Skill seed!!!
Rex had barely formed the thought when a thick veiny limb shot past his head.
<
A red glaring string of word, pulsed in his view, Rex had no idea what combat mode fully entailed, but he knew it was a feature unlocked after integration of X L into his interface. Cosmic AI's generally help players control their interface, with some having other special features. He really did not know much about what they were capable of, most of what he knew. Where as a result of him drawing his own conclusions, based on changes that had occurred since he integrated X L into his interface.
"Well, I guess its time to end this" Rex thought as he finally began his counterattack. An action driven by his curiosity, to find out what a skill seed is, and the fact that the thrill of danger the three attacking creatures exerted on him, was finally running thin.
Kick!
Punch!
Dodge!
The nature of Rex's attack began to change as he landed strikes in between punches; his strikes were graded in percentages. Each of his strikes swiped off 5% HP from his attackers.
Slowly and steadily, their HP's were dropping.
Bammm!!! A sweep kick landed squarely on the abdomen of a Neo-life Tortoise that was sending a punch towards Rex. He had already ascertained the direction of the punch, and nimbly placed himself out of its path, delivering a strike that wiped off another 5% of the attacker's HP.
Before the recoil of the kick even ended. A heavy forward kick was heading for Rex from his back. His instincts alerted him, and using his forward momentum, he spun forward, bringing himself face-to-face with the Creature that had sent the kick. He deftly deflected the direction of the forward kick with a wrist flick. Paying back the attacker in violence, a punch from him struck the creature squarely in the head.
A Critical Strike!!!
-10%.
Its already red bar HP was depleted.
The first of the three had fallen.
With Battle mode active, his notifications were partially frozen; only notifications that would directly affect his battle would be allowed to display by X L.
As his attackers dropped by one, the pressure on Rex dropped significantly.
With a low kick, he sent another Neo-Life Tortoise stumbling downwards, before its back struck the floor. Rex delivered a punch to its head.
"Another Critical Strike"
-13%.
[-1 Neo-Life tortoise (1 LEFT) ]X L
A notification popped up, announcing his most recent victory, even though it was a simple string of word that seemed to lack any emotional content. Rex could feel X L's excitement stuffed within those words.
Like an athlete that had just received a triumphant chant from his fan base.
Rex dealt blow upon blow on the last of the Neo-Life attackers. The pause between strikes almost non-existent, as Rex's strike rained on the creature.
[All Foes Slain]
[AWESOME PERFORMANCE]
+300XP [6 FOES SLAIN]
<
+3 STAT POINTS AWARDED [LEVEL UPGRADE]
+2 STAT POINT AWARDED [SLAYING MULTIPLE FOES 10LVL ABOVE PLAYER]
RESPECT EARNED: +15
AUTHORITY LEVEL: COSMIC CITIZEN (45/50)
AUTOMATIC DISTRIBUTION INITIATED FOR 5 STAT POINTS
UPGRADED STATS
HP: 20+5
CE: 2/22
STRENGTH: [/8+1/+3] 24
SPEED: /8+1/ 18
INTELLIGENCE: /7+1/ 16
WILL: /5+1/ 12
INSTINCT: /7+1/ 16
Overlord Body Set Attribute: x2 all stats
Rex glanced through his displayed stats, a smile appearing on his lips. The x2 multiplier of the Overlord Body Set boosted his abilities with each little change in his attributes.
"Wow, so many orbs!!!" X L reappeared in the hall, wearing a yellow and green patterned football jersey, with "Rex No 1 Fan" printed on its back. Making her way through the orbs (Monster cores) lying across the floor, as she weaved through the orbs, she smiled, looking at Rex with a nod of approval."
Rex smiled; she was a projection, but she felt so real. He could hear her soft steps and could even perceive a calming scent of almond milk from her. Just looking at her softly weaving her way through the hall, Rex could feel an impulse to rub her head.
Ahhhh!!!!
Rex screamed internally as he consciously tried to change his train of thought.
"X L, what is a Skill Seed?", Rex asked with a daring eagerness all over his face.
"Huuuuuu"
"The skill seed is a rare occurrence, where a player awakens a skill, not by absorption, but by high synchronicity of the player, with the skill."
"Skills seeds are the first product of triggering this skill". Once a skill seed is borne, it can be upgraded by merging similar skills and performing actions that are in very high sync with the skill" X L explained to Rex with a bored look.
"How do I use the skill seed?", Rex asked with excitement.
"Skill seeds are graded, based on the level of seed growth at its activation. The higher the seed growth, the higher the grade of the skill on activation."
"I would advise you progress the skill seed's growth further before activation."
Hearing X L's reply. Rex's mind was already racing to a conclusion. "He was going to progress this skill seed 'Dance of Grace' to its absolute limit before Awakening".
As his gaze burned with the intensity of his drive, X L could infer his thoughts. Her lips hid a smile as she came to know his decision. He had no idea how difficult his dream will be, but X L had no doubt he would achieve it. She knew better; every single opportunity Rex was getting were still all a test, aimed at increasing or decreasing his synchronicity with the Overlord Class.
"You should absorb the Orbs" X L reminded Rex, breaking his trance.
- - -
HARDEN Lvl 3 [2/16]
Reinforce a 55cm part of the body, increasing strength by 250% in the reinforced region
Augment an object of weight below 1kg/2.2lb. Augment Type (Strengthen)
E.COST: 3CE
{Experience Skill}
Learn how to use your new skill
Exp Inspirations left 2/3
Rex scanned through the changes in his skill, He could now reinforce his body by 250% and augment objects.
"What a pity that I still have not gotten any weapon," Rex lamented as he mourned the fact he could not immediately check out the Augment upgrade of his skill.
He did not let his mind dwell on it for long. Rex scanned the hall.
X L was curiously admiring the architecture of the wall, she looked just like any other inquisitive kid as she scanned the hall with awe-filled eyes.
His coin balance now stood at: 100,345B
The Neo-life tortoises he had slain had dropped a total of 175 coins, which were now among his stash.
Recalling how he had acquired 170 coins by scanning the last hall.
Rex made his way around the hall, checking for drops that could increase his in-game wealth.
"The bubbles he had spotted earlier embedded in the walls had bubbles forming and dissolving in them. Showing some form of activity going on. He went closer to study the development, but no change occurred. The only thing Rex noted was that the bubbles were warm.
He continued to study the hall, soon he spotted a crate of bottles. As he went closer to inspect the finding. A notification assaulted his screen.
STORE 11 GRADE F COSMIC ENHANCER
[YES] [NO]
Rex mentally selected YES. As he did so, the crate disappeared.
He summoned one of the Cosmic Enhancers.
The enhancer was contained in a transparent flask displaying a sky blue luminescent fluid.
As Rex focused on it, its specifications popped up.
(Increases Regeneration of Cosmic Energy by 30% for 30 mins)
"Gulp - Gulp - Gulp"
Rex downed the cosmic enhancer, it had a minty and refreshing vibe and feel.
>>>CE: [3/22] 1CE/7mins
"Note that the effect of the cosmic enhancer is stackeable, but with decreasing effect."
X L announced to Rex.
"WOW", Rex did not know when he exclaimed, with the stackable effect of the cosmic enhancer, he was wondering how much he could increase the rate of cosmic energy recovery.
He was imagining a scenario where he got it down to (1CE/min), and could use HARDEN endlessly in combat.
Rex had scanned through the hall, there did not seem to be any other thing of significance. Just the bubble-like structures embedded in the walls and damages in the walls, that seemed to show signs of some form of struggle, having gone on in the hall.
Rex made his way back to the "Eld-Spire", excitement slowly growing in his heart.
X L, had already appeared in the Eld-Spire, the moment its slit opened.
Rex brought up his interface, checking how much time he had left.
7hrs 47mins
Click!
As he glanced through his timer, the Eld-Spire shut with a crypt sound.
The glyphic markings, the control interface for the Eld-Spire, reappeared in the darkness.
Rex chose the next digit in the glyphic markings, they were five of such digits. Rex had explored 2 of those, he had 3 more to go.
'Grrrrrrrrr!!!!"
Vibrations ran through the Eld-Spire as it initiated its movement mechanism.
. . . .