(II) Leveling

139 (II)Leveling

Adamantine Adaption 167 > 168

Shiv accelerated toward Bonk with feral glee in his heart and every intention of achieving a brutal death. The Heroic-Tier orc hit hard, at least as hard as the Recollector wearing Confriga's body. He had a staggeringly potent Physicality Skill, one that let him stack impact charges from all the hits he inflicted in a period of time before, somewhat akin to how Momentum Core functioned, but exponential in its buildup.

To put Bonk simply, every time he hit Shiv, the damage was amplified astronomically.

Last time, he shattered Shiv's armor. This time…

“See if you can finish me off this time,” Shiv snarled as he tore through the screaming air. Shiv’s heart was pounding. His organs were squirming and shriveling as his metabolic health collapsed entirely. Death was close. One way or another, Shiv wasn't going to be alive in a few moments. And to be honest, he preferred his death to come at the hand of the orc rather than his own mistake in Biomancy.

As he charged Bonk, he heard a deafening chorus of approval echoing from all directions. The gathered orcs were overjoyed. They pumped their fists high and called out to him, roaring his title as if he were some kind of celebrity. And once more, it was getting to Shiv, though he guarded his heart more than before. He spiked himself over 20 more times as he got within 200 meters of Bonk. The Court Leviathan responded to his approach by rapidly shapeshifting. He saw its outer shell harden as a layer of adamantine bone, harvested from one of his old bodies, swept across its exterior.

Shiv came at Bonk just under combustion speeds. He swung his cancer-forged club with perfect timing, and the Deathless didn't even bother blocking. He took the hit head-on, and this time, the strike blasted clean through his skull. His Adamantine Adaption tried to resist, but the impact was simply too much.

And once more, Bonk’s skill surprised him. Rather than a cataclysmic explosion signaling Shiv's end, the force of the orc's blow resonated throughout the confines of his body, mashing it into paste with little more than a wet squelch. No shockwaves followed. No overflow of destruction devastated the world. It wasn’t like Shiv’s Inertial Overdrive at all.

Shiv thought as he died. Bonk seemed to care about keeping damage contained. Though he was larger than the other orcs, though he dressed far more savagely, his touch was paradoxically delicate. He also never missed. His club landed square at the exact same spot on Shiv's forehead every time, and Shiv felt the orc do something with the expanding shockwave; reduce it somehow, ground it within his own brutish body.

Adamantine Adaptation 168 > 170

Shiv thought.

As Shiv's body turned into dust, he watched as his bone armor snapped apart in two directions. He reached out using his Vitae and clenched the streams around the parting armor before they could fly off too far. He lost a bit of vitality, but he pulled it closer to him, and as he pressed the broken sides together, he looked on in delight as the regeneration kicked in. The two parts of the broken armor began to mend. Threads of biomass connected the gleaming adamantine tissue.

Seconds passed as the armor began to fuse back together around Shiv’s Vitae-form, and Bonk let out a laugh.

"Not bad, eh?" Bonk said.

Shiv admitted.

Bonk let out a laugh. "I don't think I've ever hit anyone more than five times." Bonk paused as he considered his statement. "Maybe that's not entirely accurate. I don't think I've hit people more than five times. There are a few people that I never quite got to hit that much."

"No, they killed me immediately." Bonk let out a laugh. And the orc held no malice towards his killers, for in his eyes, it was all in good strife.

Shiv placed a Vitae stream against Bonk and began draining the orc.

Bonk frowned slightly. There was a bit of childishness to his pout. "Oh, but you spent hours with Helix. What's he got that I don't?"

"Blegh, mages," Bonk said with a disgusted look and waved his hand. "You know, I can show you a thing or two about fighting. I can see that you have problems. Not big ones. But you telegraph a little. I can train you on the fun stuff.”

Shiv asked. He sounded almost offended, but he suspected that there would be something useful to learn from Bonk too.

"Shiv! Shiv, what in the bloody hells are you letting them do to you?” A blue sun rose into existence as Adam shot past the side of the Court Levithan. The Gate Lord had a Veilpiercer drawn. He looked on, his eyes darting between Bonk and Shiv, and his expression was one of confusion, but also wariness.

Shiv said, waving a stream of Vitae at him.

Adam didn't say anything for several seconds, and slowly he let out a long-suffering sigh as he dismissed his Veilpiercer. "So... they're... not betraying us yet?"

Bonk just laughed. "Not yet, Gate Lord. But if you're so worried..." Bonk placed his club on his shoulder, and just then Shiv responded. The moment he did, he opened his regenerating bone armor and wrapped a mana hydra around Bonk's body. A clash of crimson exploded out from the front side of the orc before he could do anything with Adam. Bonk took a step back and snorted.

"Yeah, Bonk?" Shiv said, a slight hint of genuine viciousness entering his voice. "You touch him, we're gonna have an actual problem."

That was almost certainly the wrong thing to say to Bonk. "Oh, will we now?"

"If you go for him, I'm not fighting you," Shiv replied. "I'm just gonna stop time and leave. I don't care what you do next. I'm either going to keep ignoring you, or, if you really force my hand, I'll try to cripple you."

"You think you can?" Bonk asked, wiggling his brows.

Shiv shrugged. "Maybe, but I can tell you this much. I don't think you're a Chronomancer. I don't think you could catch up to me if I wanted to leave. Or if I just wanted to break your special orc memory skill. Whatever the fuck that is.”

Once more, Bonk pouted. "You're a real bastard, you know that, Insul?"

"Oh no, Adam," Shiv said sarcastically. "They're stealing your lines."

The Gate Lord offered Shiv a rude gesture. The orc did the same.

“Solidarity,” Bonk said, holding out a massive fist for Adam to bump.

Adam frowned, but did so ever so slowly.

The orc grinned.

Shiv rolled his arm and tightened his armor around himself. The healing had pushed a few pieces out of place. That was going to be a bit annoying to deal with. With the basilisk biomass integrated, it wasn’t entirely bone either, so he couldn’t just reassemble his armor like before. He needed to move bits of flesh and bone out of the way. Sculpt it with one of his mana hydras. “So, how are things going on the other side? You got something for us?"

"Yes," Adam said. "A briefing. Also, Can Hu wants to come over."

Shiv frowned. He looked Bonk up and down. The orc wiggled his arms to make the corpse pieces rustle. "Yeah, maybe not a good idea."

"That's what I said," Adam agreed. "But it's insisting. Anyway, that's for later. Right now, I need to do a briefing."

"Right," Shiv said. "Briefing first. Well, Bonk, I guess you got lucky. You got to smack me around for a few minutes. Everyone else is going to have to wait."

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

"Oh, that's fine," Bonk said. He didn't look so playful anymore. Instead, there was an expression of genuine curiosity on his face. "I want to hear what we're up against. You're fun, and so, don't get me wrong. But I'm here for more than just you. I heard that Vicar Sullain is one of your targets."

"He is," Adam said. He studied the orc. "Why? What is he to you?"

"What is he to me?" The orc laughed. ". He thinks he's going to get away from me, but he's wrong. This time… I have a good feeling this time."

Shiv was surprised, but then he put a few things together. "Hey, Bonk, was he one of the few people you couldn't manage a fifth swing on?"

"Indeed," Bonk said, sounding more enthusiastic than displeased. "But soon," he knocked his cancerous club against his forehead, "Challenger willing, soon, he's going to taste that fifth swing. And we're going to figure out just how durable a Legendary Pathbearer really is. Regardless, we should have this little meeting down on the bridge. Also, it'll be useful to connect the Gate Lord to the Court Leviathan. That way, whatever he's saying can be broadcast to everyone present."

"Courtney can do that?" Shiv asked.

Bonk grinned. "Oh, the Court Leviathan can do a great many things. But I’ll let Helix show you.”

“And that sums up my report!" Adam's voice made the world tremble, echoing out from a set of massive lips growing on the underside of the Court Leviathan. The lips were then connected to a huge pair of lungs, and the air billowing out from the maw washed over the basilisks below. The large serpents seemed to enjoy the breeze, and slowly they shook their immense bodies as they fed on a steady supply of corpses and lapped at massive pails of water.

"With this, you should know the general situation we face, our adversaries, their overall composition, and more. Now, I will continue the briefing with your most senior members aboard the Leviathan, but I look forward to standing beside you as we drive back the rogue Necrotech scourge and liberate Blackedge from this unjust siege.”

As Adam finished, there came echoing responses from all across the Tutorial.

"Thanks, Adam Arrow."

"Good to meet you, Adam Arrow."

"Sleep with one eye open, Adam Arrow."

Practically all three million orcs taunted Adam at once. More than a few of them did it imitating his voice. And they were pretty good at it as well.

Adam squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw.

"I told you that shit was going to happen," Shiv whispered, leaning over to Adam. "I told you, but you didn't listen."

The Gate Lord scowled at him, but he turned his focus back on his task immediately. A set of dangling organs hung in front of him. There was a sort of speaker organ he yelled into for his voice to be carried out from the Court Leviathan. Presently, he stood at the very center of the bridge. The orcs massed nearby were True Heroes and High Masters. They regarded him with something between curiosity and barely restrained malice.

Yet no one acted on their impulse, for the Insul declared his scorn and special retribution against any orc that dared transgress against the person of Gate Lord Arrow. Even so, the atmosphere was tense, and Adam's instincts called for him to flee or loose a shot. He had never spent so long surrounded by what were most assuredly enemies. Yet they did nothing, and he did nothing. Instead, he treated them like a normal army, giving them a briefing about what was to come.

"Alright," Adam said. "So, those are the critical details. Does anyone have any questions?"

Almost immediately, every last orc in the room raised a hand.

Shiv narrowed his eyes at them. "Do any of you have actual questions pertaining to our tasks, or are you just going to ask Adam something to try and scare him?"

Approximately 90% of the orcs lowered their arms, and some of them scowled at Shiv. “Spoilsport,” one complained.

Psychology 28 > 29

The Deathless just shook his head. "These felling orcs, man," he said, looking at Adam. "You can't let them smell your anxiety. You're making it worse."

"How am I supposed to stop them from smelling my anxiety?" Adam asked through clenched teeth. "Have you seen...? Oh, what am I saying? You're practically one of them."

Shiv rolled his eyes. The orcs chuckled.

Whisper raised his hand higher. Adam shook his head but pointed at Whisper. "Yes, you. Stealth orc."

"Ah, you remembered my capabilities. I am honored." Whisper offered Adam a mouthful of pointed teeth.

"Please don't be," Adam muttered. It really wasn't a compliment.

"From what I understand, you said that you provoked this Inquisitor Sijik into action."

"Correct," Adam said. "I sent him a taunting letter and I insinuated we still had the Animancy Core. He's likely dispatching additional forces toward Gate Theborn. And I suspect there is even a good chance he himself might be arriving as well. If we can capture him, he will offer us valuable intelligence and a bargaining card against the rogue forces of the Republic.”

"Quite good. Quite good." Whisper fell silent for a moment as he digested that information. “Give me a moment. I wish to think on this. You asked for recommendations earlier.”

“Yes. You have some?”

“An idea,” Whisper said.

Helix, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes at Adam. He smacked his lips finally, and he let out a breath. "Ah. Your mother is Rose Van Erren. That explains your hair.”

Adam’s heart skipped a beat as he looked at the orc Biomancer. "How did you—"

"Tell her that Helix sends his regards. Also, tell her that she will not be so fortunate next time."

"You—" But before Adam could lose control of his temper, Shiv seized him by the shoulder and silenced him with a shake of the head.

Shiv's telepathy hammered against Adam. The young Gate Lord's expression quivered between the verge of fury and resigned disgust for the orcs. All around him were smiles, gleeful expressions that relished in the power they held over him.

"It's a waste of effort, Insul," Helix replied. He pulled his spectacles off and began wiping them using his silk coat. "He can't resist. He's not like you. He doesn't know what we are. He refuses to see it." Slowly, Helix cracked a grin. "I know this because I've never actually met Rose Van Erren. Love Thief has. Me personally, no. You're very easily provoked, Gate Lord." Adam blinked as his face contorted. "Yes, yes, that is the expression I'd like to see. But it will only remain amusing for so long.”

Several other orcs laughed. Shiv just let out a long sigh. "See what I mean? Don't feed the assholes."

"How do you put up with them?" Adam asked through clenched teeth.

"I mean, I let them kill me and teach me stuff, so usually there's not that much of a problem for me.”

"Shiv, sometimes the things you say, I can only imagine in my most demented fever dreams."

“And that is why he is Insul and you are not,” Helix said. “We understand why you came over, Gate Lord. But understand this yourself: We do not follow you. You gave us this briefing, but we are the Insul’s to guide into the fray. You are but an interesting victim to us right now. An interesting victim protected by the Insul. And unfortunately, he cares too much for you. And you reek of too much nervousness. You wish to gain our measure? To see if you can lead us?”

“We are not to be led by the likes of you,” Bonk said with a laugh. “It won’t work. The details were nice, though. Your oration is pretty good. Good Rhetoric Skill.”

Adam just glared at the orcs.

Shiv sneered as well. “And this is them trying to drive a wedge between us or something because I’m the Insul, while you’re the guy actually trying to organize this war.”

“Ah,” Adam said wearily. “I suspected, but—”

“It’s usually the most psychotic thing you suspect with these guys.” Shiv sighed. “When they’re not being terrifyingly charming, that is.”

"I have a suggestion, Gate Lord," Whisper finally said. The orcs turned to regard Whisper. More than a few let out grunts of annoyance and distaste.

"Great," Helix sneered. "Now the child stands to speak. Barely any reincarnations and he seeks to make himself a presence.”

Whisper ignored the Biomancer’s snide comment and continued. "I do not believe we need that great a concentration of force to resolve the Inquisitor's expeditionary assets. You've told me about them. Even with additional forces, they are probably moving apart from the bulk of their army, moving fast from what you described."

"Yes," Adam said slowly.

“Then, I would like to volunteer. A small group should suffice here to capture essential personnel. That should consist of you, I, a few more Stealth Heroes, and some Psychomancers. The rest of the force can be devastated with ease thereafter. And without much sacrifice on our part, either. We have the Masters and Heroes. They can be crushed easily.”

“Crushed or turned against the Necrotechs,” Bookworm mused. “We should take some of these Inquisitors alive. And use them as sacrificial soldiers. You said the Vicar already suspects them. Then let us exploit that. We have the Psychomancers for this act of deception. It will be a most interesting false flag to engineer.”

At once, the orcs broke into discussions of their own about how to most optimally approach this without taking any losses whatsoever, and Adam’s mouth opened slightly.

Shiv leaned closer to him. “I think the trick with them is letting them improvise a bit. They don’t have discipline or inexperience issues. I think that's the only thing keeping some of them from fighting each other all the time. Because orcs got this cliche warfare thing going on.”

“Uh-huh,” Adam breathed. “Shiv.”

“Yeah?”

“Can we trust them?”

“Hah! Fuck no. But we can use them. Just like they’re definitely going to use us. They’re already using me to make themselves System-favored and level faster anyway.”

Adam did a double-take. “What? I—” He grimaced. “I should have seen that coming.”

“Maybe. But still, we can use that too. How many orc Heroes do you think it'll take to kill a Legendary Mage?”

“A lot?” Adam ventured. “Maybe we have enough.”

“Yeah. But it’s more than that. They managed to get my Biomancy to Heroic over the past day and a half. They might be using me to level. But I’m using them as well. We just need to make sure they’re being set loose on the right people. And kept away from everyone else.”

“Like Blackedge.”

Shiv nodded. “Like Blackedge.”

Adam looked at the orcs and breathed out. “Well. Beggars cannot be choosers. Let us see how these orcs arrange themselves.”

“Don’t worry, Gate Lord,” Bonk said, leaning down to place a large hand on Adam’s back. “We’ll do just fine. We’ll make sure your Inquisitor friend is taken alive. But everyone else… I hope you’re not so attached to their fates. Because you can’t save them from us. You can’t save them from anything we do.”

Adam shuddered.

Shiv glared. “Bonk. Stop leveling your Intimidation on Adam.”

“But his fear is funny?”

“Yeah. I know. And he’s mine to scare. Not yours. Find your own asshole.”

Adam scowled at Shiv. “Thanks, bastard.”

“Bastard is right,” Bonk said, nodding with Adam. “Solidarity.”

“And don’t use him to level your Charm Skill either,” Shiv chided.