The first tests brought me surprisingly good results. I could surround myself with a bubble, and fill it with air to create sufficient pressure for my body, and on top of that was able to move at a very decent speed. Not as fast as I could move by running, but pretty close.
It was enough to reach the proper portal on the orbit, and then reach the next planet from space.
I probably could 'Shift presence' to a proper location, but I first needed to know where, and that was the problem. One of many more as I was to be informed later.
After a telepathic conversation with The Great One, about the device he was preparing, I learned that instantly getting too close to the planets was impossible. I could get in their vicinity, but after that, I needed to travel conventionally, as the saplings and the trees would block me from just getting there.
"That's why the spaceships are of such great use there. They also are building their portals on the orbits, to not get into the reach of the protective domes", he told me.
"Would I even be able to get there? Loistavadvaar blocked the ghosts and Ixa. What if they only allow their own?", I asked him.
"Don't worry about that. So many races are part of their empire, that blocking anybody from passing through is impossible. That's why they only block instant travel, and instead rely on spaceships and portals. There is no way around this. We have to use their infrastructure, but rest assured. You won't get lost", he said.
His words were logical, so I did trust him. This meant that what I already had was good enough to get us from one spot to another, as I was easily able to grab more than just myself.
I wasn't used to those types of restrictions, so it was hard to wrap my head around them. My brain kept producing alternate ways of getting where we needed to get, but I knew those were useless.
Since I could cross out traveling through space off my list, the only thing left was my fighting capabilities. I needed more conventional speed since shadow walking was probably out of the question. Something I usually heavily rely on.
Good defenses could also be nice, and more firepower too.
Focusing on those things I visited Loistavadvaar once more. The city was still empty. For a moment I admired the jade architecture basking in the cold, silver light pouring down from above, then finally placed my hand on the device.
I briefly scanned through my options, then decided to go with 'One with the blade' the last evolution of the fighter class. It gave me access to the following skills: 'Peerless weapon mastery II', 'Peerless technique IV', 'Power strike IV', 'Increased stamina V', 'Eyes of Duelist IV', 'Empowered body IV', 'Parry V', 'Hundred cuts III', 'Peerless form III', 'Formless blade II', 'Untouchable II', 'Penetrating strike', 'Ghostblade'.
'Penetrating strike' increased the damage I could do with my strikes, cutting deeper than my weapon actually did.
'Ghostblade' on the other hand helped me bypass the physical defenses, but partially just ignored them. It had its limits, but now it was possible for me to cut a guy wearing thick armor, without actually damaging the armor itself.
Useful, but still nowhere near what I thought I needed.
I had plenty of options to go with, the problem was that I was unsure which path would give me the best results, and I felt like there was no room for experimentation. It was a weird feeling, as the first class didn't cost that much compared to further evolutions. I came to this realization after a moment of thinking, and then made a decision that I actually can allow myself to check a few things before investing in the heavier.
Because of this very idea, I bought a class I normally wouldn't. I did it solely because of curiosity. This class was the 'Evolutioner'. It unlocked the following skills for me: 'Self-healing tissue', 'Iris-morphia', and 'Keen senses'.
'Self-healing tissue' was a boost to natural regenerative abilities. The wounds would close faster, but the scars would remain.
'Iris-morphia' allowed me to manipulate my eyes. Change them to give me the qualities I was looking for. I could adjust them to see better in darkness or make them create an additional layer that would protect them if, for example, I would want to see underwater without issues.
'Keen senses' is very much self-explanatory, so I won't add more to that.
I upgraded them all fully, gaining access to the next evolution of the class. Pun was very much intended. It was called 'Freak of nature'. I got it, which unlocked the following skills: 'Self-healing tissue II', 'Iris-morphia II', 'Keen senses II', 'Ultrametabolism', 'Hiper-biology'.
'Ultrametabolism' made me able to consume pretty much anything as food. My guts would then take care of the rest for me.
'Hiper-biology' upgraded my own biology. For example my heart, the blood, and even the cells themselves. It was a full upgrade of everything biological in me. A massive boost taking to account how powerful I already was thanks to the other upgrades.
I fully upgraded all those skills, taking a liking to this class. Thanks to that I decided to go with the next evolution the Mutant. This one unlocked those skills: 'Self-healing tissue III', 'Iris-morphia III', 'Keen senses III', 'Ultrametabolism: II', 'Hiper-biology II', 'True regeneration', 'Limb-morphia'.
'True regeneration' was amazing. Really amazing, as I could now regrow limbs, damaged organs, et cetera. Although it reacquired a bit of time.
'Limb-morphia' allowed me to change my limbs according to what I wanted to get. I could literally grow bones on my forearm and change it to a shield. That's just an example.
Obviously, I didn't stop there. I upgraded those skills, unlocking the next evolution, and bought it too. The 'Apex predator' gave me access to the following skills: 'Self-healing tissue IV', 'Iris-morphia IV', 'Keen senses IV', 'Ultrametabolism: III', 'Hiper-biology III', 'True regeneration II', 'Limb-morphia II', 'Organ-morphia', 'Cellular-immortality'.
'Organ-morphia' is the same as other morphias, just with my organ. I now could have two hearths, an additional stomach, or other stuff. Or change them, to suit me better.
'Cellular-immortality' was ridiculously good. It very much made a god out of me. As long as there was a single cell left out of me, I could grow back to my full self.
I fully upgraded all of those skills, unlocking the final evolution of the class. Pun still intended.
The 'Genestealer'gave me access to the following skills: 'Self-healing tissue V', 'Iris-morphia V', 'Keen senses V', 'Ultrametabolism: IV', 'Hiper-biology IV', 'True regeneration III', 'Limb-morphia III', 'Organ-morphia II', 'Celuler-immortality II', 'Gene-absorption', 'Perfect adaptation'.
'Gene-absorption' allowed me to consume the genes of other creatures, and then be able to incorporate them into myself. I was basically able to further mutate on will.
'Perfect adaptation' was a kinda further progression of the other skill, as it made me by default kept the most efficient version of myself from what I was able to change myself. Obviously, it took into account that I preferred to stay 'human' on the outside.
With those upgrades, I felt much, much stronger. It hit every possible thing I wanted to. It also changed so much in me, that I actually needed to put it all to the test, so I decided to take a break from upgrading myself even further and go to check my new abilities.
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