KYLE MAYHEW. ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST. LEVEL 83 (D)

  CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 52%

  ADAPTIVE ANATOMY – 10/? – ENHANCED CARAPACE (FERRIC AUGMENTATION), AURIC PERCEPTION (SYNAPTIC BARBS), EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY (TENACIOUS VIGOR), INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

  He hadn’t yet gained another level, though a quick glance at his center showed him another crimson node filled in on his attributes. As before, he didn’t get much of an impression when he focused on the words for Tenacious Vigor. Judging by the now deep ache across his body, he knew that this upgrade impacted most aspects of his body, rather than being constrained to the skin or senses.

  Before exiting meditation, he also took some time to reflect on the image of the Core of the Parasitic Devourer. It still swirled and roiled with crimson energy, competing for dominance with the blazing sigil of his path. As he watched, he could swear he saw it bulge out from time to time, as if it was trying to break free from his center altogether. Is that from what Zierlan did, or the design of the Core itself? Kyle wondered. Either way, he was pleased with the latest upgrade, and looking forward to checking it out.

  “C.H.A.D.D., what changes are your scans showing?” Kyle asked as he exited meditation.

  [IT APPEARS AS THOUGH YOUR PASSIVE MANA REGENERATION DECREASED BY APPROXIMATELY 7% FOR A SHORT WHILE, DR. MAYHEW.]

  Kyle frowned, turning his attention to his mana flow. He didn’t feel any difference as he passively drew in the ambient mana, nor was there any sort of blockage or new damage to his mana pathways. Activating Identify, Kyle focused on his hand. His Ferric Augmentation and Synaptic Barbs were clear to see, but that was it.

  He pointed his palm toward the ground, and activated Repel. The skill functioned normally, and he felt the telltale soreness in his arm from the backlash. As soon as he did, he felt a tingling sensation from his fingertips to his shoulder. A moment later, the pain and discomfort were gone, without him having to use Adaptive Regeneration or Healing Impetus. Now he felt a subtle draw from his mana network, the cells in his arm slowly siphoning away mana that moved through it.

  [DR. MAYHEW, I BELIEVE I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CHANGES ARE.] C.H.A.D.D. supplied helpfully.

  “You and me both, buddy,” Kyle replied. The pace of the recovery wasn’t at the level of Adaptive Regeneration, but it appeared to be entirely passive. The concepts at play reminded him of the energy left behind by Healing Impetus. If I prime with Healing Impetus, and then use Adaptive Regeneration on top of Tenacious Vigor… His thought trailed off, even as the excitement built.

  Once things settled down a bit, assuming he still got paid for this job, Kyle was eager to get some resistance training again. Compared to Phase One of his Practicum, he was much better prepared to give Adaptive Regeneration a chance to shine. He could comfortably handle a variety of more dangerous conditions now, and made a mental note to look up some suitable biomes when he got back home.

  For now, he turned his attention back to the task at hand.

  “C.H.A.D.D., how far are we from where the other amalgam was spotted?”

  [AT YOUR USUAL PACE, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET TO THE AREA THE SCOUTS MARKED WITHIN 2-3 HOURS, ASSUMING THEIR ESTIMATES OF DISTANCE WERE ACCURATE.]

  Kyle nodded. “Then we’ll try to get it taken care of as well. Ignition should top off my remaining mana reserves.”

  The journey took closer to 5 hours, primarily due to C.H.A.D.D. requesting a pit stop to collect more seeds from the strange, sharp plants. Twilight was approaching as Kyle heard the telltale rumbling of a nearby abomination, confirmed by C.H.A.D.D.’s scans. The sounds of its movement were punctuated by sickening crunching and snapping sounds. It’s eating, Kyle realized.

  Deactivating Ignition to close the distance with a touch more subtlety, Kyle rounded a corner to see the creature shuffling on 3 limbs, one arm carrying the half-consumed remains of a shrike. He was about to activate Parasitic Resonance, but paused as he considered a test of his new Tenacious Vigor. He leveled his right palm at the monster, and activated Repel at full force. With his left, he tapped his arm at the elbow and activated Healing Impetus.

  The mild pain from the backlash evaporated immediately, and Kyle didn’t hesitate as he activated Repel twice more in rapid succession, allowing Tenacious Vigor and Adaptive Regeneration to repair the damage to his arm. The abomination roared, only to be blasted repeatedly as Kyle continued to use his skill, paying close attention to the regenerative work at play in his arm.

  The results of his half-baked test were promising, with his skills providing excellent synergy to Tenacious Vigor. He only stopped using Repel due to the steep mana cost, and the fact that the amalgam was gaining ground as it sought to crush him. It hurled the shrike’s remains at Kyle, who sidestepped, already predicting the heavy punch to follow.

  They’re consistent, Kyle thought, activating Storm Shelter and Ignition to help replenish his mana reserves. The fist smashed into Kyle’s barrier, and he took advantage of its momentary disorientation to attack with Parasitic Resonance. Before the arm could recover, Kyle poured both his own mana and the atmospheric energy from Ignition into the abomination, suppressing its healing immediately.

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  As before, Kyle felt a twisting pang of hunger from the Core of the Parasitic Devourer, and let the instinct run free as the compressed orb of mana inside the amalgam was pierced and consumed. He felt the rush of energy re-enter his body as he followed his instincts, finding it interesting that the core was still interested in consuming more of the energy.

  His curiosity was broken by a hasty message from C.H.A.D.D.

  [DR. MAYHEW, THERE ARE SHRIKES NEARBY, APPROACHING OUR POSITION. 9, LED BY AN ALPHA.]

  Kyle kept Ignition active as he listened to C.H.A.D.D.’s warning, taking a look at the ever-present map the drone was projecting. He saw them approaching, slower than he would have expected. His initial thought was that they were part of the pack of the shrike that died, but the fact that there were 9 shrikes, plus the alpha dispelled that notion.

  He didn’t like 10 to 1 odds. Even with all the progress he made, it could get dicey. At the same time, he knew he wasn’t too far off from another Adaptive Anatomy upgrade. Time was still of the essence if he wanted to get back to Resistance territory before his extraction. If he could take a few of the shrikes by surprise before retreating, he might be able to complete enough hit-and-run tactics to wipe out the pack, potentially netting his next upgrade.

  So, Kyle controlled his breathing as he allowed Ignition to replenish his mana reserves. Soon, he saw the first pair of shrikes appear in his vision, rounding a corner in the canyon. Synaptic Barbs warned him of another approaching from behind, and C.H.A.D.D.’s map showed the others taking positions on the high ground. The alpha stayed back just a bit, also on the high ground.

  If it came to retreat, he was confident in breaking through any of the shrike pairs. While the maze of the canyons may be difficult for some to navigate, C.H.A.D.D.’s guidance all but guaranteed his ability to get away. The first pair to attack will be the target, Kyle decided, focusing on Auric Perception to see where mana gathered first.

  Nothing happened. They stood, watching Kyle as he watched them. Nearly a minute passed in the strange stalemate, until he finally saw the alpha move. It let out a high-pitched chirp, and the other shrikes lowered their heads as they backed away, not taking their eyes off of Kyle. The same brightly-colored alpha he saw before jumped down, landing just out of range of Parasitic Resonance. Its head bobbed up and down as it regarded Kyle, wicked talons and bladed arms glinting in the little light that remained.

  It met Kyle’s eyes, and he felt something tug at the edge of his consciousness. It wasn’t a word, necessarily. Rather, a vague feeling, something he could best compare to the impressions he got when looking at his skills. Listen. Show you.

  Kyle frowned, activating Identify. If this was some sort of mental attack, he wasn’t about to fall for it. The alpha’s body lit up with power as Kyle regarded it with his skill, and while it was certainly a dangerous creature, neither its Intelligence nor Willpower appeared extraordinary enough for a psychic attack; at least, not a powerful one. Listen. Show you.

  Still, sating his curiosity without a second opinion would be foolhardy. “C.H.A.D.D., do you see that I’ve been affected by anything? An illusion, or hypnosis, perhaps?”

  [NOTHING THAT I CAN SEE, DR. MAYHEW.]

  The shrike let out another chirp as it made an agitated wiggle. Listen. Show you. Between the revelations at the village, and this behavior, Kyle was well and truly curious. With a thought, he responded to the probe, meeting the alpha’s eyes.

  For the briefest moment, his vision split. He could still see the shrikes in front of him, and C.H.A.D.D.’s map. At the same time, he saw fragmented snapshots of hundreds of different shrikes, moving, hunting, and dying. Many by his hand. Then he saw a nest, deep in the heart of the canyonlands. Juvenile shrikes, with their scales a pallid green, heaving for breath. Alphas coughing, limping, moving sluggishly. Every step, pain. And a rumbling anger and sorrow from the Matriarch within.

  The vision ended as abruptly as it began, and Kyle shook his head to clear his mind, the shrike alpha doing the same. It gave another wiggle before lowering its head, razor-sharp beak pointing at Kyle. It chirped once more, and a new impression struck his mind. Follow. Help. Feed.

  That… was not what Kyle expected. Escaping 10 shrikes was something he had a lot of confidence in. Escaping a nest with multiple alphas and a C Grade shrike Matriarch? Almost entirely out of the question. Even though many of the shrikes appeared to be impacted by the mana plague, healing a bunch of deadly predators so that they could have him for lunch was just foolish.

  Kyle didn’t know how to convey this impression to the alpha, but he tried thinking back at it while keeping the connection open. Dangerous. Become prey. No thank you.

  The alpha let out another chirp, annoyance somehow clear through the sound. Can’t eat. Not food. Want help.

  Kyle cautiously reached out with his mind, opening to the ideas behind the impressions. He saw the nest again, through the eyes of the alpha. Then he saw the alpha fighting the abomination, and finally he saw it looking down on a broken human. An image of himself, crumpled on the ground, blazed into his mind. He could feel the shrike’s curiosity, followed by a command carrying absolute authority. Dangerous. Powerful. Could help. Don’t hunt. Bring it here.

  His mind reeled as he staggered back, the alpha doing the same. He locked eyes with the creature once more, considering his options. The shrike Matriarch’s decree seemed to be law to these creatures, and Kyle realized just how much he underestimated their hunting instinct. It wasn’t just about coordination of each pack; they had an entire social structure tied to the ability.

  Is it natural to the shrikes, or a result of the Beastmasters? If there were truly C Grade heritages from the old civilization, it wouldn’t be too surprising if the skill had been created, at least to some degree, through their influence.

  This also left Kyle with a bit of a conundrum. If the shrikes weren’t allowed to hunt him, any encounter with the creatures couldn’t be called a fight. While completing his Adaptive Anatomy was a priority, something in him viscerally rejected the idea of killing these creatures that couldn’t fight back. The scars on his stomach ached at the thought. No, Kyle decided. I’m not going to kill helpless shrikes to advance my power.

  If his guess was correct, the mana plague was being projected through the shrike matriarch and permeating their nest. If he followed, he could try to solve the mana plague issue impacting the goblin village, and still drain energy from the shrikes he treated. With his safety assured, it could be a win-win.

  Kyle only hesitated for a moment before nodding to the shrike. Show me.