Chapter 36: Lesson Learned

That was quite a haul and very much worth all the years of effort I spent learning and training, day in and day out. I can only imagine how pissed off I would be if most of the skill perks I got were dogshit... Thank god, they were all pretty great overall and everything went well for the most part.

I could have done without all the pain, but I'm just glad my head didn't explode when it was getting stuffed to the brim with an overwhelming amount of new knowledge and information. Another way to look at it, I suppose, is my pain tolerance is sure to have gone up from this whole ordeal, not to mention my mental fortitude.

Happy with what I received for my literal years of effort, I checked to see if there were any other notifications.

Good, there are no more notifications. Time to get those two quests turned in.

Doing just that, I closed out of the current holographic window, pulled up my status, and turned in my Seeker Of Knowledge quest first to get myself an extra 15% exp out on the Production Underway quest. From those two quests, I netted a total of 17,888 exp, 3 intelligence points, and 2 repair and science skill points, more than enough for one more level up and just shy of two level-ups.

I learned my lesson this time. There ain't no way I'm piling up level ups again if I can help it.

Unwilling to go through that excruciating pain again, I wasted no time and initiated the level up.

In the time it took to blink, the same perk screen I saw before made an appearance for the second time, listing all the previous perks and four additional new ones.

Level 12 Perks

| Another Skill Talent | Requirements Level 12: Gain a fourth skill talent to distribute wherever you please.

| Backpacker | Requirements Level 12, Endurance 6, Strength 6: +100 to carry weight.

| Iron Fist | Requirements Level 12, Endurance 6, Strength 6: Your fists will increase in hardness and strength and you gain +20% to unarmed damage.

| Nerves Of Steel | Requirements Level 12, Endurance 5, Intelligence 5: Gain nerves of steel and the ability to deal with most situations and unexpected events calmly and rationally.

Not bad, the four of them are all solid perks. 

What do I want to choose, I could either go with one of these four or one of the previous perks I've yet to take... Cat Eyes would be nice to have for the dark caves but there is little to no light in there so I'm still going to need a light in the end for it to be effective if the perk is anything like real cat eyes. There is also the fact that my armor already has built-in night vision and thermal vision, so it's kind of pointless to waste a perk point on it when I already have that covered with equipment.

Speed Loader is great for whenever I have to reload but I'm already very fast in that area thus it's not particularly worth grabbing it at this very second. I could go for Brute, can't go wrong with having more durability although in this instance I think I'm going to take Nerves Of Steel.

I already deal with most situations calmly and rationally. However, I've never been in a situation where I had guns being fired at me. This isn't a game anymore, so I think this perk will be the best choice because it will help me calmly handle the various dangerous situations I may find myself in.

My choice made, I selected Nerves Of Steel and went on to the next section of the level up.

[ Skills ]

Skill Points Left: 27

Ballistic Weapons: 104

Energy Weapons: 104

Explosives: 104

(T)Heavy Weapons: 183

Leadership: 104

Lockpick: 101

Medicine: 104

Melee Weapons: 102

Piloting: 101

(T)Repair: 106

(T)Science: 106

Speech: 101

Stealth: 101

Survival: 102

Trade: 104

Unarmed: 102

I already have regrets of not distributing them into repair and science, so that's what I'll do... Alright, that should do it. I put 13 points into repair and 13 points into science and threw the last remaining point into trade.

Pleased that I could get a few points into both skills, I completed my skill distribution, bringing me back to the main system window, which reflected the huge transformation I had undergone.

[ Status ]

Name: Dom Mason Woods

Age: 11

Height: 6 Feet

Body Weight: 231 lbs

Race: Human

Level: 12

Experience Points: 12,165/13,000 | Formula: Next Level# x 1,000

Total Experience Points Earned: 90,165

Experience Rate: 225% ⇮ | Formula: 100 + (Intelligence x 5) +10

Health: 1,360 ⇮ | Formula: 100 + (Endurance x 20) + (Level# x 10) x 2

Healing Rate: 0.0966 Health Per Second/5.8 Health Per Minute ⇮ | Formula: (0.2 Health Per Minute x Endurance) + 1

Stamina: 2,320 ⇮ | Formula: 100 + ( Endurance x 20) x 4

Stamina Regeneration: 1.6 Stamina Per Second/96 Stamina Per Minute ⇮ | Formula: (1 Stamina Per Minute x Endurance) x 4

Carry Weight: 0.125/600 | Formula: 100 + (Strength x 50)

Critical Chance: 10% | Formula: Luck x 1

[ Effects ]

[ Armor ]

Body Damage Threshold 24 ⇮ | Formula: Endurance x 1

[ Resistances ]

Radiation Resistance: 24 ⇮ | Formula: Endurance x 1

[ Attributes ]

Strength: 10 

Agility: 7 

Endurance: 24 ⇮

Intelligence: 23 

Perception: 16 

Charisma: 8 

Luck: 10

[ Skills ]

Ballistic Weapons: 104 ⇮

Energy Weapons: 104 ⇮

Explosives: 104 ⇮

(T)Heavy Weapons: 183 ⇮

Leadership: 104 ⇮

Lockpick: 101 ⇮

Medicine: 104 ⇮

Melee Weapons: 102 ⇮

Piloting: 101 ⇮

(T)Repair: 119 ⇮

(T)Science: 119 ⇮

Speech: 101 ⇮

Stealth: 101 ⇮

Survival: 102 ⇮

Trade: 105 ⇮

Unarmed: 102 ⇮

Skill Points Gained Per Level Up: 27 ⇮ | Formula: (Intelligence x 1) + 4

[ Traits ]

| Gifted | - | Sex Appeal | - | Skilled | - | Take Another Rank 1 |

[ Perks ]

Active Perks: | Currency Maker | - | Medical Genius |

Passive Perks: | All The Loot | - | Ambidextrous | - | Bookworm | - | Champion Level Muscle Genetics | - | Escape Artist | - | Heavy Weapon Expert Rank 1 | - | Human Supercomputer | - | Knowledgeable Sponge | - | Language Master | - | Looter Shooter | - | Monstrous Physique | - | Natural Born Learner | - | Nature Affinity Rank 1 | - | Nerves Of Steel | - | Rare Cardiovascular Genetics | - | Skeleton Key | - | Talented | - | The Great Leader | - | Wild Man |

Combo Perks: | All Seeing | - | Bulletstorm | - | Certified Forklift Operator | - | Devastator | - | Martial Weapon Master | - | Mechanical Domination | - | Overcharged | - | Restorer | - | Shadow Lurker | - | Space Farer | - | The Power Of Atom | - | Unarmed Master |

[ Mutations ]

[ Gear ]

Weapons: 

Weapon Magazines: 

Armor: 

Clothing: Jet Black Boxer Briefs

Aid: 

Ammo: 

Miscellaneous: 

Money: 

[ Other Stats & Bonuses ]

Accuracy: Heavy Weapon Accuracy +20%

Attribute: Endurance Gain +150% - Intelligence Gain +50% - Strength Gain +150%

Body: Blood Circulation +50% - Ligament Strength +300% - Ligament Growth Speed +300% - Muscle Growth Speed +100% - Muscle Density +100% - Reaction Speed +25.25% - Tendon Strength +300% - Tendon Growth Speed +300%

Brain: Brain Processing Power +200% - Reading Speed +150% - Thought Processes 2

Currency Maker Rates: $1,000 For 1 lb Of Silver - $10,000 For 1 lb Of Gold

Damage: Ballistic Weapon Damage +52% - Damage +10% - Energy Weapon Damage +52% - Explosive Damage 52% - Heavy Weapon Damage +111.5% - Melee Weapon Damage +51% - Stealth Damage +50.5% - Unarmed Damage +51%

Energies: Martial Weapon Master Energy Range 10 Meters - Unarmed Master Energy Range 10 Meters

Health: Health +100% - Health Regeneration Per Minute +1

Leadership: Force Efficiency +1% - Force Performance +1% - Loyalty Gain +100%

Lockpicking Reward: 10

Medical Genius Heal Limit: 1 Use A Day

Other Weapon Stats: Explosive Radius +52%

Fields: Perception Field Range 16 meters - Presence Hiding Field Range 10 Meters - Repair Field Range & Rate 11 Meters, 11% Per Hour

Martial Weapon Master Energy Range: 10 Meters

Skill: Skill Gain Speed +50%

Sleep: Required Sleep 4 Hours

Stamina: Stamina +400% - Stamina Regeneration +400%

Vehicle: Speed When Piloting +25.25% - Handling When Piloting +25.25%

Velocity: Ballistic Weapon Velocity +52% - Energy Weapon Velocity +52% - Heavy Weapon Velocity +91.5%

Weight Reduction: Item Weight 5lbs & Lower -50% 

Kill Counter: 0

[ Items ]

Weapons: A-50 Anti-Material Rifles (100) - AALP-3 Laser Pistols (1,000) - AALR-6 Laser Rifles (1,000) - AAGL-5 Gatling Lasers (100) - AK-108s (100) - AKMs (100) - CA12 Combat Shotguns (100) - Carl Gustafs (100) - Combat Knives (5,000) - F-60 Flamethrower (100) - FBLAR-1 Laser Assault Rifles (2,539) - Grandpa John's Combat Knife (1) - HK416s (100) - M56 Miniguns (100) - M76 Miniguns (100) - M90 Frag Grenades (5,000) - Microfusion Cell Mines (24) - NPDMs (100) - T-4 Plasma Grenades (1,000) - TBT Sniper Rifles (100)

Weapon Magazines: 5.56mm Minigun 500 Round Drum Magazines (500) - 5.56mm Minigun 1,000 Round Backpack Magazines (200) - 7.62mm Minigun 500 Round Drum Magazines (500) - 7.62mm Minigun 1,000 Round Backpack Magazines (200) - A-50 Anti-Material Rifle 10 round Magazines (1,000) - AK-47 30 Round Magazines (1,000) - AK-47 75 Round Drum Magazines (200) - CA12 Combat Shotgun 12 Round Drum Magazines (1,000) - M2 Browning Machine Gun 100 Round Magazines (4) - NPDM 100 Round Drum Magazines (1,000) - 5.56 STANAG 30 Round Magazines (10,000) - 5.56 STANAG 60 Round Quad Stack Magazines (10,000) - 5.56 STANAG 100 Round Drum Magazines (3,000) - 7.62 STANAG 20 Round Magazines (2,000)

Armor: Heavy Trooper Set (1)

Clothing: Sets Of Clothes (25)

Aid: Medstims (1,049) - P-Dex Bottles (10) - P-Dex Syringes (49)

Ammo: .50 BMG Rounds (256,478) - 12 Gauge Shotgun Shells (112,894) - 5.56x45mm Rounds (2,942,002) - 7.62x39mm Rounds 1,058,167 - 7.62x51mm Rounds (2,248,356) - 80mm Missiles (1,000) - 84x245R RCL Rounds (1,000) - Flamethrower Fuel (1,000) - Microfusion Cells (1,250,023) - Microfusion Breeder Cells (4,998,265)

Skill Books: All Things Gun (4) - Atomic Power (3) - Bigger Is Always Better (3) - Book Of Engineering (3) - Boom! (2) - Conversationalists Notebook (3) - Drifting & Racing Weekly (2) - Encyclopedia Of Medical Advancements (3) - Entrepreneur (2) - Future Science (3) - Last Man Standing (3) - Leaders Of The World (4) - Martial Master (2) - Martial Weapons Guide (2) - Master Of All Trades (1) - Security Systems Monthly (3) - Stealth 101 (2)

Miscellaneous: A Large Assortment of Automated Manufacturing and Processing Machines - Small Arc Furnaces (2) - Automated Ammo Manufacturing Machines (1) - Automated Weapon Manufacturing Machine (1) - Automated Weapon Magazine Manufacturing Machine (1) - Lockpick Set (1) - Metal (59,952,237) - Stealth Packs (7) - Ore & Other Minerals 154,734,932 - Other Misc Items (47,973,192)

Money: Dollars (25,000,000) - Undercity 7 Credits (53,457,144)

Robots: Crusader (1) - Multibots (35)

Turrets: ZBR-2 Laser Turrets (55)

Vehicles: 

| Production Capacity |

Aid: 

Ammo: 100,000

Apparel: 

Dollars: 

Metal: 500,000

Miscellaneous: 300,000

Ore & Minerals: -600,000

Robots: 0.1

Turrets: 1

Vehicles: 

Weapons: 100

Weapon Magazines: 1,000

[ Quests ]

Ready to turn in: 1

Completed: 2

In progress: 13

(Daily) | Workout | Objectives: Complete your daily workout. Reward: 10 exp.

| Area 51 | Objectives: Gain access to Area 51 by any means necessary and explore the site from top to bottom. Rewards: Perk | Alien Researcher |, 40 Repair points, 40 Science points, 40 Medicine points, 450,000 exp.

| Business Tycoon | Objectives: Obtain 10,000,000,000,000 Dollars worth of assets by any means necessary. Rewards: New Perk?, 15,000,000 exp.

| Harem | Objectives: Enter a long-term romantic relationship with at least 3 women. All women must be aware of each other and okay with the arrangement of sharing you. Reward: 5,000 exp.

◊ | Master All Trades | Objectives: Reach a minimum of 100 for every skill you have. Rewards: Perk | Master Of All Trades |, +5 to all skills, 27,500 exp.

| Maxigen Improvement | Objectives: Research, improve, and remove the negative side effect of the Maxigen drug. Rewards: Perk | Drug Researcher |, 5 Medicine points, 5 Science points, 2,500 exp.

| Molemen Removal | Objectives: Exterminate the molemen from your mine and the connected cave system. Rewards: Perk | Beginner Miner |, 3 Attribute Points, 100,000 exp.

| Nevada Conquest | Objectives: Become the undisputed number one power in Nevada and take control over the state in its entirety. Rewards: Perk | Territory |, 25 attribute points, 250 skill points, 10,000,000 exp.

| Pablo Escobar Jr. | Objectives: Establish drug production and earn 10,000,000 dollars from the sale of your products. Rewards: Perk | Drug Kingpin |, 10 Medicine points, 30,000 exp.

| Power Surge | Objectives: Win the battle for Hoover Dam and become the sole owner of it. Rewards: Perk | Power Surge |, 5 attribute points, 25 Repair points, 250,000 exp.

| Suited Up | Objectives: Open up the armories at Fort Kern and acquire a suit of power armor. Rewards: Perk | Mobile Armory |, 5 Lockpick, 75,000 exp.

| Surpass Your Human Limits | Objectives: Reach a value of 11 in every attribute. Rewards: Perk?, 10 attribute points, and 100,000 exp.

| Take Over The Cyberdynamics Robotics Facility | Objectives: Clear out all hostile forces and set up shop. Rewards: Perk | Certified Roboticist |, 5 Science Points, 25,000 exp.

| Wasteland Conqueror | Objectives: Conquer the wasteland and take over Earth in its entirety. Rewards: ???

Oh, cool, my endurance went up a point, probably because of the leveling. My Master All Trades quest is ready to turn in too… I would love to turn it in, but I think my body has undergone enough stress for one day.

Ending that thought there, I looked through the rest of my system's multiple tabs.

...

After checking them all out, I exited out of it, got up from the partially destroyed chair I had undergone the process in, and topped myself off with a few more medstims.

That should do it. Now it's about time I got back to work. I have a few things I want to prepare before I head into the mines. At the latest, I should be ready to depart by tomorrow.

"I'm done with my leveling, guys. Let's get that training done, so I'll be as prepared as possible for tomorrow." I said, coming out of the tiny room I did my leveling in.

"Phew, looks like you didn't experience any issues, kid." Gramps responded, relieved.

"I wouldn't say that, but the issue was manageable."

"Well, that's good. Go talk to your little girlfriend before we begin getting ready for tomorrow." He said, smacking my shoulder and walking off to the armory.

When gramps was out of sight, Alice latched onto me and said a bit emotionally. "You had me worried that something bad was going to happen to you."

"Oh come on Alice, nothing major was going to happen and if something did, I would've been able to handle it like I've been able to handle everything else in the past, right?"

"Nnn, I know you would, but I can't help worrying about you."

"You got nothing to worry about and I'm sure if I get myself into trouble, my girl will come running to help."

"That I will."

Hugging her tight, she looked up at me, locking eyes with my own, expecting a little something, something, so I leaned down, planted a peck on her lips, and asked her. "Better?"

"Better." She answered smilingly.

Following that little moment of ours, the two of us walked to the armory and met up with gramps. After getting suited up in my Heavy Trooper Armor and grabbing the kit he and I were going to bring with us, we headed for his truck and loaded it up with the arms and ammo we were going to train with. Gramps then drove the three of us to a range used by wasteland explorers and, upon arriving there, we quickly hopped out and brought the stuff inside.

"How's it going, John? I haven't seen you in a while." Bill, one of gramps old friends, greeted him from behind the counter where he was working.

"Life's been good, you?" Gramps replied in his usual deep, rough voice.

"Same old, same old, just keeping this place going as per usual. Who's the big guy you brought with you?"

"It's me, Uncle Bill." I answered while removing my Heavy Trooper Helmet.

"Oh, I couldn't recognize you, son. Shit, you've gotten big. What you've been feeding him, John?" Bill said, clearly impressed with my physical growth.

We shot the shit with Bill for a couple of minutes and got a bay assigned to us, so we wished the old guy Bill a good rest of the day and continued on our way to the range and drill area.

______

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