Chapter 20: Lessons in Time and Trollery
Location: Kamar-Taj – Lower LibraryDate: March 13, 2007Time: 10:16 AM
Adam sat cross-legged in the dimly lit library, surrounded by tomes with titles like Chrono-Weaving for Beginners and Temporal Anchoring: What Not to Do Unless You Want to Die Screaming. Cozy.
Wong sat across from him, engrossed in a thick manuscript, his expression as unreadable as ever.
Adam cleared his throat.
No reaction.
He tried again, louder.
Still nothing.
Sighing dramatically, Adam leaned forward. "So… you're giving me the silent treatment because of the Mirror Dimension incident?"
Silence.
"Okay, yes, I did say it looked like a vomit collage from Picasso. But it was one joke.(that you hurd i thought about 20 more but never said them)"
Wong turned a page, unperturbed.
Adam squinted. "Are you even alive under that poker face?"
"I am practicing restraint," Wong replied calmly.
"Oh good. I thought you'd ascended to a higher plane of silent judgment.(with me around the only restraint you will have is you hand from hitting me hahahaha i the best villain)"
[System Notification: Emotional Ping – Mild Disdain (Wong)]Reward: Skill Fragment: Social Awareness (4%)
Adam chuckled. "The system loves it when I annoy you. I think it's developing a sense of humor."
Wong closed his book gently. "You wish to understand temporal energy?"
"Yes. And maybe unlock a time-rewind feature for whenever I say dumb things.and maybe try and have a groundhog day once or twice haha"
"You'd abuse it."
"I'd optimize it."
Wong stood. "Come."
"Will I survive this?"
"Statistically? Debatable."
Lower Vaults – Temporal Simulation Room
The chamber resembled an observatory fused with a stasis chamber. Time sigils floated mid-air, rotating like transparent clock faces.
Wong handed Adam a small brass disk etched with runes. "This is a Chrono-Focus. Channel energy through it. Attempt to slow time—not stop it. Just delay the local flow."
Adam frowned. "Like magical slo-mo?"
"Yes. Without the Keanu Reeves posing."
Rolling his neck, Adam grinned. "Alright, let's see what happens when I dial it to eleven."
He placed the Chrono-Focus on his palm and concentrated.
Energy surged outward in invisible ripples.
Books froze mid-fall. A candle's flame slowed, dancing like syrup. Wong's robes fluttered in slow motion as he raised an eyebrow.
Adam blinked. "Holy crap... it worked?"
Then the device glowed red and zapped his fingers.
He yelped.
[System Notification: Dimensional Stress – Overload Imminent]Mitigation in Process…Skill Acquired: Time Perception Shift [Lv. 1] – ActiveFor 10 seconds, slows perception of time by 50%.MP Cost: 80Cooldown: 60 seconds
Shaking his hand, Adam winced. "Okay, that hurt, but also, that's awesome."
"Try again," Wong instructed, already turning away.
Adam grinned. "Man, Kamar-Taj is just Hogwarts if Dumbledore was emotionally distant and everything wanted to kill you."
Later That Day – Courtyard Meditation
Adam sat quietly, focusing inward. His mind buzzed with the sensation of slow-time.
"Alright. One active skill, new perspective, and no severe magical burns. We call that a win.I will use it to have more sleep time haha"
His eyes flicked to his list of fragments.
Fragment Options Available:
Social Awareness (4%)
Arcane Focus (4%)
Combat Reflexes (4%)
Danger Perception (4%)
Predictive Movement (4%)
Dimensional Awareness (4%)
Arcane Presence (4%)
Dimensional Control (10%)
Public Speaking (2%)
Disciplined Study (4%)
Spatial Manipulation (4%)
Arcane Theory (4%)
He paused.
"…You know what?"
Opening the system's perk menu, he selected:
[Perk: Fragment Synthesis Protocol] – ActiveOption Selected: Obtain a random full skill.
[System Alert: Fragment Synthesis in Progress...]
Congratulations! You've hit the jackpot!
Skill Acquired: Titan's Fortitude [S-Level]
Active Effect:
Mana Infusion: Expend MP to enhance physical defense and strength.
200 MP = 2x Strength(strengh containing speed strenght and defence)
400 MP = 3x Strength
(Scaling continues accordingly)
Passive Effect:
Strength Surge: Periodically grants a random permanent increase to Strength.
Since acquisition, Strength has increased by +3.
Adam's eyes widened. "Well, hello there."
Kamar-Taj Dining Hall – That Night
Adam slurped his noodles, seated next to a silent initiate who avoided eye contact.
Leaning over, he whispered, "Hey. Wanna see time bend?"
The initiate blinked. "What?"
Adam activated Time Perception Shift.
The spoon rose slowly. His slurp stretched into a deep, echoing ripple across the room.
The initiate dropped his bowl.
Adam smiled. "Boom."
[System Notification: Emotional Disruption – Startled Confusion (Random Initiate)]Reward: +$50Skill Fragment: Magical Efficiency (4%)
Leaning back, smug, Adam mused, "This place is basically a magical ATM if you know what buttons to push."
End of Chapter Summary:
Stats:
Strength: 16 (13+3)
Intelligence: 22 (Progress: 0/2)
Stamina: 14
Charisma: 12
Luck: 1 (Progress: 0/10)
MP: 1080 (Tier 2 scaling active: INT + 40)
Skills:
Spatial Anchor Lv. 2 [Passive]
Phase Shift (Level 1)
Miniaturized Tech Design (Level 1)[Passive]
Engineering (Level 1)[Passive]
Dimensional Stability [Lv. 1][Passive]
Kinetic Readjustment [Lv. 1][Passive]
NEW
Time Perception Shift [Active, Lv. 1] – Slows perception of time by 50% for 10 seconds. Costs 80 MP. Cooldown: 60 seconds.
Titan's Fortitude [S-Level]
Active: Expend MP to enhance physical defense and strength. (e.g., 200 MP = 2x Strength)
Traits and Perks:
Phase Shift (Level 1)
Fragment Synthesis Protocol (Perk)
Efficient Evolution (Perk)
Spatial Awareness
Skill Fragments:
Magical Efficiency (4%)