“So how co I didn’t read any of this in the archives?” I asked. Despite the multitude of books I’d managed to read, it seed like there were always missing portions of information.
“Because one of the ways the archives skirted around any big faction coming down hard on it was to mostly focus on theories and opinions when it ca to core developnt. Didn’t ya ever think to wonder why there were a billion books on different recipes from Spiral worlds and only a handful on advanced core structures? It ain’t like this stuff doesn’t exist and isn’t known by people across the Spiral. It’s that those with the power like to keep the power for themselves. They don’t want a rival to have a chance at anything they can avoid sharing,” l said. These were things I had constantly wondered about and had mostly started to think they were primarily tied to the Arena secrets, but apparently, they were part of a cold war. Was it a cold war? I suppose I can’t say that one for sure, either.
“So then, how much did I learn that was accurate within the archives?” I asked, hoping I hadn’t filled my head with nonsense.
“Elody was a great librarian, so anything ya learned as a fact from the books was prolly a fact, but rember, this was a library available to most peoples. So there just happened to be all kinds of core advancent shit that they didn’t keep there. I’m sure many a master librarian has pushed those bounds, and Elody herself I know, was considering a massive expansion, likely a big part of why she got removed. The good news, though, is ya still got . The bad news is I ain’t any good at the theoretical shit ya got going on, but when it cos ta the reality of core advancent, as long as we stay on topics I can talk about, I’m better than that library ever was,” l said gruffly. It was one of the few tis I had heard the man toot his own horn so blatantly that I believed it. This pushed other matters to the forefront.
I understood why the brothers were helping , they weren’t in all that different of a situation than I was. I even understood Elody’s help. I was a stranger in a strange world but also a bit of a fellow academic and soone who had t one of her personal heroes. I may not be the best at socializing or even people reading, but if you hamr over the head long enough, so things do eventually co through. So then, why was l so determined to help? He had talked about trusting him, and while he had given many reasons to do so, I still found it hard without at least so concrete answer to his future plans. That said, if he refused to give one, what could I even do? Could I get ho without him?
“l, before I do this, I need so real answers here. Why are you really helping so much? Not the bullshit answer involving Cecile and Elicec. Why specifically ?” I asked, my tone almost demanding an answer this ti.
l sighed loudly before he started talking. “Because yer a chance for sothing to change, Dave. I really can’t tell ya everything, and as I said, ya gotta trust blindly on a lot right now, but I promise I won’t screw ya over. I’m working towards what I think is the only way to keep ya and yer family alive and safe, and I’m using a lifeti of built-up resources in the background to even give us this chance. I’m sorry I can’t tell ya more, I really am, but there is just so much broken in the Spiral that it would take a lifeti to even get you ta the level of fully understanding the universal politics that got us to where we are now. Think about what I just told ya about the archives and try to put that into a big-picture context. You’ve already realized there’s no keeping Earth out of the Spiral. There’s just getting the orcs off of it and then dealing with the fallout. I’m doing everything I can ta help us there, and I an us. I’ve thrown myself in with ya for the long haul, so if that helps with the trust at all, consider it,” l explained. The whole ti he talked I didn’t see a single glare, just a pleading look. I don’t know if he was trying to manipulate or not, but as so many tis before, as of late, I decided I was going to trust him. I knew that eventually, the blind trusting of people was going to bite in the ass, but for now, I went with my gut. l was a friend and he was helping, so that ant it was ti for so changes to my core.
“Alright, I believe you, I think. So what do I do next, just do the core fortification? If my levels are gone what happens to my skills and attributes? If they just reset too, won’t that hurt a lot?” I asked, confused about the benefits of upgrading my core.
“So it’s kinda weird the way it works. Not exactly intuitive. Everything you’ve unlocked in a mana orb stays unlocked, even things you wouldn’t et the requirents fer anymore, but the ranks all drop back ta the initial one. What’s important is that it ans they stay usable. The sa applies ta any other skill or attribute. Now, with attributes, it gets even weirder. Despite the drop, yer body won’t initially regress; your core will keep pushing enough energy to hold you ya where yer at as long as you keep training. If ya go long enough without getting those attribute caps back to where they were, though, you’ll start to experience so weird mana channel issues. I have no idea if yer backlash resistance will apply ta them or not, but at the very least, don’t risk keeping that one under its cap fer long. Ya can test the rest all ya want, but be prepared for so debilitating pain across the parts of your body tied ta the attribute. As for why ta do this? Well, a stronger core and ta push you further, with higher levels, higher attributes and skill caps, more energy to your mana orbs to increase them faster, and most important of all, fighting higher graded cores. Ya aren’t going to be able ta stick with only fighting monsters and dungeon cores forever. Sooner or later, yer gonna have to fight another person on the System’s path, and when that happens, core ranks can strongly co into play. Once we get ya a real class, things are gonna get even more confusing, but if ya really want ta, I’ll try ta explain here, but I promise it will be easier understood once ya got the class locked in,” l said, dumping a ton of information on . Most of which, to my surprise, I understood. I guess I was finally learning how the Spiral functioned sowhat.
“Okay, well, you kind of had at higher limits. So that’s how I really start to use up all these points,” I said, finally understanding how I wouldn’t always have the sa excessive extra amounts I do now.
“Good, now I just gave ya the basics, and what I an by that is those are the only hard rules. Yer core can do so weird shit when it fortifies itself. So go ahead and start it. Then tell any other changes that it alerts ya ta,” l said. What possibilities were there for core changes? Was it possible for my affinity to be altered? If there weren’t any real rules, the only way to find out was to press forward. It was too bad the danger knowledge worlds presented. I’d have loved to put Earth on that path if I had any say once it was safe. Then, the people coming into this after could actually learn how things worked instead of stumbling around in the dark so much.
“Alright, ti to get it over with, I suppose,” I said before pulling the nu back up and selecting the new fortify option. Instantly, everything around seed to vanish into a void, and I could sense nothing beyond the System nu in front of . It was similar to a simulation but totally empty. It was not a pleasant experience.
“Would you like to fortify your core? Note that once the process has begun, it cannot be stopped, and any attempt to do so may result in irreparable harm towards your brain,” the System’s voice said. Apparently, I didn’t get to do this part in silence.
“Yes, I understand the risks and won’t be turning back,” I said, not sure I actually did understand them, but what could I do?
“Core fortification process underway. Would you like to evolve your affinity?” the System asked. I had no idea if I did or not. l hadn’t ntioned this possibility, and I didn’t know if this was because of how different changes could be or if he didn’t know about it. So far my affinity hadn’t done anything I was aware of, so I figured I may as well.
“What does that an?” I asked before just accepting.
“Your affinity will unlock its first ability,” it answered.
“And what is an affinity ability?” I asked, pushing for more information.
“A refinent of your affinity; any specifics are unknown until it has happened,” the System answered, giving no new real information. I really hated that, but it did sound potentially useful.
“Alright, might as well,” I said.
“Affinity evolution underway. All attributes and skill ranks have been ingested by your core. Your new core grade is E. Your core affinity has gained the ability Mana Tinkering.” l was right, I could feel a better flow of energy in my core. This had almost certainly been the right move. A ssage box had also popped into my view as the System spoke.
Affinity
Engineering
Rank
S
Ability
Mana Tinkering
Through the use of your engineering skills, your core has managed to evolve in a way that allows you to more easily alter mana channels and flows. Further ranks allow for a greater control and understanding of how mana flows work.
Ability Rank
Predicting an affinity evolution is more or less impossible. All current studies into it have failed to produce reliable results. The idea that your mana skills, regular skills, or attributes guide what the evolution is or even if it happens, have had no conclusive proof. Even the affinity itself isn’t guaranteed to explain what the evolution is. Sotis, people gain abilities; sotis, their affinity morphs into sothing totally new. The only sure thing I’ve found is that affinity evolutions are upgrades. I have yet to see one that beca worse.
Gastronil’s answer to the question “What is an affinity evolution?” on his application to work with Karlinovo.
Dave’s stats before fortification.
Core Attribute
Attribute Na
Starting Rank
Bonus Rank
Ranks Spent
Current Rank
Senses
Generalized Auditory
4
46
50
Senses
Generalized Gustatory
4
1
5
Senses
Generalized Nociception
1
1
2
Senses
Generalized Olfactory
3
1
4
Senses
Generalized Proprioception
2
22
24
Senses
Generalized chanosensory
3
1
4
Senses
Generalized Vestibular
2
1
3
Senses
Generalized Visual
2
48
50
Senses
Night Vision
1
499
500
Actions
Generalized ntal Use
6
44
50
Actions
Generalized Physical Use
1
49
50
Actions
Arm Speed
1
499
500
Actions
Arm Strength
1
499
500
Actions
Arm Accuracy
1
201
202
Actions
Leg Speed
1
499
500
Actions
Leg Strength
1
499
500
Actions
Leg Accuracy
1
49
50
Reactions
Generalized Body Toughness
1
49
50
Reactions
Bite Resistance
1
150
151
Reactions
Energy Projectile Resistance
1
150
151
Reactions
Electricity Resistance
1
150
151
Reactions
Impact Resistance
1
150
151
Reactions
Heat Resistance
1
150
151
Reactions
Slashing Resistance
1
150
151
Reactions
Piercing Resistance
1
499
500
Reactions
Generalized Disease Resistance
1
49
50
Reactions
Withering Poison Resistance
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1
150
151
Reactions
Wicked Wasp Venom
1
499
500
Reactions
Treerot Resistance
1
1
Reactions
Generalized ntal Resistance
3
47
50
Interactions
Generalized Beauty
1
1
Interactions
Generalized Presence
2
2
Soul
Soul Energy Detection
2
48
50
Soul
Soul Energy Projection
1
49
50
Soul
Soul Energy Regeneration
1
49
50
Soul
Soul Energy Strength
1
49
50
Core
Core Energy Detection
1
49
50
Core
Core Energy Projection
1
49
50
Core
Core Energy Regeneration
1
49
50
Core
Core Energy Strength
1
49
50
Luck
Mana Backlash Resistance
1
99
100
Luck
Cheat Death
4
96
100
Skill
Skill Tier
Starting Rank
Bonus Ranks
Ranks Spent
Current Ranks
Batrachology
1
Body Temperature Regulation
1
1
24
25
Brains & Brawn (Body-Enhancing Orb)
3
Brains Over Brawn (Brains Body-Enhancing Orb)
3
1
24
25
Brawn Over Brains (Brawn Body-Enhancing Orb)
3
1
24
25
Carcinology
1
1
1
Cartography
1
1
1
Cast (Life Orb)
3
1
24
25
Chelae Combat
1
1
1
Claw Dart
1
1
1
Climb
1
1
1
Close Combat
1
1
24
25
Components Aether (Elental Orb)
2
Components Fire (Elental Orb)
2
Core Projection (Imbuing Orb)
1
1
1
Crystallography
1
Dendrology
1
Dungeon Simulation
1
1
24
25
Elental Affinity (Imbuing Orb)
2
Elental Focus Aether (Elental Orb)
1
1
1
Elental Focus Fire (Elental Orb)
1
1
1
Environntal Shield (Shield Orb)
2
1
29
30
Fundantal Forces (Elental Orb)
1
1
24
25
Fundantal Forces (Elental Orb)
1
1
24
25
Heat Shield (Shield Orb)
3
1
24
25
Inner Vitality (Life Orb)
1
1
7
8
Lesser Mutation (Body-Enhancing Orb)
2
Lesser Regeneration (Life Orb)
2
1
24
25
Magical Durability (Imbuing Orb)
2
Magical Shield (Shield Orb)
1
1
35
36
Malacology
1
1
1
Malleting
1
1
24
25
dical Teletry (Life Orb)
2
1
14
15
ntal Training (Brains Body-Enhancing Orb)
2
1
24
25
ntal Training (Brawn Body-Enhancing Orb)
2
1
24
25
Pain Managent (Life Orb)
2
1
24
25
Physical Shield (Shield Orb)
1
1
35
36
Pugilism
1
1
1
Ranged Combat
1
1
1
Reader (Speed)
1
1
4
24
29
Recall Aether (Elental Orb)
2
1
24
25
Recall Fire (Elental Orb)
2
1
24
25
Regeneration (Life Orb)
4
Regeneration Efficacy (Life Orb)
3
1
24
25
Regeneration Efficiency (Life Orb)
3
1
24
25
Sitch Other (Life Orb)
3
1
24
25
Sling (Life Orb)
2
1
24
25
Sling Other (Life Orb)
3
1
24
25
Soul-Core Bonding (Brains Body-Enhancing Orb)
1
1
29
30
Soul-Core Bonding (Brawn Body-Enhancing Orb)
1
1
29
30
Sprint
1
1
1
Stitch (Life Orb)
2
1
24
25
Stomp
1
1
24
25
Strength Training (Brains Body-Enhancing Orb)
2
1
24
25
Strength Training (Brawn Body-Enhancing Orb)
2
1
24
25
Treasure Sense
1
1
1
Vespology
1
1
24
25
Unspent Attribute Points: 11275
Unspent Skill Points: 1805
0
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