Villainous 14 Deb

[ERROR]

s.p.a.cial array and anomalous aura readings above Rank 3 detected in vicinity of Host, extrapolating new data.

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[ERROR]

Unexpected situation exceeds safety parameters designated for Host early growth period. Initiating one-time Emergency Response Mode protocol.

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[E.R.M.]

Emergency Response Protocol engaged. Forcing relevant survival upgrades...

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[E.R.M.]

Increasing all base stats of Host by 1.

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[E.R.M.]

Hide upgraded to Lv.5 (Max). Scan upgraded to Lv.5 (Max). Stealth upgraded to Lv.5 (Max).

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[E.R.M.]

Hide Lv.5 (Max) and Stealth Lv.5 (Max) meet requirements for Merge. Host DEX value insufficient. E.R.M. override, compensating with equivalent EXP. Merging Skills into Concealment.

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[Concealment]

Combines the principles of Stealth and Hide into a single rare-grade Skill. Move silently and with grace, undetected even by those actively looking unless they have special Skills or Spells. Once you hide, it's almost impossible to notice your presence.

Concealment allows masking your emotions, aura, and killing intent, in addition to your physical form and traces of your pa.s.sing.

Effectiveness of Concealment is reduced as long as your DEX is below 15.

Effectiveness of Concealment is greatly reduced as long as your DEX is below 10.

Effectiveness of Concealment is severely reduced as long as your DEX is below 5.

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[E.R.M.]

Unlocked Sense Lv.1.

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[Sense Lv.1]

Greatly enhances primary physical senses as well as metaphysical ones - Sense allows you to detect hostility in your immediate vicinity, even from hidden enemies.

Hostiles detected by Sense will be marked on your minimap.

At Lv.1, your detection range is limited to 10 meters.

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[E.R.M.]

EXP Debt for forced upgrades applied to Host.

Host EXP reduced to -7381396.

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[E.R.M.]

Due to significant Host EXP Debt , use of EXP Shop and Skill Merging are locked until balance is brought back to 0.

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[E.R.M.]

Deleting Emergency Response Protocol from Interface...

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Li Mei's head swam as she tried to absorb all the information from the cloud of notifications hovering around her face. From what she gathered, the Interface had an emergency backup program that would give her an enormous boost in capability in exchange for ludicrous amounts of EXP - but only once, since it deleted itself.

"7.3 million..." She groaned, dropping her head into her hands. But then she froze, realization flas.h.i.+ng in her mauve eyes. Her head whipped around to fix a stare on Bao with such intensity the poor horse shrank in on himself in fright.

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[Bao]

Wild Fera

Male

Rank 0 (12%)

Wild feras are prideful and picky about those they allow onto their back or follow into battle - unlike domesticated feras, which can be coaxed with their favorite treats or some sweet words. If a wild fera likes you, they're your friend for life.

Fera are highly intelligent creatures with comprehension and puzzle-solving comparable to humans. All feras possess instinctive rudimentary knowledge of some wild plants and their uses. They are also very sensitive to malice, able to detect even masked hostility in a 300 meter radius as adults. Young fera have a shorter range but are equally sensitive.

When employed as mounts or guards, feras are taught to understand the local language. Those above Rank 2 are capable of learning the Telepathy spell for better communication, as their vocal cords are poorly developed for the use of speech.

Breed: Cerynitis

Diet: Omnivore

Favorite Food: Apple (Purple)

Special Care: Claws will keep growing, to prevent problems keep them trimmed - either through combat, or encourage the fera to pick up sharpening its claws on rocks and trees. A fera's diet determines the direction of its future growth, take that into consideration when deciding what to feed them. More information can be found in the Archive.

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[Scan: New Data]

Scan has reached the maximum level. It can now detect and display information otherwise unknown to you. Information displayed in the tooltip is summarized, while a more detailed entry will be added to the Archive.

Scan will only display and save information potentially obtainable through relatively common means.

Esoteric and specialized information will not be uncovered without prerequisite knowledge, skills, or spells.

Comparisons will still be made to Earthly equivalents where appropriate, such as with furniture or food items whose taste and/or function serves the same purpose. Nicknames for known items can be set in the Archive.

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Rank was apparently the universally recognized method of measuring overall combat capability. Most commoners, servants, and slaves were in Rank 0. Bao being 12% of Rank 0 meant he had 88% to go until he reached the bottom of Rank 1. When she checked her own stats, carefully avoiding looking at the huge negative number in the EXP row, she saw Rank 0 was added below her name along with a 7%. 'So it'll add all kinds of new information about me as I discover it. Bao's stronger than me, huh... Well, he is an animal. They tend to be a bit stronger, don't they? Since they rely on their own bodies instead of tools and weapons.'

The Cerynitis breed in particular had a tendency for performing well in combat and preferred a diet heavy in meat proteins according to a helpful tooltip, which made it even funnier that his favorite food was sweet purple apples. And that he was an adorable little horse-dog dork. Trying to imagine Bao in combat almost made her choke with laughter, causing her to be on the receiving end of a very confused look from the animal in question.

"You're a fera?" Li Mei mumbled, tapping a finger against her chin. "I mean I knew you weren't really a horse, but... It was making equivalent comparisons for me after all. Can you really understand me?"

Bao wagged his tail and looked very smug.

"Okay, uh. I have a very special magic effect that gives me information on stuff I look at, and it just got a lot stronger which is how I know you're a fera not a horse after all and that you can understand me. And I can also stash items away in an invisible magic box. But it's a real big secret, alright? Nod if you promise you won't tell anyone!" Li Mei held a finger to her lips. Bao canted his head to the side, then nodded.

Such a big cheat like the Interface, especially with the fancy upgraded Scan ability, wasn't something Li Mei felt she could share with the world. Bao didn't seem like the chatty type who'd gossip about personal matters, so she wasn't concerned about him knowing the secret - and it would explain what he'd already witnessed. She'd used her storage multiple times in front of him thinking he was just an animal who wouldn't know better.

'Guess that goes to show I shouldn't make a.s.sumptions about anything's intelligence around here,' Li Mei thought with a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. 'I'll have to be more careful in the future.'

Her stomach grumbled noisily, so the pair shared a quick meal. Li Mei eagerly Scanned everything around as she ate, even taking things out of storage to add their new data to the Archive. Being able to learn about Elysium in a fairly efficient manner was so satisfying after two months of being in the dark!

The blue flowers Bao scattered around served as lingering insect repellent against very specific venomous bugs. Several of the roots and herbs he piled in the corner had medicinal and antiseptic properties. Even the paste he mashed up to make the mortar in the makes.h.i.+ft wall was something to keep creatures away! Li Mei devoured the sc.r.a.ps of information with great interest, absorbing every word between bites of pilfered leftovers.

Once they finished eating, Li Mei glanced over at her Quests. Gaining Strength, the Quest which originally had her going into the forest, updated its information and rewards.

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[Gaining Strength]

Elysium is a highly dangerous world, one's personal strength is important. Without strength one is doomed to life as a servant or slave, where your existence depends on the whims and protection of those you serve. While that may be fine for some, your heart longs to achieve better.

Hints:

- The wilds of Elysium harbor many fierce creatures. Survival will be difficult, use the tools at your disposal and move with caution. Your mind is your greatest weapon.

- Forests contain bountiful mana within that will be beneficial to your growth.

Reward: Independence, strength, 100000 EXP

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So much EXP! It should have made her happy, but instead all the girl felt was a crus.h.i.+ng wave of depression threatening to swallow her whole. 100000 EXP wouldn't even make a dent in her new debt...