Chương 15: Chapter Fifteen: Augment

< Augments have been pre-selected for you based on your performance. Choose one of the options provided. > [Thermal Exhaust Chamber] Creates a variable heat immune chamber in the user's body that holds thermal buildup for later expulsion. This augments the user's ability to handle large amounts of thermal radiation and enhances control over concentrated output. [Mana Foundation] Creates a base network of mana channels throughout the user's body to optimize mana efficiency, speed, and usage.

This augments the user's mastery over mana and opens future pathways for more mana-based enhancements. [Mana Reinforced Makeup] Binds mana to the user's muscle fibers and bones to strengthen overall constitution and enhances user's innate defense versus mana-based attacks. This augments the user's body in a definite upgrade that lays a foundation for further enhancement.

[Regenerative Cell Mutation] The user's cells mutate into a state of continuous regeneration that allows significantly enhanced healing times and minor adaptive properties over time. This augments the user's natural regenerative rate and passively scales alongside the mutated cell turnover rate. [Radioactive Tissue Siphon] The user gains the ability to house radioactive cells within their tissues to stem decay and draw excess energy for later use.

This augments the user's energy pools while providing a smaller healing effect based on how many cells are stored at the time of injury. I didn't really know what to expect when I first saw the quest that had an Augment as a reward, but I can confidently say that this was not it. I also was not expecting descriptions that actually explain what each Augment does, so it is safe to say that I am overjoyed with the screen before me.

I throw a glance around to make sure no other monsters are planning on coming out of the woods before I sit down and lean back on the large corpse of the goblin brute. My fight with the brute was the first in which I didn't get seriously hurt, which I view as a complete win. In congratulations of my win with no real damage, I allocate all of my free stats into PWR and begin reading the options for my Augments.

After my first read through, I immediately like [Mana Foundation], [Thermal Exhaust Chamber], and [Regenerative Cell Mutation]. Two of them have specialized upgrades to either one of the energies I can produce: mana and thermal radiation. The last option seems like a strong survivability enhancer. [Mana Foundation] seems fairly unattractive at a glance, but the wording of the description makes me wonder how far it can get me.

Creating a 'base' network that allows for 'further enhancement' makes the Augment sound like it could be truly powerful the longer I have it. Unfortunately, I feel like this long-term bonus makes it sound weaker than the rest of the options. Mana is also the energy I believe to have the least control over, as my thermal radiation's power makes it harder to perceive and experiment with. [Thermal Exhaust Chamber] sounds really good. I mean it sounds really, really good.

Not only will it provide storage for the constant stream of radiation that my mana produces, but it sounds like I can choose when and how to expel it too. It would be a huge trump card in my back pocket to let loose a huge wave of concentrated heat in the middle of a fight. For all I know, the chamber could be concentrated enough to even create an explosion upon use. I have a few more ideas on how I could use it as well, but without actually having it, I can't be completely sure.

[Regenerative Cell Mutation] is somewhat less exciting, but in my current injured state, knowing that I have multiple more hard fights ahead, it is nearly a perfect lifeline. Not only will it allow me to heal much faster, but it also will scale the longer I have it. There is one reason that I don't want to pick this Augment though despite the obvious boons.

[Mana Reinforced Makeup] sounds like a good physical and survivability boost that will also have long term benefits, but I don't like it because I feel like I should be able to achieve the same results with <Infuse>. Also, the fact [Mana Foundation] is still an option alongside this one means that this Augment most likely doesn't have as much potential as the former since they were both offered as equal options.

Finally, [Radioactive Tissue Siphon] sounds like a good balance between [Thermal Exhaust Chamber] and [Regenerative Cell Mutation]. It has the ability to store energy, and it has some healing effects as well. The very fact that it was offered at all and the wording of the Augment give me more information on my [Mana Mutation] condition too.

Since it is offering safe storage for radioactive cells and suspends the process of radioactive decay, it makes my hypothesis that my mana is in a similar state of decay that much more proven. Regardless of my appreciation for [Radioactive Tissue Siphon], I still will not choose this Augment as it is just a limited version of the other Augments.

Its jack of all trades nature seems incredibly useful and will provide me with much more options to work with in future fights, but I will not choose it for the same reason I won't choose [Regenerative Cell Mutation]. < Warning: Any options not chosen will not be available for selection in the future. > The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. I can tell this decision is not something as simple as what would be the most useful right now.

[Radioactive Tissue Siphon] and [Regenerative Cell Mutation] are clearly the most useful for my current situation; [Thermal Exhaust Chamber] even more so than those two. This one line of text tells me that my choice here has much more impact in the long term than I can currently comprehend with the meager information I have at my disposal. With that said, I also think that maybe in the future I could manage to replicate some of these Augments on my own.

It might be wishful thinking but creating a reservoir for my thermal radiation doesn't sound impossible. If I am to choose based on the knowledge that my best choice is the one that will benefit me most in the future, then there really is only one choice. < You have gained the Augment: Mana Foundation > As if I am a puppet with cut strings, my limbs fall to the side and my neck lolls back.

With most of my injuries thus far, the pain has been only a small side issue, as I have long since become detached from such things. But I can say one thing with certainty… The Augment hurts. I can feel my muscles forcibly spasm and convulse underneath my skin, making it nearly impossible to control any of my limbs. Even my breath comes in short, quick rasps as my abdomen and chest twitch and tingle.

These sensations are annoying enough, but they are easily overshadowed by the feeling of new veins being carved throughout my body like someone was tracing a copy of the Mona Lisa directly onto my bones with a burning hot needle as the brush. I can still think properly and continue to scan my surroundings for any threats, but I doubt I would be able to fight with any real efficiency in my current state.

After a few more agonizing minutes, the feeling has finally died down enough to where I can move my limbs freely despite still being able to feel the sensation of the Augment still working through my body. I attempt to feel how my mana moves with the new Augment, and even with the network not being done yet, I can feel a huge difference. For one, my mana is no longer overshadowed by my radiation, and I can easily focus on the individual lines going through my body and tracing through my nervous system.

The network is complex, but it feels like my mana pathways turned from a road of old dirt to a freshly paved highway as my mana races along the lines, ready to be activated at a moment's notice. I activate <Infuse> for a moment to test the new network, and my hand is evenly filled with mana almost instantly. I raise the difficulty and begin running mana through my entire arm. Seeing it fill so easily, I take it to the next level and fill my entire body with mana. <Infuse Lvl. 3 -> Infuse Lvl.

4> It is difficult to keep up, and the strain is immense, but I continue running the mana through the entire network and even fill in the newest pieces that are being etched into my body as we speak. After holding that state for multiple seconds, I decide to go all in, and I fill my body as much as I can with my current pool of mana. It turns out, my mana pool is even larger than I had thought due to my recent level ups, and my bones start to creak as my muscles swell and knot up underneath the raw energy.

I quickly shut the stream of mana off, and my body slowly relaxes back to its baseline. I think my infusion also helped the Augment along, as I no longer feel the constant needling dancing along my nerves. Shaking my arms and legs out to get the hang of my newest level up and Augment's changes to my body, I <Infuse> my body with a lot less mana than I had before. Feeling the energy run smoothly through my network without issue, I begin my run anew toward the valley.

With the extra mana infusion in my muscles, I am faster than before, and I proceed to barrel down the trail at a speed only an Olympian sprinter could match. After running along the path for a few minutes, I run into another group of goblins. < Goblin - Level 4 > < Goblin Warrior - Level 6 > < Goblin - Level 4 > They are running in the same direction that I am, and the warrior is carrying a legitimate sword and buckler while the others are running with various tools.

Instead of slowing down to make a plan or let them go on ahead while I follow behind, I rush forward and <Infuse> even more mana into my body and grip both of my knives. Similarly to the group that had the seeker, they do not hear me until I am already only a few feet away due to the roar of the fire in the background.

The warrior notices first just like the seeker, but it is nowhere near as fast as the other goblin was, so before it can even pivot toward me, I sink one of my knives directly into the nearest goblin's brain and use my other knife to slash the other level 4's throat. < You have defeated: Goblin - Level 4 > One dies instantly while the other clutches its throat and I don't spare either of them a second glance as I move in to attack the warrior.

The goblin with the sword and shield looks toward its comrades with wide eyes but is not caught off guard as my knife thrusts for its neck only to be deflected at the last moment. With no sense of any real combat technique, I throw my other knife at the monster, which misses horribly and only gets the goblin to raise its shield up to its face in defense.

I take advantage of the momentary lack of eyesight to <Infuse> a huge amount of mana into my right foot which plants itself right on top of the goblin's unprotected piggies. The green foot is turned into a mess of broken bones and the goblin squeals in pain while throwing out a shaky thrust toward my gut with its sword. I easily dodge the blow before following up with a mana infused right hook that clips the goblin's raised shield and swerves straight to the goblin's ear.

The goblin is knocked to the ground and because its center of gravity is violently thrown off, I easily finish the monster off with a stomp to the back of its neck. < You have defeated: Goblin - Level 4 > < You have defeated: Goblin Warrior - Level 6 > It seems the other low leveled goblin finally bled out just as I finished its friend, so I smoothly grab my dropped knives before running down the trail once again.

I have less mana due to the scuffle, but given my stat in PWR, the expenditure should be back within minutes. < Congratulations! You have reached: Level 11 > The notifications are coming in slower and longer in between each one, but it only takes another ten minutes of running before I finally level up again. I feel my mana pool widen as the new points in PWR take effect, and I adjust my <Emit> output to handle the radiation by imagining the skill as a dial on a solar heater.

The changes finish just in time, as I finally can see the end of the path which looks to lead out to a huge field at the foot of a narrow valley between two mountains. Before I get anywhere close to the exit, I think for a moment before ditching my clothes in a trench on the side of the trail and darting directly into the blazing woods with only my hospital gown diaper on. I creep to the wood line that sits at the edge of the field and try to scope out the valley I am supposed to reach according to my quest.

Unfortunately, as I gaze out, it dawns on me why I was getting less and less notifications for goblin kills. Looking to my left and right, there are no openings to the valley between the countless bodies that move back and forth to hastily set up tents and dig trenches in the ground. It seems I have found where all of the goblins were hiding. They set up camp in front of the valley because I burned down their home in the forest.