7 Chapter 6
Opening the Character Building Tool, I was caught somewhat surprised by seeing something new occurred to it.
-Feat Unlocked: Psionic Empathy
-Skills Unlocked: Psionics:
Enhancement: 0 +
Elemental: 0 +
Thought Control: 0 +
####### #######: Locked
"The hell are these?"
Reading the text from the newly pop screen. I was able to discover that I've manage to unlocked some features in the Character Building Tool.
Checking the Feats section of the Character Building Tool, I have now a single feat at my disposal which in past was none.
Feats
-Psionic Empathy
Available Points: 2
Not knowing what the feat that I've manage to unlocked. I tried pressing my fingers on it, to see what's it about.
Psionic Empathy: Allows the user to learn and use psionic abilities
"Huh... that's it?"
And here I thought that I've somehow finally got a cheat like skill that can help me in some way. But what I managed to get instead, is a visual indication that I can finally learn and use psionic abilities.
"Not that useful huh..."
And with that, I checked the Skills section of the Character Building Tool to find out the newly skills.
Skills
Combat
Guns: 0 +
Bows: 0 +
Melee: 0 +
Throwing: 0 +
Defense
Dodge: 0 +
Evasion: 0 +
Subterfuge
Stealth: 0 +
Hacking: 0 +
Lockpicking: 0 +
Pickpocketing: 0 +
Traps: 0 +
Science
Mechanics: 0 +
Electronics: 0 +
Chemistry: 0 +
Biology: 0 +
Tailoring: 0 +
Psionics
Enhancement: 0 +
Elemental: 0 +
Thought Control: 0 +
####### #######: Locked
Social
Persuasion: 0 +
Intimidation: 0 +
Mercantile: 0 +
Available Points: 140
"It seems that Psionics have been added to this thing... wait a minute"
From what Isaac said, a psionic user needs time to fully develop their psionic energy and form its category. But if I put some points in this, in theory it would make me skip said developing process. But with that said.... does putting some points in it be a great idea? I for one still don't have any psionic abilities. So, putting some points in it right now would just be a waste.
Not knowing what to do, I tried putting all my points in Thought Control just to be sure if it works. But to my surprise, when I tried putting my 31st point in Thought Control the screen did not allow me.
"Huh?"
Discovering this, I tried doing the same process to every available skill and the result of said effort were all the same from before.
It seems that I can't just willingly put all my points in a single skill. There's actually a limit on the amount you can put. It seems that there's still more things that I'm unaware about this thing. With that said what the hell is this unreadable thing.
####### #######: Locked
I can't interact with whatever this skill is, at all. And all my efforts of messing with it bared no fruit.
"I guess I'll just leave it for now"
With that said, my new discoveries about the Character Building Tool, still doesn't solve my current predicament. I'm still defenseless as before and I suck at using my only weapon.
Shit... do I really have to use this thing now... I'm still not sure about many things and fucking this up, might bite me in the future. What do I do-what do I do-what do I do.
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.
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After many considerations, I decided to use all of points in the Base Section of the Character Building Tool for now. The Skills Section of the Character Building Tool is very specific and as much as I would like to increase my gun proficiency. Messing with it with no proper build in mind, well most certainly end in disaster.
Base
Name: Lawrence Craft
Level: 0
Status:
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 5
Agility: 6
Constitution: 5
Perception: 7
Intelligence: 5
Will: 7
Available Points: 0
Exp: 0/50
-Are you sure you satisfied with this choice?
-Yes -No
With the choices that I made; I hesitantly press the Yes key. There are many reasons why I made said choices. For starters, I increased my Agility just so I can move more faster and have a higher chance of escaping threats that I'll potentially encounter. As for the perception, I increased it to compensate my shitty accuracy with my pistol. While the increased of the Will status is something that I'm not really sure of. Isaac said that one's capability and resistance of psionics has something to do with one's will, that's probably one of the reasons why I have chosen said status. I could have probably chosen a better status to increase than Will to be honest, but for reason my gut feeling is just telling me to choose it instead of the others.
I don't even know any psionic abilities yet... God I hope I don't regret this.
-New Feats Available
Sprint: Unlockable
-Increases user's movement speed by 25% for 30 seconds when activated
Requirement: Agility 6
Total Concentration: Unlockable
-Increases user's psionic energy regeneration by a small amount when not engaged in combat. Users perception on the other hand is increased by 1 point when engaged in combat.
Requirement: Will 7 and Perception 6
Aimed Shot: Unlockable
-User's accuracy with long ranged weapons and attacks is increased by 25% for 20 seconds when activated. (Accuracy is increased based on user's perception)
Requirement: Perception 7
"The hell?"
When I have chosen to conform my current status, I was again greeted with another screen of text. From reading said text, it seems that I've manage to unlocked a bunch of new feats.
God this just keeps getting complicated, But... I do like what I'm reading. Increase of speed and accuracy, these are just the things that can help me with my current predicament.
Having granted the tools that can help me with my situation, I considered myself quite lucky. But knowing that I only have 2 available points for Feats, I stuck in difficult situation of choosing between the three.
.
.
.
Thinking hard about it. What I have chosen were both Total Concentration and Aimed Shot. As much as I would like the increase of speed, it's not always certain that I can escape the threats that I will encounter. So being able to defend myself is the better choice overall.
New Ability Learned
-Aimed Shot
Huh? It seems that the Feats section is where I can unlock some abilities. Wait... so does that mean that I can unlocked more abilities if I level up more and does that include psionic abilities...
Seeing this development. I'm more than eager to see, if I can learn some psionic abilities if I mess with the Skills section of the Character Building Tool. But with no more points in Feats and lack of information, I postponed said idea in my mind for now.
Now then... how do I use this ability...
Messing with the only ability that I've learned, I have managed to learn a few interesting things. Pressing the icon of the ability in my Character Building Tool makes the border of the icon glow red, which slowly disappear in time. Seeing similar things in my past gaming experience, I assumed that pressing the icon of the ability, activates the ability.
As the red glowing border disappear, the icon of the ability now went dark and showed a 3-minute timer. I assumed it's the cooldown of the ability basing again on my gaming experience.
That's pretty neat. But having to press the ability icon every time I want to activate it seems very inconvenient...
Messing with the with Ability section of the Character Building Tool to find a better alternative of activating the ability. I was saddened to see my grand efforts bare no fruit.
Shit... this process of activation is very problematic... There has to be a simpler way of activating the abilities than this.
But finding no alternative, in messing with the Character Building Tool. I ignore said problem for now and focused more on my mission.
Checking more on the Character Building Tool, to see if there's still anything that I miss. I was somewhat disappointed to find nothing. With nothing much to do, I essentially continue my mission and began my journey to east.
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Following the lights created by the settlement. I was able to maneuver my way to this somewhat dark cavern. Due to the rocky area and ruble all over the place, I was having quite a hard time walking to my destination.
Despite my travels, being somewhat peaceful. I was still incredibly wary about the things that I can encounter in this place. So with that in mind, I purposely take my time traveling the area and being extra careful.
-Growl noises
Ehhhh!!!! the fuck was that?
Caught surprised by sudden noise in the cavern, I was quite shaken by it. Quickly glancing the area where I am and finding nothing unusual. I was able to calm myself and clear my mind for a moment.
I'm still safe... Thank God... Now then, what the hell was making that sound.
Carefully glancing the area where I've heard the sound and hiding myself from view. I was quickly able to find the source of said noise. The sound came from 3 giant rats, fighting over what seems to be a dead animal. I assume that the giant rats probably killed the poor creature as food.
-Roarrr!!!!
-Grrrrrrr....
Seeing the behavior of these unfamiliar creatures, I was quite fascinated by it. But fascination aside, the 3 giant rats are currently blocking the area where I'm supposed to go. So unless I get rid of them, I'm unable to do the mission that sir Banner asked me to.
Now... how do I deal with this...
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.
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Seeing how the giant rats won't be leaving the area very soon. I've come to the conclusion that I have to deal with the situation by my own. Gripping the loaded pistol in my hand, I quietly hide my position while aiming my gun at the unaware rats. Unlike my previous experience earlier, I've noticed that I'm calmer and more focused now. Focusing my aim in one of the giant rat's head, I slowly pulled the trigger of my pistol and fired my first shot.
-Bang
To my surprised the bullet that I shot, unlike in my previous attempts; cleanly hit the head of the unsuspecting rat.
Seeing the unexpected occurrence, the remaining rats became visibly confused at what just happened. Seeing this opportunity, I again fired another shot to one of the giant rats.
-Bang
Just like before, the shot that I made cleanly hit the confused rat at the body. And having a bullet impact it's body, the giant rat can't help but squealed in pain. Finally, understanding the situation. The remaining rat, hurriedly escape the area while leaving its downed comrade. Seeing the decision that the remaining giant rat has chosen; I was somewhat relieved. Using more bullets on chasing an escaping rat would just be a waste, so I ignore the fleeing rat and focused more on the one that I've manage to downed. Seeing that it's still alive and moving, I quickly ended it's painful fate by giving it another shot in the head.
And with that finished, I can quite say that my first combat experience was a success.
-Heavy Breathing
H-haaahhaahaha... ahhh... f-fuck.. Calm down-calm down... you just killed a bunch of rats... calm down Lawrence...
Killing my first live creature for the first, I was quite visibly shaken. Killing something so calmly and cold blooded, just feels so natural to me for some reason. This was probably the effect of the change I made to the Character Building Tool earlier.
Calming myself down, I consciously opened the Character Building Tool for some reason. Opening the tool I was greeted with another changed from the screen loadout.
Base
Name: Lawrence Craft
Level: 0
Status:
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 5
Agility: 6
Constitution: 5
Perception: 7
Intelligence: 5
Will: 7
Available Points: 0
Exp: 15/50
"Huh?"
The change that I was greeted with, was the exp part of the Base section. It seems that killing the rats earlier made me gain some experience.
Make sense that killing some creatures gives me experience. But does it have to be this little. In most games if you kill a monster in the beginning it usually give's you enough exp to level up.
-Sigh
"I guess I'm probably in hard mode if this is a game"
Calming my senses, I again scan the area to look if there's any remaining threats. Finding nothing unusual about the area, I took a glimpse at the rats that I've killed.
"Ehhhh... how disgusting"
Seeing the bloody bodies of the giant rats and the odor that they emit; I can't help but feel disgusted. If this was a video game, the bodies would probably just disappear and drop some sort of loot. But seeing it not happen, I was again reminded that where I am is indeed reality.
"I guess... I should get going"
Not wanting to be near the awful smell of the rat corpses. I continue my travel to the camp. Much like before, I was still careful to my surrounding and on high alert for any potential threat that I can face.
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.
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It took a somewhat long time, but I've finally reached my destination. Looking at the camp, I was somewhat surprised to see that they've managed to build a metal fence in it. The camp consisted of tents, boxes and a few equipment's and building materials that seem to have been left over. Knowing that they planned on using this area to build another facility. It's quite odd to not see any big construction equipment's like Bulldozers or Excavators in sight.
Entering the area through the open fence door, I carefully analyze and the place to see if there's anything weird about it.
"Huh... there seem to be nothing weird about this place, the tents are still in place and there seem to be no monsters in sight either"
Looking at the area more closely, I've noticed that few of the boxes are opened. I didn't really find it weird for the fact that the equipment's and materials are still in place. But writing said observation off would just be bad conduct, considering I was ordered to report any findings and observations in this place.
"I should explore this place more thoroughly"
Continuing my exploration of the area, I tried widening my searches for a better analyzation. While busy writing the observations that I've seen. An unexpected occurrence suddenly befalls upon me, and I was caught surprised in the end of it.
"Freeze!"
"Huh?"
"I-I said don't m-move! I won't h-hesitate to shoot this, I-if you try a-anything funny"
"..."
The situation that I was caught in, was truly unanticipated. A man in filthy clothing holding a gun against me in the middle of nowhere. And from the looks of it, despite me being on the receiving end of it. The man with the gun seems to be the one panicking in the confrontation.
"Ummm...."
"I-I-I saiddd.. Don't m-move!!! I won't h-hesita-"
"Calm down will ya, you look like you're about to drop spaghetti in your pants"
"W-what?"
"Just please calm down, I'm not here to hurt you or anything"
"H-haaaaahhh!! I don't believe you for one bit. E-everyone says the same thing but the moment I drop my guard down, they immediately retaliate. I won't fall for it again!"
"Listen dude, let's not result to violence. I won't hurt you I promise. Here I'm even raising my hands in the air"
"..."
It seems that making him drop his guard is not going to happen any soon.
-End of Chapter 6
