by R. A. Mejia
While 77 skill points seem like a lot to spend, I have to remember that each level costs that many skill points to increase. So, to go from level 5 to 6 costs six skill points.
Trap Making level 5 to 10costs 40 skill points
-Access to level 10 Traps
Explosives level 3 to 5 costs 9 skill points
-Damage radius of explosives increases by 5 ft. Damage increased by 5%.
Ranged Combat level 4 to 7 costs 18 skill points
-Increase range of weapon by 70 feet. Increase ranged damage by 7%.
Inventory Management level 3 to 5 costs 9 skill points
-Increase inventory counting speed by 125%. Increase Inventory space by 5.
Grenade Launcher
Damage 2-3
Deliver grenade up to effective firing range of 480 feet
Ammunition types: Smoke, Fire, Ice, Electric, Corrosive, Explosive, Trap
Trap type: Floor Trap, Wall Trap, Nail Trap, Razor Wire Trap, Explosive, Landmine, Fire, Ice, Electric, Rope.
Anthony Tinoco
Level 10
Unspent stat points: 0
Unspent skill points: 1
XP to next level: 51200
Health 250
Mana 300
TP 350
Strength10
Dexterity12
Constitution15
Intelligence20
Wisdom25
Charisma10
Credits12,322
SkillsLevel
Inventory Management5
Inspect5
Deception1
Dungeon Scan3
Dungeon Inspect3
Dungeon Mapping4
Mapping3
Bludgeoning Weapons3
Guilt Trip1
Cooking 1
Speed Reading4
Mental Math4
Analysis3
Piercing Weapons1
Throw5
Trap Making10
Weapon design4
Armor design2
Gadget4
Firearm4
Ranged Combat5
Rifle4
Handgun2
Writing2
Computer Knowledge2
Computer Interface2
Laser Technology3
Explosives5
Grenades3
Piano2
Chemical Mixing2
Vector Analysis2
Abilities
Roll
Flying Kick
Smash
Stab
Fireball
Bite
Iron Grip
Spider Climb
Naughty Children
Ice Needle
Inventory Slots - 11
Hammer
Grenade Launcher
Grenade Ammo - Smoke
Grenade Ammo - Fire
Grenade Ammo - Ice
Grenade Ammo - Electric
Grenade Ammo - Explosive
Grenade Ammo - Proximity Mine
Trap - Electric
Trap - Rope
Trap - Wall
Chapter 43
The first week of August marks the beginning of the System Games. I’d earned enough credits during July not only to get weapons and armor but to get a special expanding tent just for the System Games. On the outside, it looks like a two-person tent, but on the inside, there’s enough room for five people, each with their room and space for a small kitchen. Yes, I admit I was inspired to purchase the item by a certain movie, but that doesn’t make it any less cool.
I take my gear and meet up with Lillian and John in the office. I’m surprised to find my mom and Marie up this early. I guess they’re here to see us off.
John is wearing a black tracksuit with green lines running through it. The lines remind me of circuit board lines, and I realize that John’s suit must have imprinted technology in it. Lillian, on the other hand, is wearing her regular clothes. I know that she can change into any number of types of armor in an instant.
John looks at the canvas bag in my hands with a raised eyebrow. “What’s up with the bag?”
“Well, I bought an expanding Perkin’s tent. I figured it would be a great place to sleep in during the System Games.”
Lillian and Marie both giggle and seems to get the reference. Lillian stifles her laughter long enough to tell me, “The System Games aren’t like the Quidditch World Cup. Both the participants and the audience go home every day. The portal system makes the need to stay locally unnecessary. Though I’ll admit, some people stay there just for the chance to party.”
I’m a bit disappointed that we won’t be camping, but I guess it makes more sense to just port back and forth. I drop the bag with a shrug then walk over to my mom and sister to hug them. My mom hugs me again, always happy to see her son. My sister puts a hand on my chest to stop me though. “No need for a goodbye hug, bro, we’re both coming along to watch.”
My mom smiles and nods, “Yes, mijo, we wouldn’t miss watching you play with your friends. Lillian says it’s a very big contest and we’re going to be there to root for you.”
“Oh, well...I’ll be looking out for you in the audience then.”
The five of us walk through the portal door and reappear in another city. I don’t recognize it, but most major cities look really similar to me. It’s still early in the morning, and the city isn’t quite awake. But the five of us walk through the city streets until we come to a car garage. We walk down some stairs to an underground network of tunnels until we reach a blue door. This second port door has been organized to keep competitors from stopping each other from reaching the System Games.
Walking through this door, I’m immediately assaulted by the sounds of the crowd. There are cheers and boos. We’re in a huge multistory cement stadium. There are streams of people going in different directions. Even from here I can see a huge series of floating screens in the middle of the stadium showing different events. The crowds are cheering and booing as their favorite competitors either win or lose.
Lillian hands my mom and Marie a badge they hang around their necks with some numbers and the word ‘guest.' John and I each get a badge with ‘competitor’ on it. Our two groups separate and my mom and Marie go off to pass through a separate entrance and find their seats. Lillian leads John and me along through a series of back hallways through several checkpoints and to the locker rooms.
There are several teams and individual competitions that we’d signed up for a couple of months ago during registration.
Lillian and John walk directly to a floating blue crystal and reset their respawn points to the locker room. The thought of resetting my respawn point makes me uncomfortable since the last time I did that I was repeatedly murdered by the man in the mask. But I’m assured by Lillian that security here is tight, and every single competitor has to do this, or they can’t compete. After all, they can’t have someone die, respawn at their home base, and then grab some illegal equipment and join the games again. I reluctantly place my hand on the blue crystal and reset my respawn point. I hope I don’t come to regret this later.
Chapter 44
All the participants gathered in what looks like an abandoned city. Over a hundred competitors are wearing all manner of armor and weapons. Some are sci-fi themed, others clearly have a magical bent, and there’s even someone wearing a skimpy cat costume like Felicia from Darkstalkers.
A voice from seemingly nowhere begins to speak, “Welcome, competitors, to the System Games. There are many challenges ahead for each of you, but you’ll all start off here in the qualifying event. If you can’t make it here, you won’t make it in the competition.”
A giant blue screen appears in mid-air with a cartoon-like picture of our location.
“This qualifying event is simple. It’s a race through this abandoned city to the finish line.”
A blinking X and an icon with of a finish line appear on the picture above us.
There’s murmuring among the
crowd, and I hear a System User in a tracksuit say, “A race? This will be a piece of cake. I’m made for speed.”
After a moment, the announcer's voice continues, “Don’t think it’s just a simple race though. No matter which route you take, you’ll face obstacles.”
The picture of the map disappears, and a series of pictures of monsters, traps, explosions, and robots replace it.
The murmuring among the competitors lessens, and no one seems quite as confident.
“There are no restrictions during the race. You may use any form of technology or magic. You may even maim, kill, or disable your opponents. Anything goes. Only the first 30 people to cross the finish line will be allowed to continue on to the next round.”
The picture on the big blue floating screen changes to a countdown. 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1. Then there’s a loud horn, and everyone starts to move forward. The square empties out onto a series of roads that lead to different parts of the industrial cityscape. Already several people are abandoning the crowd and using special abilities or tech to climb buildings.
Lillian and John don’t move. Instead, John pulls a small drone from his inventory and throws it up into the air. The drone immediately starts to scan the area around us. John then pulls up a copy of the map displayed on the giant screen and plots an optimal route for us to take. Lillian prepares by changing her outfit to special armor. It covers less of her than her power suit, but seems designed for speed. Her weapon of choice is still a sword, though this time it’s a katana that glows red.
After a moment more, John points in the direction of a small alleyway. “This way.”
Even though it’s only been a minute since the horn blasted, our group is one of the last to leave the square. I worry that this delay will cost us a place in the top 30.
Lillian takes the lead while John follows behind her and I’m in the rear. John calls out directions to Lillian, and we take a winding path over bridges, through tunnels, and sometimes even through buildings. As we pass through the city, I catch signs of battle everywhere. The remains or robots and monsters litter the street. Burn marks on the walls show where explosives or fire magic where used.
We have to change our route several times as we run into a fight that’s spilled into our path. Sometimes it’s a contestant fighting a mechanized opponent. Other times it's a contestant fighting another contestant.
We’re traveling through a narrow alleyway between brick buildings when a group of people in ninja outfits seem to melt out of the shadows. Five in front of us and five in back. A quick use of Inspection tells me who they are.
Robo Ninja
Level 11
Health 110/110
TP 50/50
The creation of a mad cyber-scientist with a fetish for the shinobi, these robotic ninjas are capable of turning invisible using advanced optical technology. They use surprise to their advantage, often finishing off their opponents before they’re even aware they’re there.
Abilities: Camouflage, Shinobi Strike, Shuriken Throw
Weakness: Electricity, Water
Robo Ninjas? If they weren’t standing in our path trying to delay us from getting to the finish line, I’d like to take the time to check them out more. As it stands, I grab my grenade launcher from my inventory. It’s already loaded with explosive ammunition. I aim from the hip and pull the trigger. There’s a ‘whump’ sound, and the explosive grenade launches into the air along a short arc. The group of robots looks at the cylindrical object that lands in their mists before it goes off in a fiery explosion. The five robo ninjas behind us are blown back and slam into brick walls. Their ninja clothes are burned away in places, and sparks fly from the exposed circuitry. Red 50s float away from them. Thankfully this is a narrow alleyway, and they weren’t blown too far away. It takes a second for the cylinder of the grenade launcher to turn, but I shoot another grenade at them, and the explosion finishes them off.
You’ve defeated a group of Robo Ninjas x 10, level 11. You receive 1100 XP.
Turning to see how Lillian and John are doing with their group of robo ninjas. I find the two of them waiting for me, surrounded by robotic parts.
Lillian and John both know about my special ability Absorb and let me use it on the unusual enemies in hopes that I’ll get one of their abilities. When I absorb the ninth robo ninja, I get something.
Absorb has successfully captured the essence of the defeated foe. You’ve learned the ability Camouflage.
When I check my list of abilities, I find that Camouflage is greyed out, and I can’t activate it. I can see what it’s supposed to do though.
Camouflage
D
Active
Used by artificial entities to project a field of light that mimics invisibility. Camouflage mimics the surroundings around the creature making them harder to see. Not effective against thermal or infrared scans.
*User does not have required artificial components to use ability*
The second time we are ambushed, the first sign we get of trouble is when John’s drone comes crashing down from the sky. We’re running through the middle of a park, and from behind a group of trees, four System Users come charging at us. How do I know they’re System Users? Well, I’d already noticed that the monsters generated by the dungeons are themed. They’re all fantasy monsters or more usually the same type of monsters. There’s very rarely a mix of types of monsters, much less ones with the hodgepodge combination of powers these guys have. One is a half cyborg. Another is clearly a mage of some kind, since she wields a big glowing staff and wears loose-fitting robes. The third has an overly large rifle and wears military fatigues. The fourth is a huge hulking mass of muscle and only wears a leather thong that barely covers his junk.
Lillian and John don’t rush to meet the charging group. We’d already practiced out battle plans. My weapon, if fired in close range, is just as likely to hurt my friends as my foes. So, the two of them wait for me to get off a couple of lobbed grenade shots. I aim for the largest target, the roided out guy, and pull the trigger. I don’t wait for the grenade to land this time and immediately follow up with two more shots. The first grenade takes the group by surprise, and everyone is sent flying through the air by the explosive blast. Everyone except Muscle Man, he just stands there and takes the hits like a champ. He must have a lot of his stat points invested in Constitution, because that guy's health bar is only down a third even though he was at the center of each grenade blast. The squishy magic user is already dead, but the cyborg and the soldier are back on their feet. The trio that remains spreads out so that my grenades won’t hit them all again.
John rushes towards the cyborg and Lillian uses her speed enhancing gear to chase after the soldier with the sniper rifle as he retreats to find a good place to snipe from. This leaves me to deal with Mr. Muscles, who smiles with a mouth full of crooked teeth. I guess I understand his point of view. He got the smallest, lowest level member of my group to deal with. I open my inventory and grab one of the new traps I’ve been working on. Thanks to my high level of skill in Trap Making, it only takes a second to arm and set the trap now. I fire my last grenade at the charging giant, who covers his eyes to avoid being blinded by the explosive blast. He takes the hit from the explosion, but keeps on charging at where he last saw me. Thankfully, I already knew the tendencies of these kinds of muscle man built from my fight with the zombie boss, and laid my new trap right in his path. I use Roll to get the heck out of the way. As Mr. Muscles steps into the trap, there’s a small beep and just as the guy looks down to see what made the noise a blast of icy air explodes from the trap.
This latest trap uses compressed liquid nitrogen to freeze whoever steps on it. When the cooled air clears, I see Mr. Muscle wobbling. His legs a frozen to the ground. His upper body is still free, and he’s trying to pull his legs free using pure muscle. Unfortunately, his legs are completely frozen through, and his efforts only cause his leg to snap off from his frozen foot. The guy wobbles
as he tries to keep his balance on just one leg, but he tumbles backward snapping his other leg off at the knee. It would be super gross normally, but the fact that both legs are frozen keeps the scene pretty bloodless. Mr. Muscle’s health has dropped to the halfway point, and I load six more explosive grenades into the launcher. It takes all six to finish the guy off too. I do the math in my head and realize that he must have had over 800 points in health or some damage negation ability. I saunter up to what’s left of Mr. Muscles, use Absorb and hope to get lucky and get whatever cool ability the guy had.
Absorb has failed to capture the essence of the defeated foe. Please try again.
Gosh darnit. I guess I won’t be the group’s tank after all.
You’ve defeated Max the Muscle Man Randy Savage, level 14. You receive 280 XP.
As Lillian and John finish up their opponents, a cannon blast heard overhead, and a picture of the first person to cross the finish line appears in the sky. That’s all the motivation our group needs. John tosses up another drone that plots out a path that avoids fights. We really did waste too much time with these guys. We avoid any entanglements for the rest of the run. When the dungeon springs a new ambush, we run away rather than engage. This is a race after all.