Observations and Experimentation [Dargon]

Hi, TheDespaxas here! No you're not dreaming, it's him! After somehow derping his way into various branches, Dargon jumped from the pages to start his own. You see, he heard a strange rumor that you can trade likes for pats and then nothing could stop him. Now enjoy the version of our tale that has emerged from the brain of our favorite derp lizard. As always the slight variation in how things work differently between branches are features, not bugs. Good reading. And remember 1 like= 1 pat.

As John walked into the park, he decided to check his inventory to see what he had gotten from Frank.

This probably says a lot about Frank’s behavior, John thought, and Vanessa’s relationship with the guy as a whole, really. Deciding not to worry about the couple’s… questionable relationship, he placed his bag into his inventory and continued to walk along the park’s main path.

After walking for a few minutes, John paused for a moment, Didn’t I come here for a reason? He then remembered his plans to train. However, that was problematic, as he didn’t have any offensive skills to defend himself with.

So he sat down on a bench nearby and attempted to experiment with his mana stockpiles, regenerating faster because of the buff lunch had given him. John closed his eyes, focusing on the mana within himself, and tried to grasp it. He felt it, weak but tangible and flowing through every cell of his very being. It was an extrasensory sensation, it felt like a river, no… a stream without end, with unlimited potential, more than anything John could describe, as he wouldn’t even know where to begin.

John decided to grab the feeling more intensely and mold it into something he could use effectively, something sharp, something he didn’t have to get up close and personal to use. But the mana wouldn’t flow as he wanted it to, it was... limited by something inside of him. John attempted to push past this sudden barrier and was met by a stinging, burning sensation that slowly spread its way from his shoulder, to his arm, downwards to his hand. And then, after what seemed like an eternity, he felt something solid, corporeal appear in his hand.

As he opened his eyes, he felt the pain slowly fade away into a dull numbness and was greeted by something that looked like a long, blue-tinged, translucent stick with a sharpened end. He dismissed the sharpened stick with a handwave to avoid someone seeing it and talking about it. As it disintegrated into a shower of light blue particles that quickly dissipated, John opened his sheet and was met by a multitude of notifications, which he then read.

Plugin Activated: Mana Conductivity

New Mechanics Initiated:
Safe Channeling Rate- The amount of mana your body can conduct without damaging itself, dictated by INT, END, and Mana Conductance.
Maximum Channeling Rate- The absolute limit of mana your body can handle without spontaneously exploding, dictated by the Overclock skill.
Maximum Mana Channeled Per Cast- The limit of how much mana your body can utilize and store at one time for a spell.
Minimum Mana Channeled Per Cast- The lower limit of the minimum mana a spell can use and remain cohesive.
Spell Complexity- The difficulty of a spell, higher ranks require more time and focus. The higher the base, the higher the minimum charged mana.

John thought that was interesting: there were plugins and extensions to his abilities? But he understood that this was likely the introductory phase to everything and was showing him the mechanics of this mysterious world he had been suddenly thrust into.

Achievement Unlocked: Above and Beyond
Push your body beyond its safe limits. Take this, you’ll need it.

+1 END

Skill Unlocked: Overclock

Well then, John thought, this could be useful, but it’s incredibly risky. Lots of room for improvement though…

Skill Unlocked: Mana Javelin

So that’s what that stick was... a javelin? Huh, aren’t those mainly used in sports nowadays? Regardless, the skill seemed decent, with a bit of versatility; however, it was fairly skewed towards using higher amounts of mana for each cast, which John was sorely lacking at the moment, so it appeared like he would have to up his mana regeneration, or his capacity overall, and even endurance, at least if he wanted to use overclock for even a brief moment.

Skill Unlocked: Mana Conductance

Skill Unlocked: Mana Capacitance

Now those were useful. While they didn’t increase his max mana or regeneration, they certainly did increase the potential utility of his mana, and presumably, they leveled as he used his mana for spells, so they definitely weren’t something he had to go out of his way to level, which saved him valuable time he could spend on grinding. Although he was slightly miffed by the nerf.

Speaking of grinding, I should do more of that while I still have some time left before Mom expects me to be home.

So he got up from his bench, noticing he had enough mana left for a few casts of Theft. Speaking of which, he checked if the skill had been altered at all.

Well, I guess I’ll need to check whenever one of these updates happen to see if any of my skills have changed. Thing, or higher being that has created my powers, any chance you could notify me of that whenever it happens? John thought to himself and was immediately met with a notification.

Skills Revamped: Theft

A bit too late for that, but thank you, John thought in response and set off to find some targets he could steal from.

Over the next few hours, John used Theft on everyone he could. Whenever his mana got too low to cast the spell, John Meditated on a nearby bench to replenish his stockpile. He checked his inventory every few times he cast the spell, getting about 332$ total in bills and coins and even a phone, which he immediately took the battery and sim card out of to avoid it being potentially being traced back to him.

Theft Lvl 3, Range Efficiency Increased.
Mana Capacitance Lvl 2, Maximum Mana Per Cast has been raised.
Mana Conductance Lvl 2 Safe & Maximum Mana Channeling rate have been raised.

After the few hours he had just spent stealing from everyone he could, he decided to risk one more cast of it, with his mana being at twelve out of one hundred, just enough for one more cast a meter away. After he did so, he was met with a filled soft drink can and an achievement, surprisingly enough.

Achievement Unlocked: Running on Empty
Completely deplete your personal mana reservoir for the first time. Good job

+1 Mana Batteries for Idiots, Morons, and other Dummies
+1 Basic Alchemical Mana Catalyst

Now that is interesting, John thought as he pulled out what he assumed was a skill book. Better save it for later, when I can use it in a controlled environment. Putting the book back into his inventory, John instead decided to check out the Basic Alchemical Catalyst.

I guess the fact that the skill book and this came together is a bit of a hint that I may want to make something with that soon, John thought to himself. Looking at his phone, he saw that it was just about the time his classes were about to end. I’d better get started heading home so I don’t worry Mom.

And with that, John set off towards the familiar sidewalks that led towards the place he called home.