Chapter 65 – Race Change!
<<You have eaten a drop of Amro's condensed blood.>>
<<You have obtained 10,000 EXP.>>
<<You have reached level 61.>>
<<For seven days, your hunger gauge will remain at 99%.>>
<<Your hunger gauge will not increase nor decrease during these seven days.>>
<<All of your status caps has increased by 10!>>
<<You have learned a skill, Pyrokinesis: Blast.>>
<<You have learned a skill, Pyrokinesis: Burning Resistance.>>
<<You can sense the presence and the location of Amro.>>
<<Warning! Amro will be able to detect you if you eat one more Amro's condensed blood.>>
Long lines of system messages flooded Misha notification panel window. She stared at the log in a daze while she savored the exquisite taste of the red jelly for the first time.
As she was in a daze, Crystal tapped her cheek.
"Wake up, princess!"
Misha got back to her sense. She looked at Crystal's close-up face, which they were so close that they could kiss.
"Eeeek!"
Misha was shocked and jumped backward in embarrassment.
"Jeez, you're a reckless girl! I haven't even told you about the properties of the red gel, and you go ahead and eat one. Well, it's good that you ate only one. Had you eaten one more, I would have had to expel you out of the base!"
"Err, I'm sorry."
Rereading the log messages, Misha understood why Crystal threatened to expel her from the base. It might have something to do with this existence called [Amro].
Crystal patted Misha's head and sat beside her, explaining the details about the red gels.
"This red gel is different from yellow or green gels. The red gels in the box are the condensed blood or cells from the alpha egg within the queen's body that we took it from.
When we eat this, we will get the characteristics and the unique abilities from the owner of the blood. Our status will also increase by the current strength of the alpha egg as well. But as the old saying, nothing is free in this world. There is a side effect.
If we eat only one gel, it's alright. But if anyone wants to eat another, they have to make sure that the owner of this blood has already dead. Or else, a calamity will befall on them.
For example, if you eat two or more of these gels, the alpha egg that produced these will be able to sense your general location, and it will come to hunt you. If you are strong, that alpha will try to seduce and convert you into one of its head! Afterward, you will become a monster for real."
Listening to Crystal, Misha had a chill running down her spine. That was a close experience of having a grim reaper noticing her.
Crystal continued, "Here's the deal. Usually, we will have to confirm if the owner of these gels are dead or alive before we eat it. If the alpha egg is dead, all of us can eat all of it without worries. In this case, the alpha egg is still alive, so we will use these as a currency. Pilots or military soldiers like us will use these to buy components, weapons, food, or other stuff from the merchants or from other bases."
Misha was confused, "If we sent these red gels to other bases through trade, won't they eat it?"
Crystal laughed, "They will. But veteran like us will only eat one piece. Then, we will be able to tell if the rest of the gels are eatable or not. Why don't you take a good look at the red gels again?"
Misha lowered her head and looked at the gels within the Tupperware on her laps. As Crystal had said, she felt a vague connection with these red gels as if they were her own blood. It was a similar sensation when she was using her MBR to control her blood cells, but one of those blood cells got out of her body.
Moreover, at a distance away outside the base on the ground floor, Misha could sense the terrifying presence of a living creature.
"Can you sense it?"
"Y-Yes."
"Good. Don't eat another one of the gels. If Tama wants to eat it, give it only one piece. If this baby eats two or more, it might die."
"Eh!?"
"I'm serious. A parasite egg can't eat two or more red gels when the alpha egg is still alive. The alpha can kill all of its siblings through blood connection from a long distance away, so don't feed it more than one."
"Okay."
It was fortunate that Tama was sleeping. If it were awake, it would have stolen all red gels and eaten all of it.
Now that Misha had more than 10 gels, it was the right time for her to think about her future robot.
"By the way, where can I buy components and spare parts to make my mech?"
"The black market. Oh wait, you haven't been there before, right?"
"No."
"Hmm. It's a lawless place that you shouldn't go there at all. How about this, give me the list of the parts that you're looking for, and I'll buy them the next time all the staffs of this base visit there. It's safer than letting you go."
"Hmm? I can't go there myself?"
"That's … a no. It's too dangerous for you. With your look and your age, you might be kidnapped and sold as a sex slave."
Misha's face cramped when Crystal mentioned about slavery. She had thought that the lawless society in this era had no longer existed, but she was wrong.
In the end, Misha agreed not to go to the black market.
"Good. Well, keep up the good work! When all Tautog mechs are repaired, I'll tell you about your next sortie schedule."
Crystal patted Misha's head again and walked away, returning to her job.
<<Ding>>
<<You have completed a difficult task, and many soldiers have witnessed your actions.>>
<<Currently, the recorded satellite feeds are being passed down to other soldiers.>>
<<40% of the military personnel are aware of your glorious deeds.>>
<<Your relationship with Hydra Faction has become "Friendly.">>
"Huh?"
Misha scratched her head in bafflement. She did not remember doing anything worthwhile for the soldiers to recognize her.
...
<<Ding>>
<<Your level is over 50, and your relationship with Hydra is Friendly.>>
<<Congratulation! You have completed the Hydra Faction Tutorial Quest!>>
*****************************
<<Hydra Faction Tutorial Quest>>
<<Quest Objective>>
- Obtain level 50 or higher.
- Raise your relationship with the Hydra Faction to friendly.
<<Reward>>
- Racial change and a racial skill of your choice.
- Class change and a specialist skill of your choice (Depending on the chosen class).
*****************************
…
Misha clenched his fists in reflex upon seeing the completion of her tutorial quest.
'I don't know how I did it, but I'll take it!'
She was looking forward to getting her rewards. She wondered what kind of skills or specialist skill she could learn.
Although her grandmother did not give her a guide of what skill she should pick, Misha was glad that she could play this character with her free will for once.
...
<<Please select a race you would like to covert.>>
1. [Demi-Human], the advanced species, and the evolution of humankind!
Upon hosting a hydra parasite within your body, Demi-Human can cohabitate with it. By embracing everything the parasite blesses the host with abilities and strength while the host feeds the parasite in return for a favor. The relationship between the host and the parasite is still the same as ever as before they convert into this race.
Demi-Human race doesn't abandon their outward look and their true civilized nature. However, the bloodthirsty parasite enjoys drinking the blood of any living beings. As a result, people of this race will sometimes kill for the sake of their partner, so they can survive in this world together.
<<Racial Perks>>
- Blend well in all societies.
- Excel in careers that require high INT and WIS.
- Increase the level caps of all classes from 100 to 150.
- Increase all psychic skill and intelligence-related skill caps by 100.
- Gain one bonus attribute point to INT and WIS for each increased level.
- Gain one bonus attribute point to STR, VIT, AGI, DEX, and STM for every five increased levels.
- Increase INT and WIS status caps by 500.
- Increase STR, VIT, AGI, DEX, and STM status caps by 100.
- Increase one random status caps for every 100 eaten gels.
- Increase one random skill caps for each eaten red gel.
- Increase 100 INT and WIS status caps for each alpha egg killed.
- Increase max hunger gauge by 200%.
- Evolution to a more advanced race is possible.
<<Racial Cons>>
- Require to maintain a good relationship with the parasite partner.
- The parasite gets smarter and more cunning overtime.
- The host may experience blackmails and extortion from your partner.
- Status caps cannot exceed 2,000 in all attributes, except INT and WIS.
- Skill caps cannot exceed 300.
.
2. [Demi-Hydra], the natural hunter and the predator of the wasteland.
Demi-Hydra abandons their human conscience and follows their instinct, becoming a real predator. With the combination of the parasite partner and the skills of the host, Demi-Hydra is the best fighter when it comes to a close-combat.
Although Demi-Hydra abandons human nature, they can still adapt to the mutant society. Their action and their speech can be wild at times because of their nature, but Demi-Hydra is even intelligent enough to form a pack of their own to survive in this wasteland.
<<Racial Perks>>
- Excel in all close-range combat situation.
- Relationship with your partner is permanently set as Trusted.
- Fastest growth among all races in the same tier.
- Increase all close-combat-related skill caps by 100.
- Gain two bonus attribute point to one random physical attribute for each increased level.
- Gain one bonus attribute point to one random attribute for every 10 killed creatures.
- Increase STR, AGI, and DEX status caps by 400.
- Increase VIT and STM status caps by 150.
- Increase one status caps in random for every 100 killed creatures.
- Increase 100 AGI and DEX status caps for each alpha egg killed.
- Increase hunger gauge caps by 100%.
- Evolution to a more advanced race is possible.
<<Racial Cons>>
- Have a limited career path.
- No bonus level caps as other advanced races.
- Shunned by both mutant and human societies.
- Possess the smallest hunger gauge among all advanced races.
- Status caps cannot exceed 2,000 in all attributes, except AGI and DEX.
- Skill caps cannot exceed 300.
.
3. [Dragonewt], the perfectionist and the aspirer who pursues the pinnacle.
This Dragonewt still retains their human looks. However, deep down inside, their nature is completely different from humans and hydras. They seek freedom and absolute strength to stand on the top of all food chain in the universe. In order to pursue immortality, they strengthen their vitality to the limits.
At first glance, this race growth rate is abysmal, and Dragonewt doesn't excel in anything particular. However, their adaptability is second to none as they can even breath underwater, breath outside the space, live inside a lava pool, or take a nap within a minus 250 degrees Celsius ice mountain. In addition, their durability, stamina, and vitality are their greatest asset.
<<Racial Perks>>
- Possess the best durability and toughness.
- All special food yield double effects.
- Can adapt to all extreme environment.
- Parasite partner becomes tougher along with the host's growth.
- Increase the level caps of all classes from 100 to 200.
- Increase VIT and STM status caps by 750.
- Increase hunger gauge caps by 300%.
- Increase all regenerative, healing, and defensive-related skill caps by 100.
- Increase ten VIT and STM status caps for each eaten red gel.
- Increase one random status caps for each eaten yellow gels.
- Increase one random skill caps for every 10 eaten green gels.
- Increase 100 VIT and STM status caps for each alpha egg killed.
- Increase one random status caps for every 100 killed creatures.
- Gain zero to one attribute point in LUC for every 10 increased levels.
- Evolution to a more advanced race is possible.
<<Racial Cons>>
- Slowest growth among all races.
- Possess no bonus in status attributes growth comparing to other races.
- Require a large amount of gels to raise status caps or skill caps.
- Status caps cannot exceed 2,000 in all attributes, except VIT and STM.
- Skill caps cannot exceed 300.
2041 words ... Chapters are getting longer.
I'm taking the monthly weekend break to enhance my outlines. Chapters will resume on Monday, 15th, 11 AM GMT+7.
For the time being, let's vote. If you were Misha, which race will you choose?
A little spoiler, all class change will reset the current level of the player. This is one of the factors why Dragonewt gets extra level caps.