New System, Who Dis?

Tutorial Day 17

For at least the fiftieth time, I used my new trick and sunk my Mana Pool into Reptilian Body, while simultaneously conjuring all the anger and rage I could muster at the man-thing who stood above me with an empty bowl of milk-pudding.

I'd been husking trapped here for eight days, if the Sunstone cycles were accurate. I wanted nothing more than to punch the possible AI torturer in the face, take this armor off and flee.

The latter had been tried already but I'd only made it to the cobblestones out front before my strength faltered and I collapsed under the weight of the armor. Claude had dragged me back inside, while chuckling. I'd even gained Reputation with the creature—like I'd done something he approved of.

At least I'm entertaining this sonnofa—-

This time, I launched myself to my feet suddenly, hoping to catch Claude by surprise. Then, instead of aiming at his face, which while fantastic—would likely prove futile. Instead, I swung at a knee as I rose. The blow turned into an erratic uppercut.

Claude stepped back serenely—then tapped me with the butt of his spear, somehow straightening my crooked stance. This wasn't the first time this had happened, and I was no longer surprised by the action. This damned devil was an AI after all, and meant to be a Spear Trainer.

I guessed he had to follow some small portion of that 'coding.'

Through movements trained over the last eight days, I high stepped-forward, leading with my knee. My elbows were firmly raised in front of my head–my forearms protecting my head from his spear's butt. It was a stance I'd used in Muay Thai.

This had also become somewhat common. Each time I'd made it back to my feet to attack Claude—I'd usually receive a message like this. Through trial and error, I think I even knew why.

The mentally-cracked program liked when I showcased something I'd 'learned' at his psychotic, deranged hands.

I shot out a fist, aiming it at his head, but simultaneously hoping he'd slip the blow with a minute movement like he'd done early in the fights. Clearly, Claude's programming could evolve, because he instead leaped left to avoid my incoming right cross.

His spear haft hit my left thigh. I blinked at the staff-like weapon as it retracted. My leg was straightened, and I needed to bend it to give chase.

So, does that mean I should have shuffled forward to keep both legs loaded and ready to shoot after him?

I exhaled through my nose, bent that knee, twisted at the hips and shuffled after Claude while attempting to use a variation of a split-step I'd seen Speed-based Hunters use in the wars. According to the commentaries, it let them land and change directions a split-second faster.

Claude retreated backward and left. My feet hit the ground and I bunched them, before springing after the infuriating program. If he hadn't made this armor heavier, I would have long since caught him and—

I recalled his 'push up' flinging me across the room on that first day——I would have won?

To my surprise my split step and new 'lesson' put me face to face with Claude.

The programs eyes widened even as he smirked. A spear shaft tapped me on one elbow and then quickly on the other, before Claude ducked under my right elbow and 'floated' away from me.

I had focused too much on my legs, and forgotten to prepare to punch or grapple him. My inhale came deep and frustrated even as I felt my legs shake a bit, warning me that my Qi was running out.

My knees bent, I twisted, and then gave chase once again, this time combining the last two lessons. Mid-jump I felt my Qi drain, my 'engine' putter, and the gas pedal, of my momentum, feeling spongy.

My leading right knee collapsed under me as the weight of the armor returned with a vengeance. Claude caught me, as he had done multiple times over the last week, and lowered me down.

Once there, he chuckled lightly and brushed his hands over the back of my arm.

"Ahh, too bad. Next time you come to me for training, be prepared, no?" Claude intoned, his face looking disappointed but the translator not conveying it.

Then, to my shock, Claude touched each piece of my armor and summoned it off of me and into some sort of storage device. My eyes widened as I tried to glare at Claude but failed. This husking Greed had cleaned me entirely out of Tutorial Points.

And now that I had no more he was just going to let me go! Talk about a broken computer code.

Slowly, I pushed myself up from the ground on shaking arms. By the time I got to my feet, I was glaring at Claude. Without the element of surprise, even missing the armor, I knew I'd never hit the husking Greed, especially with my empty Qi, and Mana.

I might have tried anyway if it wasn't for Mental Fortitude coaching me out of it. Instead, it was pointing out that I'd actually gotten exactly what I wanted.

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And… Mental Fortitude was right!

I checked the Sunstone in the room. It was, as far as I could tell, the afternoon. I turned on my heel and sprinted from the room.

There was absolutely no reason to engage with my torturer and even less reason to ever return!

* * *

Thursday, May 9th, 2069

"Your husking mother clearly banged the Pool Boy." Smegma scowled. "You need to use the Cut Skill in a way you haven't before. You know, like the opposite of Cutting up a corpse, or something!"

Dave looked between the Skinning Knife in his hand and the perfectly sectioned and skinned Mole Monster. Then his eyes tracked up to the infuriating Demon teacher. How did Brodie put up with this shit without going insane?

"How in the husk!" Dave shouted before Smegma smirked, and he realized he'd just drawn the attention of the rest of the Cleaners in the area. Dave raised a hand in apology.

"Sorry, Skill didn't work the way I thought it would," he mumbled in explanation.

Jaw clenched, he moved on to the next Mole Monster. One hand in his pocket caressed his Mana Battery a bit too forcefully.

As he walked, he muttered. "Husking demon anchoring himself to me of all people—what in the Greeding shit is this."

"Hey, at least I can confirm that Brodie is alive," Smegma retorted, sticking his tongue out at Dave.

That seemed to be literally the only thing the husking Greed Pig was good for. He definitely wasn't a good teacher. He had no access to the Demonic Vault Store, and he couldn't even tell them where Brodie had gone.

Dave stopped muttering, and regarded the next Mole Corpse. Abyss: Portal Services and Consumables, was thriving currently—still trying to keep up with P-squared was proving to be a bit of a losing battle. But they didn't need to. There were more than enough contracts to go around. Plus once Gary and Clara returned to work, it would surely just get better.

So far in just the last three days the Company had made over two hundred thousand in bonuses to split. Meaning each of their ninety person crew would be able to take home two-thousand or more at the end of the week. That on top of being paid as Specialists. The only downside was that the tools Brodie left were limited, and seemed to stop repairing themselves after a certain point.

Thanks in large part to Smegma appearing beside Dave on Tuesday, he was largely in charge at the moment. Mostly because with the Demon's help he could pass on some tips to Gardeners, Miners and Cleaners alike.

Would things be going better if Brodie was still here? Certainly. That was for a few reasons. First, as already mentioned with Brodie gone they were capped out on Mining Picks, Gardening Kits and Skinning Knives. Still, it was the second reason which was currently causing their team more problems. That problem rested solely on Jagger's shoulders.

The man was hiring all the Mana Pool Miners, and leaving none for Abyss. At least none in the Windsor area. The issue lay partially in the offers that Abyss had been making, and how they had to change. The offer of becoming an Equipment Specialist in time was their biggest draw–and since they couldn't make it any more–

Well they had to rely on their reputation–which was mostly non-existent. Unless Dave counted the negative parts that Jagger was spreading. How the man was claiming Abyss would lose the A and S-Rank Guild Contracts, Dave couldn't say. As far as he could tell–their group was doing extremely well.

Even though Abyss had better bonuses, somehow Jagger was keeping people from coming over. Still, Dave, Geneva and Kristen had a plan to deal with that. He looked down at his camera and then scanned all the other cameras being worn by each employee inside this Portal. With the right footage, they could destroy the misinformation that Jagger seemed to be spreading.

What else would stop people from joining?

Smegma was studying Dave, as Dave vacantly stared at the Mole Monster. The Demon scoffed. "You know, the single gear you have in your brain is going to overheat and melt if you keep overtaxing it." Smegma sighed. "I get it. You need to earn a Butchering or Skinning Skill and you think that will somehow help Abyss. I'm trying my best to get you in the right mindset for it, but I don't even know where to start. This System isn't the husking same as what I've seen on other Planets."

Dave sighed, drew on his Mana and slashed out with the Skinning Knife, while envisioning what he wanted his Skill to do. He felt the pull of Mana intensify, and he buckled down, making sure he kept the flow steady, and not turbulent. His 'Mana Pool' was growing, but if he overdrew from the Battery and shattered his Funnel—he'd be useless again.

Due to his control, the Cut Skill took longer than it needed to, and might have even drawn more Mana from the Battery, but the result was the same. The Skin slid free of the corpse, and a great deal of the meat and organs, no longer held up by connective tissue, descended.

At least I'm able to—

A blue screen popped into his vision.

"Holy crap!" Dave shouted pointing forward at the screen.

Smegma frowned and looked at the Mole Monster. "What? You've done that a dozen times. That wasn't anything new."

People were once again staring at him, and he raised a hand, but didn't bother verbally apologizing.

"I'll be right back. Need my lunch break." He said instead.

Then, he rushed away from the group so he could hiss. "I just unlocked two Stats."

Smegma was in front of him in an instant, his eyes wide. "You what?"

"Did you actually not hear me, or are you expressing how amazing I husking am?" Dave responded with a whispered growl.

"Neither, you selfless moron." Smegma retorted. "It's just rare that a Skill raises two stats!"

"Well, mine just did!" Dave hissed back, checking to make sure no one was nearby.

Smegma began tapping a talon on his tooth. "Were you trying to use Cut differently this whole time? Always adding new elements to the Skill's use?"

Dave tilted his head, bit his lip and shrugged. "Well yeah, but it was more that I was trying to speed up the Skills usage, and be really precise with where it cut."

Smegma continued to tap a talon to his fang.

Dave growled. "Do you have a theory of what husking happened?"

"Oh, well clearly your Skill has reached its peak before Evolution." Smegma said thoughtfully. "That's what happened when Brodie unlocked Stats. As for why there were two stats? Umm—only a theory."

"Isn't that what I just asked for?" Dave whispered, angrily.

"I'll let you know when I've fully thought it through. Only imbeciles think they are husking awesome."

"Yeah, well I wish your anchor had transferred to a Priest." Dave hissed. "At least they might excise you or something."

Smegma just smirked in response before he answered, "Dave, you seem to have a thing for Priests, is there something you want to tell me? Are you sure you weren't a choir boy, by chance?"

Dave closed his eyes. He'd brought up being baptized one time—once—and now the Demon wouldn't stop teasing him about being molested, into uniformed men, or just worshipping the wrong race.