced leap by literally flinging myself in their direction using my [Earth Manipulation].
I began pursuing one of the monstrous creatures that resembled a wolf, I was ready to throw down with some monsters today and I didn't intend to let them escape. The monster in my vision has a skull-like head and blue flames that extend from its neck downward toward its tail. According to [Philosopher], they are known as Barghests. They have extremely strong hides that allow them to survive even in hostile environments like this one.
I've only known my imaginary buddy, [Philosopher], who also happens to be one of my skills, for a few months. I have been learning magic and accumulating skills during this time. Thanks to its sub-skill Pursuit of Truth, I can obtain a rough notion of various topics or difficulties I come across. It operates similarly to Google from Earth and, as such, allows me to access a well of knowledge. Its only caveat is I'm limited by what I want to know, so I have to phrase my question correctly, or I won't be able to get certain answers.
I shot out my [Acidic Ooze]; however, I was puzzled observing its change in midair due to my accelerated thoughts. I have been practicing with my skills for a while, and I was finally able to successfully alter its properties by using my deep mastery over my body and magicules combined with envisioning the intended effect I wanted.
«Skill: [Sticky Acid] acquired.»
The ooze travels at high speeds, not losing momentum in the air, and ensnares the Barghests onto the ground, preventing the beast's movements. Even though the acid still had a corrosive effect, its consistency appeared to also be moist. As the beast squirmed, i prepared my next attack. I imagined the spell in my mind and cast Fire Magic: [Fireball]. Instantly, a spherical mass of flames erupted from my slime figure and burned the beast to a crisp.
«The acquired skills [Acidic Shot], [Sticky Acid], and [Solidity] combine to evolve into the extra skill, [Ooze Manipulation].»
I could sense more of the Barghests; circling me was a pack of them, staring me down with their red eyes from within the raging magicules storm. As they are about to pounce on me, I abruptly ascend with a pillar using [Earth Manipulation] and respond in kind.
'[Firestorm]!'
Suddenly, the beasts were assaulted by a torrent of sweltering flames, burning all the Barghests as well as the specified area in one swoop.
'That was close,' I thought while regaining my composure. According to [Philosopher]'s evaluation, I seem to have a knack for casting magic. Although the incantations and complexities of the spells are handled by my skill, I am able to produce significantly stronger spells due to my imagination.'
'I guess it isn't all that surprising, after all; I am a delusional ass kid.'
(A/N: At least bro is self-aware.)
'Anyways, I think we're ready for the boss monsters now. What do you think, [Philosopher]?'
«Acknowledged.»
'In terms of raw power, I'm currently at the Hazard-Class. Beings of considerable strength that are able to bring down an entire town. Though, according to [Philosopher], I'm in the range of the Calamity-Class due to my sentience and skills.'
I also discovered I could affect phenomena happening around me courtesy of my other unique skill: [Freak]. Although it doesn't talk to me like [Philosopher] does, it is an invaluable part of my skill set. It lets me manipulate any external force I interact with. For instance, I can control the magicule sandstorms raging through the area of the Desert of Death that surrounds me as well as better control the magicules that make up most of my body. Meaning, I can't waste my energy unless on purpose; hell, it really didn't take much to train now that I think about it. I'm also able to assimilate some of the magicules in my surroundings; it does require me to fully sublimate it afterward.
The sub-skill Existential Outcome can be a substitute for pretty much any skill depending on what laws I actively defy in order to manifest certain effects. But according to [Philosopher], we might just be scratching the surface of its capabilities. There is no doubt; this shit must be extremely rare. Skill Creation does exactly what its name suggests: create skills. It was originally deemed redundant due to [Philosopher]'s Analysis Expert, which allows me to naturally acquire skills through extended analysis and provids me with a comprehensive boost, but its true value lies in its ability that lets me manufacture my own skills and skip the process of understanding how a skill works to acquire it. Morph is even more overpowered. On the surface, it lets me take the shape of whatever I want, while on deeper levels, it grants me control over my contaminated slime cells and enhances my regeneration. This makes killing me significantly harder for my adversaries. With it, I'm kind of like a fusion between Venom and Carnage.
«Judgment. The master would be more analogous to the superheroes known as Martian Manhunter and Plastic Man.»
'Yeah! That's right! How didn't I think of them? Wait, how do you know them?'
«Answer. They are the characters found in your memories.»
'Uh-huh'
It might just be me, but lately, during the past few months I've spent in the Barren Lands, it seems like [Philosopher] has been acting more humanly. More recently, it started going through my memories. [Philosopher] did inquire about my consent, and I really didn't mind. I thought it would be a great way to build our trust.
One substantial thing I got out of it was that [Philosopher] stated it was possible to recreate the technology of Earth after its analysis of my memories. This was all possible thanks to my mind, which had been greatly enhanced, now functioning just like an encyclopedia. I retained an unquantifiable amount of knowledge and was constantly amassing more with every new experience in this world. If I concentrated with [Philosopher]'s assistance, I could recall in real time and clarity pretty much anything from academic studies, random internet searches, and conversations I had in the past, to more complex shit like chemical equations, historical facts, advanced mathematics, and literature analyses I learned but ultimately forgot. Everything was layered on top of each other, and with Pursuit of Truth passively running, I was essentially a bouncing index of information, but like the lazy bum I was, I dumped everything on [Philosopher] to sort out. I left all the brainy stuff to my [Philosopher] cause frankly, it was just too much to handle. So, I'm definitely going to live the quiet life when I get out of here. Damn, [Philosopher] is really amazing.
'Hmmm… Which begs the question. Are you a she or a he? Cause 'It' seems kind of cruel to subject you to after all you've done for me.'
«…»
'Your voice gives the impression of Siri, so she it is!'
I basically just assumed the gender of my skill. Back in America, that would have been considered offensive, though since she didn't protest, 'she' should be fine. [Philosopher]'s sub-skills seemed just as important as [Freak]. Without the mental enhancements, I'm sure I wouldn't know or understand anything about this new world I was in. She also helped me master the majority of my skills, though with the exception of [Freak]. As aforementioned, [Philosopher] specializes mainly in the deep understanding and archiving of knowledge in order to reach the true nature of the world. Though I'm often lost or overwhelmed with her explanations and only manage to persevere through a gut feeling of how to do things. I remember Dad said something about it; it was along the lines of me being an instinctual learner. In exchange for looking and sounding dumb, I was able to grasp things fairly easily, though it was seemingly impossible for me to explain shit because I didn't know how I did it in the first place. The comprehensive boost was actually pretty nifty, it made me seem smarter but there were still things I couldn't fully grasp so I relied on [Philosopher] as she got everything down to a tea. I had to depend on her understanding because I only ever paid attention to subjects that piqued my interest back on earth though now it came back to bite me in the ass. Take for example magic, I didn't know it was so interconnected with the study of science. Unlike how it usually is in the fantasies I remember, magic here required an understanding of how the world works.
In fact, I had to relearn a few scientific concepts so my magic wouldn't stagnate. Although hard, I was able to pull through with her patience and assistance.
Thankfully, by delegating all my experience from Earth to [Philosopher], she began diving into various branches of science and knowledge like her name suggests and eventually, I didn't have to worry to much about magic anymore. With that I couldn't even tell which of my unique skills was the true cheat skill.
In any case, as I make my way through the chaotic storms filled with magicule radiation, I come across various small fries, which I swiftly make short work of, though the more I bounce, the denser the magicules become. I was smooth sailing until finally meeting one of the big dogs.
The Gehenna Serpent.
As my viscous form stands face to face with the monster, towering over me by several meters, I find myself unusually calm. Normally, I would be shitting bricks right about now.
«Analysis Complete. Gehenna Serpent is a Calamity-Class monster that has fully adapted to the harsh conditions of The Desert of Death. Although lacking in raw power, the creature appears to make up for its shortcomings with a variety of different Ailments attacks or abnormal status effects. Possessing the intrinsic skills: [Corrosive Breath], [Heat Source Perception], and [Evil Eye].»
«Notice. Mental interference detected. Resisted.»
'I'm guessing that was the effect of its Evil Eye?'
«Affirmative.»
'Man, this thing is seriously bad news. No wonder the monsters opted to avoid its domain. Shi—I thought before its [Corrosive Breath] attack brought me back to my senses. Though, I managed to dodge the attack in time.'
As I bounced back towards the monster, I started to probe the snake for any weaknesses by spamming my skill [Acidic Shot] while circling the monster. The acid seems to have no effect. 'Does it have resistance to acid?' My question was answered when the snake shot out what appeared to be a poisonous substance that ate away at the surface of the ground I was at a few seconds ago. The effectiveness of the poison was comparable to my acidity but it's color was red in comparison, matching the color of the snake's skin.
Unintimidated by its actions, I bombarded the snake monster with the [Fireball] spell. However to my surprise, it persisted to the very end, dodging left and right while avoiding my magic attacks with brilliant movements.
*Thod*
*Thod*
I finally managed to get in a few hits in. Right when I was about to celebrate, it regenerated itself with the [Self-Regeneration] skill.
Then suddenly, the large snake retaliated with a tail attack, the sharpened tip of the tail almost struck me but I blocked it with my Fire Magic: [Fire Wall].
«Notice. Status abnormalities detected. Resisted.»
'Guh, this damn snake is so annoying!'
The next moment, I lunged out at the monster, cracking the ground I previously occupied. My body went through contortion, turning one of my appendages into a blade, and I began to unleash an onslaught of slashes at the monster.
I had decapitated its head clean off, killing it near instantly. I had infused my attack with fighting spirit, nullifying its regeneration. All thanks to [Philosopher]'s insight on Aura.
Apparently it's another kind of spiritual matter that is released by all life-forms without any kind of special act. I managed to weaponize this 'Aura' by infusing it into my body to boost my physical performance exponentially. Fighting spirit is essentially 'Aura' released by beings in combat. It is used to perform Battlewill arts, which are just effects that resemble magic.
This world is really interesting; there is more than one way to achieve strength.
«Notice. You have taken 5% damage. Activating Intrinsic Skill: [Self-Regeneration].»
'Uh-huh, wait, that is a crazy thought. Now that I acquired [Pain Nullification], how am I supposed to know when I take damage if I can't even feel pain? Good thing you're here, but I should still be careful; getting up close should be a last resort.'
'Hey [Philosopher], can you make those skills the monster had using my other unique skill [Freak]?'
«Acknowledged. Initializing….»
I felt a sudden twinge deep within me and heard her voice resonate in my mind again.
«Confirmed. Skill: [Corrosive Breath], [Heat Source Perception], and [Evil Eye] acquired.»
'Also, can you make another skill? One that makes me stronger whenever I beat an enemy. Kind of like a level-up skill.'
«Initializing…. Establishing intrinsic skill [Dissolve] as base… Successful.»
«Confirmed. Extra Skill: [Furnace] acquired.»
'Thanks.'
'Man, what would I do without you? I'd probably be dead right about now with all the monsters I encounter on the daily.' I thought as I continued my assault on the variety of numerous monsters emerging from the ground below. Surrounding me in what seemingly looked like a strategy to overwhelm me with their numbers. The ones to my left looked like lizards covered in poisonous liquids. Though, it did pale in comparison to the acids my body produces. The ones to my right were wolf like monsters, with a more darker and fierce ambiance to them. Behind me, were dozens more monsters with sinister appearances. The majority had similar characteristics: long claws, large bodies, dangerous looking appendages, fanged mouths and hideous snake-like wyrms, all of them coated in demonic-looking auras and seeping creepy liquids. All their gazes landed on me, with the pressure they all produced with their auras making the atmosphere so dense as to be palpable.
'I guess you guys are getting a lot confident nowadays. Just because I've been practicing with my skills. Let me show you what I got.'
'Eat this!'
'[Icicle Rain]'
I watched as heat was sapped from the moisture in the atmosphere. Multiple large pieces of ice shards were formed in thin air and fired at the monsters. I followed that up with a plethora of spells while isolating myself with a magical barrier. I utilized the magicules in the air, turning the surrounding area into a deadly hellscape.
'I keep forgetting that I don't need the incantation because of Chant Annulment. In fact, I think I can hand this over to [Philosopher] if I wanted to.'
A slew of fire, earth, and wind magical attacks rained down on the surroundings, indiscriminate of who the attacks landed on. After a few seconds, I let down the barrier and darted through the monsters ending them in a flash. I leaped up into the sky and transformed my body into a circular-bladed object. Further enhancing my form with [Fighting Aura] and [Accelerate], I flew around as a blur of motion, mutilating the monsters with ease. I even maneuvered around well in the air with my [Path Alteration], leaving no place to hide.
«Extra Skill: [Ultra Acceleration] acquired.»
«The acquired skills [Accelerate], [Path Alteration], and [Ultra Acceleration] combine to evolve into the extra skills, [Motion Manipulation] and [Ultraspeed Action].»
*eeekk!!*
*Bllekkk!!*
I ignored the reports as my attention was more immersed in the battle, the cries of the mindless monsters echoed through the surroundings. Undeterred by the flurry of retaliations by the monsters, I continued my assault on them with increased momentum. After clashing with the monsters on numerous occasions, their attacks seem rather monotonous to me now though this might just be my Thought Acceleration talking.
'Let it Rip! hahaha!' I thought with enthusiasm. I spun and spun with excellent rotational force, making the air itself my ally as I further mauled through the monsters. Leaving behind a trail of chopped and severed limbs in my wake. In a couple of minutes, I ended the lives of all the monsters in the area.
'Man, I wish there were more. They were kind of weak too, hopefully I meet stronger monsters in the future,' I thought. With my perception I scrutinized my surroundings, well aware I could be caught off guard at any moment.
«Resist Skill: [Magic Resistance] acquired.»
'Okay. That skill seems straightforward enough.'
'Huh? Hey [Philosopher], what's the deal with [Ultra Acceleration] and [Ultraspeed Action]? They seem kind of similar. Is there a difference?'
«Affirmative, there is a distinction. While both opporate to increase velocity, [Ultraspeed Action] is deduced to be superior due to the additional benefits of complete maneuverability at high speeds and a faster acceleration period.»
'Hmmm...'
I went ahead and devoured the remains of the monsters. Some of their parts were pretty strong, so I incorporated my intrinsic skill: [Corrosion] to further break down and decompose the targets. I could feel the components melting into a mushy consistency within my body as I further converted the substances into energy.
'Nice.' I pondered as my trusty partner spoke again.
«Notice. Through the passive usage of the Aspectual Magic: [Auto Mapping], a mental map has been designed.»
'What? Seriously? It's only been a couple of days since I asked about an exit. Honestly, I thought it would take longer.'
'Nice job, [Philosopher]. Can you navigate me out of this place?'
«Affirmative. A route has been established.»
Suddenly an arrow appeared above me, pointing in a direction. I started bouncing in the direction of the arrow, increasing my speed with [Ultraspeed Action].
'It's good to know I can count on you [Philosopher].'
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Jamie began his journey southeast of the continent. He mapped out the surroundings as well as encountered many more monsters along the way; some were strong, and some weren't so much. In truth, these creatures were many times stronger than Jamie, but due to the quality of his unique skills, it was more than enough to bridge the gap between them, in fact, even surpassing the monsters and claiming their status as apex predators.
Jamie eventually came across the boundary that separates the various western states from the Desert of Death.
The long wall.
In the distance was a remarkably tall and large wall, layered with a powerful barrier that seemed to prevent the passage of magicules and monsters. There was a clearing in the sky, which revealed the bright rays of the sun and the colorful blue sky to Jamie for the first time in this world.
'Wowza. The air seems so clear now and I can actually see the sun. Can't believe it's almost been a year; time sure flies.' He thought in a melancholic tone, as his body further acclimated to the new environment. The conditions were relatively gentle compared to the nuclear wasteland that was the deeper parts of the Desert of Death. Though, this wouldn't have encumbered Jamie much if the climate became harsher.
His viscous body was now a veritable filtration device thanks to the combined efforts of [Philosopher]'s management and the precise control Morph provided with the additional aid of Existential Outcome which passively modified his status, applying various properties that could certainly be described as something miraculous. At the same time, [Philosopher] ran experiments on Jamie's body unbeknownst to him. Through a deep understanding of chemistry, the skill transformed his sludge-like body, maximizing his physical abilities and enhancing his overall performance. It analyzed the elements and compounds composed of atoms, molecules and ions within Jamie's body: their composition, structure, properties, behavior and the changes they undergo during reactions with other external substances. Rewriting these aspects, changed Jamie's chemical nature and affected his atomic/molecular structures. Allowing him to be the catalyst for various reactions and processes, all happening within his body. Having been granted unprohibited access by Jamie, the skill endeavored to fulfill its purpose as one of it's master's tools. Though, it's inevitable curiosity clouded its judgement at times.
'Hey [Philosopher], can you analyze that for me?' Jamie thought while darting through a couple of monsters stealthily. Despite his small stature, he surprisingly moved with grace and camouflaged well with the surrounding terrain. Though it did require his skill to remain blended with the surroundings.
«Analysis Complete. The Long Wall appears to be a defensive mechanism developed in order to prevent the spread of the conditions within the Desert of Death. The magical barrier is infused with the effect of Monster Intrusion Prevention, which reduces the birth rate of monsters and prevents the overwhelming amount of magicules from overflowing into human kingdoms.»
'Hmm… Can you break the barrier?' Jamie asked, looking for a solution.
«Answer. It is very much possible to dismantle the barrier through analysis; however, there is a high probability that severe consequences may follow.»
'Oh shit! What kind of consequences? No way, the person who put it up couldn't be that tough, right? Is there really no way through? I really don't care what happens. I might just—' He thought before getting interjected by his skill.
«Processing…. Successful. An alternative has been found.»
«Suggestion: Through the use of the unique skill: [Freak], there is a high probability of offsetting the barrier, resulting in the master's unimpeded passage. This way you will not draw the attention of aggressors by destroying the barrier.»
'Let's go, that's my [Philosopher]!' Jamie thought in a gleeful spirit.
As he glided through the obstacles in his way and approached the barrier, Jamie, guided by [Philosopher], coated his slimy body in an Existential Outcome-infused aura focused on shortly disrupting the variables contained within the barrier.
'Success!' Jamie thought, coming out on the other side of the barrier. Looking at the kingdom in the far distance, excitement began bubbling forth. 'I wonder if there are more otherworlders like me. I hope we can be friends.' He thought while heading towards the Kingdom of the Hot Sands: Coleus.
«Notice. Soldiers are stationed ahead; caution is advised.»
'Come on, give me a break.'
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A/N: Hello there, I'm the author. I just wanted to clarify the capabilities of Jamie's Unique Skills as I believe the description I gave for them might be confusing for some readers. [Freak] or its main sub-skill Existential Outcome makes Jamie an unconscious variable manipulator, unintentionally bending the variables and aspects of reality to his favor. Though he can only manipulate his own variables and the ones that he interacts with/affects his existence, granting him a rule breaking skill similar to Diablo's tempter and Shion's cook.
However when combined with [Philosopher] at the forefront comprehending these variables and how they interact in relation to their governing law, Jamie is able to actively override and defy laws corresponding to his desired/imagined outcome. Jamie can actualize pretty much anything, using himself or his body as the medium. He basically controls everything personally related to himself down to an atomic or subjective level. It's just like how magic is the process of projecting an idea into reality. [Freak] induces the process of projecting the user's will or actions into reality, enableing the user to alter the way laws and elements interacts with them through their imagination. Ah yes, I'm a Toaru fan so the Mc has to be an underdog with an overpowered ability. Frankly, the whole devour everything in one general direction was kind of getting old so I wanted to change things up a bit.
By the way, i realized I used ; in my writing a lot and I'm not sure if it's a bad thing or not. I would also appreciate it if you commented as I lose motivation to keep writing real fast. It's so bad, I have to listen to playlists of NEFFEX songs just to write. So please say something and help me get better at writing. Thank you bye.