Chapter 275
[MR. KULHAVEY, HE APPEARS TO BE REGAINING CONSCIOUSNESS.]
Kyle’s vision was bleary. As he blinked, the world around him began to come back into focus. Synaptic Barbs showed him that he was back in the living room of his quarters, the familiar furniture easily recognizable by now. C.H.A.D.D., Marcus, and his three robots were in the room with him, the Originator fiddling with his tablet as C.H.A.D.D. rested in its pack.
“Sorry about that,” Kyle said, sitting up. His head hurt. “How long was I out?”
“Just a couple of hours,” Marcus replied, not looking up from his tablet. “Thought you lost control of the process there, but you made it work. C.H.A.D.D. woke up just a few minutes before you did. Here, put a shirt on.”
Kyle turned to look at the drone. He activated Identify, drawing in a sharp breath when he first saw the complex mana formations swirling around the pack. He knew that C.H.A.D.D. was still a long way from fully integrating the components into its cultivation, but the qualitative difference was staggering. That was to be expected with the support of a true C Grade craftsman like Marcus.
“How are you feeling?” Kyle asked, still staring at the drone.
[I AM STILL PROCESSING THE CHANGES, DR. MAYHEW. I WILL HAVE A BETTER ASSESSMENT AS I FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH MY NEW CAPABILITIES.]
C.H.A.D.D.’s words were humble, but Kyle felt an undertone of elation through Pack Leader’s Instinct. The drone was thrilled, and Kyle couldn’t keep the smile off his own face.
“Well, that’s that, I suppose,” Marcus said. “C.H.A.D.D., keep working on uploading your backups to the new drives. Your processing speeds will improve significantly if you’re directly tied in to the new hardware.”
He paused for a moment, then turned to Kyle. “Obviously, final testing for the security drones is off the table for tonight. You’re welcome to stay a bit longer, but do you think that you’ll be up to test tomorrow morning?”
“That should be fine,” Kyle replied. “I bounce back pretty quick, a good night’s sleep should have me up and running.”
“Good. That’ll give me a little more time to make sure C.H.A.D.D.’s integration is moving at an appropriate pace.” He met Kyle’s eyes, just for a moment, before turning away, a glimpse of genuine concern on his face. “Kid, are you okay? I’ve seen you survive some nasty stuff, and those scars on your stomach are no joke.”
Kyle flinched, remembering a violet eye. “I’m fine. Thank you, Marcus.”
The Originator looked like he wanted to say more, but he simply nodded and left, leaving Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. alone in the apartment.
[HE BENEFITTED QUITE A BIT FROM THIS PROJECT, DR. MAYHEW.]
C.H.A.D.D.’s statement took Kyle by surprise. “You really think so?”
[WHILE I AM STILL GROWING ACCUSTOMED TO MANY OF MY NEWFOUND ABILITIES, MARCUS’S AURA HAS CHANGED SUBSTANTIALLY. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT HIS SECOND CLASS LIKELY REACHED C GRADE, AND THAT HE HAS STEPPED INTO HIGH-TIER C GRADE AS A RESULT.]
“High-tier C Grade,” Kyle murmured. Marcus was undoubtedly a powerhouse, though Kyle had generally refrained from trying to get a full gauge of the older man’s strength. For one thing, powerful C Grades often had the ability to suppress their presences to some degree. For a dedicated craftsman like Marcus, that level of fine control was a simple matter. Unlike Jarberry, he definitely gave off a C Grade aura, but it was still controlled and contained. When compared to something like the Scourge, which practically radiated power as it moved across the canopies of Er’Mithren, Marcus was downright subtle.
If Marcus truly had a breakthrough to bring both of his classes up to C Grade, the man would have benefitted even more than C.H.A.D.D. from their encounter. It still cemented him as an unquestionable elite across the Collective. And depending on when his breakthrough happened, C.H.A.D.D. might be a beneficiary of it, too, Kyle thought.
Of course, Marcus and C.H.A.D.D. weren’t the only ones who’d gained from the experience. “C.H.A.D.D., I’m going to spend some time in meditation. Is there anything you need before I do?”
[NOTHING AT ALL, DR. MAYHEW. I HOPE YOUR MEDITATIONS ARE FRUITFUL.]
Kyle knew the drone could detect his anticipation, and without any further fanfare, Kyle settled in on the sofa and closed his eyes, drawing himself into his center.
KYLE MAYHEW. ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST. LEVEL 92 (D)
CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 72%
ADAPTIVE ANATOMY – 12/? – ENHANCED CARAPACE (FERRIC AUGMENTATION), AURIC PERCEPTION (SYNAPTIC BARBS), EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY (TENACIOUS VIGOR), INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE (PACK LEADER’S INSTINCT), COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL (HEART OF CREATION)
VITALITY: 1240
ENDURANCE: 1501
STRENGTH: 483
DEXTERITY: 1030
WILLPOWER: 1800
INTELLIGENCE: 1800
PERCEPTION: 1295
FREE ATTRIBUTES: 36
With a quick thought, Kyle split his free attributes between Endurance and Strength, bringing the oft-forgotten attribute up to 500. While he didn’t expect that he would be drawing much from Strength in his C Grade class, he didn’t want it to drop too far below half of his total Dexterity. Just as Willpower and Intelligence worked better with a degree of balance, his lacking Strength could become a problem if he was too physically weak to move the way he needed to. Exoskeletal Strength helped cover this by making each point in Strength worth more than it would be otherwise. Goodness knows he could use it.
Of course, the bulk of his focus was on the words that appeared next to his Unbreakable Will. As usual, Kyle received very little in the way of impressions by focusing on the words, but he got the strong sense that Heart of Creation was a qualitative improvement beyond any other Adaptive Anatomy upgrade he’d seen so far.
The sheer quality of the energy that the World Tree Seed provided was a cut above anything else that the Core of the Parasitic Devourer had been able to eat. Moreover, it provided enough energy to the core to achieve an Adaptive Anatomy upgrade without causing any harm to the seed. It was a feat Kyle doubted any C Grade would be able to replicate. In fact, if it weren’t for Kyle’s near-constant application of Parasitic Resonance, he wasn’t confident that he could manipulate the seed’s energy on his own, even with 1800 Willpower.
Kyle watched as the arms representing his attributes swirled around lazily, the Core of the Parasitic Devourer’s crimson sigils swirling while the image of his path blazed brightly. His progress was impressive; the peak of D Grade closing in. With C.H.A.D.D.’s upgrades being what they were, Kyle also had a lot more freedom with his C Grade class selection. C.H.A.D.D. could stand on its own, which meant Kyle was the one who couldn’t afford to fall behind.
He spent a little longer moving mana around, not detecting any differences in how it flowed. I suppose we’ll get a good chance to field test in the morning, Kyle thought. He exited meditation, and looked at the C.H.A.D.D. pack, which was currently covered in a shell of thorny, gray bark.
“Did you get bored while I was meditating?” he asked, crossing his arms.
[NOT AT ALL, DR. MAYHEW. SIMPLY TESTING SOME OF THE PROPERTIES OF THE NEW COMPONENTS.]
“Well it looks like things are going well,” Kyle said with a smile.
[FOR NOW. UNFORTUNATELY, BETWEEN INFUSING THE COMPONENTS AND YOU EATING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT, THE WORLD TREE SEED WILL BE IN DESPERATE NEED FOR SOME INFUSIONS.]
“Really?” Kyle asked, eyebrow raised. “From what I can tell, the seed has plenty of energy.”
[WELL, I WOULD PREFER THAT IT HAS MORE MANA. IT CAN ONLY BE BENEFICIAL, AFTER ALL.]
Kyle just shook his head and smiled. He’d missed traveling with C.H.A.D.D., and the drone’s almost single-minded obsession.
“Well then, after tomorrow’s practice with Marcus I’ll see what I can do.”
[IT IS UNLIKELY THAT YOU WILL NEED TO KEEP MUCH MANA IN RESERVE IF WE ARE GOING ON VACATION,] the drone offered, a tinge of pleading coming through their bond.
“I don’t know, C.H.A.D.D. The razorpine forest could be dangerous,” Kyle joked. For most early D Grades it certainly would be, but Kyle knew he was an exception.
[THEN YOU SHOULD GET SOME REST AND GET READY FOR TESTING IN THE MORNING. TRY NOT TO GET TOO INJURED.]
“You know I’ll do my best, C.H.A.D.D.”
The next morning, Kyle stepped off a train, standing in front of an industrial plant he hadn’t seen before. Marcus was already nearby, tinkering with one of the robots that often floated around him. He let it go, turning to look at Kyle.
“Good to see you up and moving. I wasn’t sure how quickly you’d bounce back.”
“My arms will still need a little longer to get back to 100%,” Kyle replied honestly. “Still, I’ve been through worse. And I should be totally fine for today’s test.”
Marcus snorted. “I like the confidence, kid. Today’s round of testing will be pretty simple. Your job is to take this package, and drop it off near the central power plant. We’re simulating a sabotage event, where the drones work alongside security forces to protect a large installation.”
“That sounds simple enough,” Kyle said. “Do you want me to keep boosting skills on the table, or would you prefer that I run it normally?”
“Are you a D Grade with a boosting skill?” Marcus asked, expression flat. “Kyle, give it what you’ve got. The security forces I’m deploying aren’t to be underestimated. If you get cocky, I won’t get quality data.”
“Fine, fine, I get the idea,” Kyle agreed. “Are there any other objectives?”
“None. Good luck.”
Kyle nodded, and stepped up to the designated starting area. He activated Ignition and Identify, feeling power surging through his body. If Marcus wanted him to give it his best effort, he wasn’t going to disappoint the older man.
[LIVE TESTING BEGINS IN THIRTY SECONDS. TWENTY-NINE. TWENTY EIGHT…]
Kyle scanned the installation, looking for any signs of movement. With Identify active, he spotted a few of the security drones on patrol, but so far none of the actual security team. Maybe they’re just waiting in reserve, he told himself. He just hoped that Marcus wouldn’t be too disappointed if the job got done faster than the Originator planned. He’d run plenty of tests with Marcus, and while the gravity amplification was problematic, none of the other drones he’d worked with had much of note to offer.
[FIFTEEN. FOURTEEN. THIRTEEN.]
Now that Kyle thought about it, most of the drones he’d encountered since joining the Courier’s Guild were lackluster. Most of them tended to lack meaningful firepower, outside of some larger one-time use abilities or munitions. It made sense, considering that they couldn’t easily replicate skills. That’s not to say that they couldn’t be dangerous to most people, just not to him.
[THREE. TWO. ONE. BEGIN.]
The moment the test started, Kyle exploded into motion. From the other tests he’d done against these units, his best results came when he brought out high speed from the beginning. Marcus had programmed in an impressive learning capability across the swarm of security drones, so the less opportunities he gave them to learn, the easier it would be for Kyle to complete his objective.
In mere moments, he’d already moved past the security drones on the perimeter, blurring toward the heart of the complex. A couple of fire and lightning attacks were launched his way, in addition to the expected gravity blasts, which he evaded with ease. Just as he was beginning what he hoped would be his final approach, Synaptic Barbs warned him of a disturbance in the air behind him. Kyle turned just in time to see a dark human-shaped blur less than two meters away, a massive club swinging for him with terrifying force. Kyle ducked under the blow, just as the humanoid mech turned and pivoted, reversing the strike and catching Kyle square in his midsection.
He was launched back more than a dozen meters, the air forced out of his lungs. Before he could catch his breath, a crack of gunfire broke the air as his head snapped backward. The Ferric Augmentation blocked the worst of the blow, but Kyle felt a warm trickle of blood dripping down his forehead.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Storm Shelter exploded around him, blocking another bullet at the same time as another massive swing from the club-wielding mech.
The shock of the sudden attack was replaced by anticipation as Kyle saw the security drones beginning to take a familiar formation, preparing to bear down on him with a massive gravity attack.
He felt the grin beginning to spread over his face. Never mind. This is about to get fun.