Chapter 259
Kyle raced across the plains, making no attempts at stealth as he followed the path mapped out by the shrikes. The crimson glow of Ignition bathed the darkened landscape in red as he covered ground.
[ARE YOU CERTAIN YOU ARE GOING THE RIGHT WAY, DR. MAYHEW?] C.H.A.D.D. asked, a hint of skepticism coming through the drone’s voice.
“I am,” Kyle replied, trying to send the mental impression he had from the Matriarch.
[I GET THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU ARE GETTING FRUSTRATED WITH ME ASKING,] C.H.A.D.D. replied.
Not what I wanted to send, Kyle thought to himself, though not entirely inaccurate. A pang of hunger gnawed on the edge of his consciousness, and he sighed. The frustration wasn’t just tied to C.H.A.D.D.’s questions, of course, but rather to the odd situation he found himself in. The drone had far more insight into Kyle’s thought process than he had into C.H.A.D.D.’s. Whenever he focused on its thoughts, he got a splitting headache from trying to process all the information at once.
Navigating that would be a challenge all on its own without the deepening connection to the Core of the Parasitic Devourer. From what Kyle could tell, it didn’t necessarily have a true consciousness, just varying states of hunger. A sentiment that it was content to share with Kyle often.
“Hey, C.H.A.D.D., would you be able to grow me a pogrit?” Kyle asked, having been reminded of his own growing hunger. “Please?”
[CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.] Through Synaptic Barbs, Kyle felt a vine extend from the C.H.A.D.D. pack with a small seed affixed to the front. He felt roots spring out, wrapping around the vine and draining mana from it as the plant grew, a leaf-wrapped bean available and in Kyle’s hand a few moments later.
“Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.,” Kyle said, mouth stuffed full with the vegetable.
[MY PLEASURE, DR. MAYHEW. I DID NOT REALIZE HOW PERPETUALLY HUNGRY HUMANS WERE. THIS BEARS FURTHER INVESTIGATION.]
“What do you mean?” Kyle asked. This was the first time he’d asked for fresh food since departing the shrike nest, and he’d only eaten lunch before that.
[I KNOW YOU TOLD ME TO RESPECT YOUR PRIVACY, BUT I HAVE BEEN NOTICING CONSISTENT URGES TO EAT. THIS SEEMS ABNORMAL, AND…]
C.H.A.D.D. drifted off, right as a wave of satisfaction came through the Core of the Parasitic Devourer, a mote of the World Tree Seed’s energy just having been drained and consumed.
[DR. MAYHEW, WHAT WAS THAT?] C.H.A.D.D. asked, deep offense leaking through their bond.
“What was what?” Kyle asked, as a slow realization began to dawn.
[YOU ATE IT! WAS THE POGRIT NOT ENOUGH, DR. MAYHEW? YOU FELT THE NEED TO STEAL ENERGY FROM THE SEED?] There was accusation behind C.H.A.D.D.’s words now.
“I didn’t do anything, C.H.A.D.D. My core occasionally drains a little bit here and there.”
[YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR SOME TIME, AND NEVER TOLD ME? AND YOU FELT SO SMUG ABOUT IT. THAT IS HIGHLY UNPROFESSIONAL, DR. MAYHEW.]
Kyle let out an exasperated sigh. “It’s not me, C.H.A.D.D. It’s my core, you know that I can’t control it all the time.”
[THE NEXT TIME I SEE AN INTERESTING PLANT, WE ARE STOPPING,] C.H.A.D.D. said with a note of dejection.
“As long as it’s a quick stop, you have a deal.”
The wave of satisfaction Kyle felt from the drone was a portent of what was to come. The next few hours were punctuated with stops as C.H.A.D.D. found seeds for various grasses, shrubs, and flowers. None of them were noteworthy from Kyle’s perspective, but the drone insisted that they would prove valuable for the World Tree Seed.
They continued their journey through the morning and the next day, stopping intermittently to help C.H.A.D.D. acquire its numerous targets. Kyle was careful to avoid pushing Ignition too hard, even though Tenacious Vigor and Adaptive Regeneration kept his body in top shape. His biggest concern was aggravating the damage to his mana network, which had largely recovered.
Suddenly, Kyle sensed a feeling of realization mixed with euphoria from C.H.A.D.D. A moment later, the drone spoke.
[DR. MAYHEW, I BELIEVE I HAVE LOCATED A COMFORTABLE PLACE FOR US TO REST THIS EVENING.]
Kyle was ready for a rest, and his curiosity was piqued. He followed C.H.A.D.D.’s instructions, leading to a nearby hill with a small tree he could nestle against. Grasses gently swayed in the gentle breeze, and Kyle took in the view of the plains and rolling hills beyond, painted in resplendent pinks and oranges as the sun began to set.
Kyle set the C.H.A.D.D. pack aside as he ate another pogrit, sipping from his canteen between bites. He had Jarberry’s tomes out and ready to practice. Before he did, he turned to C.H.A.D.D., who was suspiciously quiet.
“So, what are you working on, C.H.A.D.D.?” Kyle asked. “It seems like you’ve been busy.”
[I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A PROJECT SINCE OUR ENCOUNTER WITH THE SCOURGE, DR. MAYHEW. I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE HAD A BREAKTHROUGH.]
“Anything you’re willing to share?” Kyle pressed.
[I WILL EXPERIMENT OVERNIGHT, AND SHOW YOU THE PROTOTYPE IN THE MORNING.]
“I’m looking forward to it,” Kyle said, unable to contain the smile spreading across his face. Feeling his companion’s excitement, how could he not be happy?
Sitting cross-legged beneath the tree, Kyle brought out the first of the tomes. The blobs of ink on the page swam about, and he focused his mana into the pages, causing words to form. He blazed past page 150, then 175, then 200. Only once he turned to page 213 did the strain really begin to show, and he only lost focus after crossing page 244.
The second tome wasn’t as smooth. His arms were shaking as he moved past page 185, finally unable to continue at page 219. Compared to the significant improvements to his mana control, his physical strength had only seen minor improvements. Investment into Endurance and Vitality helped with this exercise, though Tenacious Vigor didn’t seem to contribute, likely due to the lack of damage. Even so, this was a new record.
With a sigh, Kyle turned his attention to the last, and least favorite of the tomes. The familiar prickling sensation began as he opened it, but the further he got, the more he noticed that something was different. As the pain intensified, it seemed to lose its focus, its edge. The discomfort was still there, of course, but muted. The best way Kyle could describe it was as a static on the fringes of his perception.
He passed page 250, then 300. Once he crossed 350, a stirring in his core gave him a moment of clarity. The pain is being shunted, Kyle realized. C.H.A.D.D. and the Core of the Parasitic Devourer are taking it from me. His initial reaction was to close the book, but a quick check of his bond showed an entirely unbothered C.H.A.D.D. focused on a project, while his core was only showing mild discomfort.
Gritting his teeth, Kyle pressed onward. Finally, after page 423, he had enough. Painting as the phantom pins and needles left his body, he marveled at his results. He knew that this connection would prove to be a double-edged sword in some respects, but the benefits in this case were immense.
How will this play out in a combat situation? Kyle wondered. Pain was a valuable means of communication for his body, a warning sign to inform him of any damage or danger. At the same time, it could also be a distraction. Taking that edge off could mean the difference between life and death in the heat of a battle.
The sun had long fallen under the horizon while he was training, and he leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes. The cool breeze played over his skin, and soon his mind drifted off to sleep. As usual, the nightmares were waiting. Zierlan’s eye, the horn, and the promise of impending death.
This time; however, his sense of powerlessness was met by something else. An overwhelming feeling of protectiveness mixed with visceral anger, matching his own resolve to survive. Even in his dream, he felt a faint confusion from both sides of Pack Leader’s Instinct as C.H.A.D.D. and the Core of the Parasitic Devourer brushed against one another.
I really need to find a name for the core, Kyle thought. It clearly had some degree of sentience, feeling hunger, satisfaction, and anger in distinctly different ways. Between Zierlan’s desire to rip the it out of Kyle, and the Progenitor’s appearance to protect it, there was no doubt in his mind that it was valuable. Continuing to cultivate it made sense, and with its link to one of Kyle’s strongest skills, he had every intention of seeing what would happen when it hit 100%.
He rested a short while longer, only to be woken by a surge of mana, and a presence in the camp. Auric Perception and Synaptic Barbs both warned him of the strange creature’s sudden appearance, and Kyle immediately leapt to his feet, heart pounding as he drew his forcehammer baton and activated Ignition.
He was ready to attack the intruder on sight, fearing the worst, but he stopped mid-swing as he got a good look at the creature in front of him. It looked like an oversized walnut, over a meter tall. Rough, gray bark covered its body, giving off a faint but familiar aura. Kyle could make out dozens of thin vines beneath its strange body, and as he watched, it shuffled around him, using the vines like an octopus would use its tentacles to scour the sea floor. Most intriguing to Kyle, however, was a single, pointed leaf that jutted out from its side. Without even using Identify, Auric Perception gave him a similar impression as the shrikes’ blades. Conceptual sharpness.
[DO YOU LIKE IT, DR. MAYHEW?]
“C.H.A.D.D., what did you do?” Kyle asked, voice a little shaky. The presence the little walnut soldier gave off was D Grade, even though it didn’t appear to be a powerful variant.
[I HAVE FINALLY BEEN ABLE TO PUT SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES FROM MA’SAI TO USE. THERE IS STILL ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, OF COURSE, BUT I AM PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS.]
There was beaming pride in the drone’s voice, despite Kyle’s misgivings.
“It’s certainly interesting,” he said. “But again, what is it?”
Without another word, the vines beneath the walnut soldier extended, raising it to Kyle’s height. Another set of thin vines extended, pushing out the sharpened leaf, as if the soldier was holding a sword.
[IT IS THE FIRST ITERATION OF MY SUMMONS, DR. MAYHEW.]
The walnut soldier scuttled about the camp with impressive speed, swinging its leaf with familiar form. It’s using Garth’s fighting style, Kyle realized, watching the walnut with renewed respect.
[AS YOU CAN SEE, ITS SWORDSMANSHIP STILL LEAVES MUCH TO BE DESIRED. THAT WILL IMPROVE WITH TIME. IT ALSO BOASTS POTENT DEFENSES AGAINST BOTH MANA-BASED AND PHYSICAL ATTACKS. AT LEAST, IT SHOULD. FEEL FREE TO TEST IT, DR. MAYHEW.]
With that, the walnut scuttled in front of Kyle, vine holding the “sword” retracting. Curious, Kyle drew his forcehammer baton and took a swing, using neither Ignition nor the special attack of the baton. The weapon deflected harmlessly, and Kyle took the opportunity to make a few more attacks.
[OF COURSE, YOUR PHYSICAL PROWESS IS NOT YOUR GREATEST STRENGTH. FEEL FREE TO USE YOUR MANA SKILL, IF YOU WOULD LIKE.]
Kyle obliged, raising his right hand and activating a partial strength Repel. The shockwave smashed into the walnut soldier, sending it flying, but it quickly righted itself and scuttled back, largely unharmed. Using Identify; Kyle could make out the subtle field of mana rejection radiating from the shell. As before, C.H.A.D.D. incorporated aspects of the stonebloom into its creations.
[THE CONSTRUCT ALSO USES SOME OF THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE FROM THE PLANTS FROM YOUR PRACTICUM’S FIRST PHASE,] C.H.A.D.D. said. [IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STONEBLOOM AND OTHER BARKS THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED, ITS SHOCK ABSORPTION AND RESILIENCE IS QUITE HIGH.]
The drone’s words were followed by 2 other surges of mana, followed by the sudden appearance of 2 more of the walnut soldiers.
[THIS IS MY CURRENT LIMIT, THOUGH WITH MORE TRAINING I EXPECT THIS WILL INCREASE. THE SCOURGE USED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, AFTER ALL. MY UPPER LIMIT SHOULD BE HIGHER THAN 3.]
Through Pack Leader’s Instinct, Kyle could feel C.H.A.D.D.’s pride, mixed with something else. Desire for approval, maybe?
“C.H.A.D.D., this is incredible,” Kyle said after a long moment. He meant it. Creating 3 D Grade summons was no small feat. Ma’Sai’s heritage was considered to be top-tier, and C.H.A.D.D. replicated it, to an extent, using its own resources and instincts. The summons may not be terribly powerful compared to the shrikes or abominations, but against E Grades or weaker D Grades, they’d be able to hold their own.
[THANK YOU, DR. MAYHEW,] C.H.A.D.D. said, the summons all glowing golden for a moment before disappearing in a flash of light. [I WILL CONTINUE TO ITERATE.]
“Do they have a name?” Kyle asked.
[I WAS THINKING OF CALLING THEM CENTRAL HEALTH AUTONOMOUS DIAGNOSTIC DRONE AUTONOMOUS ORGANIC DEFENSE AND SURVEY UNITS. BUT I AM OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS.]
Kyle smiled, slinging the C.H.A.D.D. pack over his shoulders. “What about Chaddlings?”