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The Gamer Chapter 1574 – The Power Promised
🕑 Added 2023-12-01 21:17:25 +0000 UTC
‘…That’s a lot of references to Warhammer… then again, she does fit into the framework of the Imperium.’ John read out the choices to her. Ehtra had a number of follow-up questions, all of them to the point and swift. To help keep things understandable, Metra translated whenever John was being too modern in his jargon. That she had been granted fundamental understanding of today’s communication did not change what she was used to.
“Basically, you have a choice between balanced, fast, or enduring,” Metra summarized. “Go with whatever fits you the most.”
“And these powers will stick with me forever?” Ehtra asked.
An understandable question, one that John could not answer with certainty. “When I released one of my Artificial Spirits from a contract before, she retained all of the abilities she had been granted up to that point, but was only given further upgrades after she re-entered the contract later on. She was, however, a creation of my own. I don’t know if you will revert to what you naturally were once the contract ends. From all I have seen, it is most likely that you will retain these powers.”
“You really give long-winded answers,” Ehtra stated and sneered at nothing in particular. She stared at her thigh. At first John thought it was just the direction of her thigh, but eventually she poked her fit leg with her elbow. “Seriously, how soft am I?” she mumbled to herself. Her eyes snapped back up. “You decide.”
“Really?” John asked.
“Do I have to spell it out every time when I give you permission to make decisions on my behalf?” Ehtra asked. “I’m a tool of our mutual vengeance. This power is granted to me by your abilities. It’s not like I let you make these decisions because I like you.” She pulled her elbow back, sitting against the wall again, arms crossed under her large breasts. “Idiot.”
‘Not sure if brat or if I’m conditioned to read into certain behaviours…’ John pushed the lewd thoughts away for another time. “I would go with the balanced approach, so Dark Crusader. I think that-“
“By Mother Cha- Urgh!” Ehtra stopped herself in the middle of swearing on the corrupting goddess’ name. “Your train of thought is not required. Just make your choice.”
“…You really want me to take control, huh?”
Ehtra blushed, suddenly and violently. “Watch your tone!”
‘…The fuck are you doing to her?’ Metra asked, deeply amused.
‘I’m giving her the choice to give up her autonomy rather than just taking it. She evidently likes it,’ John stated and followed Ehtra’s left hand wandering up to one of her warrior braids. Twirling the end of the woven white, she shot him short glances that did not match her half-sneer whatsoever.
John was long since removed from the virgin that would have missed that obvious a tell.
“This is your future, I want you to be fully informed when you make your decision,” John insisted, doubly so. Now it wasn’t just the right thing to do, it also made him popular with a rather attractive lady – and powerful ally. ‘I can actively feel my priorities shifting…’
“Fine!” Ehtra suddenly spat out, much to Delicia’s amusement. “WHAT?!”
“Noth’n’,” Delicia answered, tongue in cheek.
Metra, for her part, followed everything with a wagging tail and a tomboyish smile. ‘This is going so much better than I expected,’ she let her Master know. ‘You really are the best king candidate.’
“So, my thought is that I don’t want to alter your nature fundamentally. Dark Crusader is just going to add to what you do currently, fight with that sword of yours. The other two options would focus solely on one of your strengths. Vengeance Incarnate is interesting, but I doubt you’ll be able to take Tiamat herself in a 1 on 1, even with all the buffs. As for the Hate Armour, I don’t need another bulldozer.”
“Go ahead, then.” Ehtra dismissively waved her hand, as if they were discussing the wallpapers.
“I want to hear you say it,” John urged her on.
Ehtra sucked on her lips for a bit, before releasing them with a popping sound. “Fine. I agree with your assessment. I’ll be your ‘Dark Crusader’, master.”
John tapped the box. “We’ll go through a selection of ranged weapons later,” he assured her. “Now, do you want to be monstergirlified?”
An empty and yet disappointed stare was his answer. Slowly, she turned her gaze to Metra for an explanation.
“You can stay as you are, all human, or you can get bits like this,” Metra explained and gently tugged at one of her wolf ears. “Comes with a variety of other benefits. Benefits that let us brutalize the enemies of our chosen sovereign.”
“I suppose being cute can be tolerated in exchange for being stronger,” Ehtra answered a bit too quickly for her denial to be taken as full.
John was starting to wonder if her virginity was less because she wasn’t interested in the sexual (a Libido of 20 base suggested differently) and more because she really just had been hanging with the wrong crowd for 4000 years. To John, she was giving off signals at the frequency of 128 beats per minute. “Let’s see what cuteness is on offer….”
This was a pretty easy choice as far as John was concerned. Ehtra seemed to agree. “Angel is most appropriate. I bring judgement.” After a moment, she drily added, “Also, I like having hands and feet.”
John did chuckle at that one and pressed the button. “Being an angel certainly fits you the best.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just works with the crusader aesthetic,” John answered with a suave smile that implied a whole lot more. Again, she blushed. It was getting easier and easier to press her buttons. Her guard was getting lower and he became more forthcoming at the same time.
“I have…” Ehtra spoke up, after John had finished reading things out. She stopped herself for one moment, then shook her head. “I have no interest in controlling shadow or light. Let all those around me sense just how unworthy they are of my time.”
John confirmed the choice without commentary. The Smite was the weakest of the ranged options here, especially considering that Charisma was her dump Stat, but if that’s what she wanted, then that was what she got.
Silence.
“…Well?!” Ehtra suddenly spoke up. “Will you continue to blabber on about what decision you think is best or not?”
John, strangely, felt a deep calm at being challenged like this. Unlike Delicia, who appreciated the banter back, instincts here told him to just quietly stare and hold his ground. Ehtra stared back, not ceding hers either. Having made his point, he did speak up when he felt ready.
“I think Grey Judgement is unnecessary and doesn’t yield any benefits compared to the other two. Effortless Flight is worth the thought just because hovering on a spot is often useful. Alloys between Heaven and Hell just seems interesting.”
“…I will take the alloys.”
“You sure?”
“What worth is there in you-“
“I’m letting you make the decision,” John interrupted in a calm but certain tone. “I’m just asking, because this one isn’t clear cut.”
Ehtra clicked her tongue. “…Yes, alloys,” she stated.
The choice was pressed, bringing them to the last of the regular Monster Girl Perks.
‘Jesus, she is getting all the metal stuff,’ John thought.
“The chest plate.” The decision was so swift, it made John look up from the window. “I have to cover these things under something reliable.” Ehtra pushed her tits up with her folded arms. The depth of her brown cleavage became drool inducing. Sharply, the First of Hatred whistled. “Mind out of the gutter!”
“Sorry,” John apologized, genuinely. “I am a pervert, that much is true.”
For several seconds, Ehtra stared at him in brooding silence. “The aura will be helpful too,” she added. Her arms slowly slouched back into their original position. John managed to keep himself from staring this time.
Now they were getting to the meat and potatoes of it all.
Astrotium Angel was plainly incredible. As in, it was incredible but a bit plain. Wings of Astrotium by themselves were worth every penny invested. It was like having tank plating strapped to her back, except it was way stronger than that and flexible and basically weightless. The increased aerial manoeuvrability would help a lot too.
Vengeful Smite was incredible on paper, but it still depended on Charisma. Unlike the breath attacks of the dragon maids, Momo’s Mind Damage, or Claire’s vampiric Household, it seemed that the free aggressive option provided by Ehtra’s Monster Girl Perks would not serve her much. Of course, they could pivot if Ehtra desired that, this Perk was more than powerful enough to justify that, but he doubted it. It was just the nature of having a broadened spectrum of abilities that some would not be that useful to the build.
Unchanging Nature was interesting. For one, it countered dimensional magic, fae fuckery and, if John understood this correctly, it was the first time that he saw something that directly counteracted pariah powers. Nia always described her power as the base to the magic acid, a comparison John found flawed considering what she was capable of, and having something against that was always a worthy consideration. It could also work against effects like Karia’s interference since that Innate Ability did mess with how John’s mana was meant to flow.
However, Unchanging Nature ALSO had the drawback of relying on a dump Stat. Intellect only increased the number of Crusading Targets per day. While that was useful, downright necessary even to let Ehtra unleash her full power, all it really was useful for was to increase the number of fights against equal-level people she could take per day. There was a tiny number of such people and she was directly allied to the greatest assembly of them. Raising Intellect past what was useful to ward against mental effects would be wasteful.
“…That’s my opinion on this, at least,” John finished up his explanation.
Ehtra listened to all of it in brooding silence. She nodded, whether to herself or him was not apparent. “The wings are really the only option. Everything else is useless.”
John pressed the option and the First of Hatred shifted in her chair. It was between discomfort and something else. “Everything alright?” he asked.
“Mind your own business,” she hissed in return, stretching to scratch her back. The maid outfit meant that she had direct access to the skin and she clawed at it for a few moments.
John realized immediately what this was about. “They aren’t going to come out if you don’t want them to,” he assured her. “They’re your wings. No one else’s.”
Ehtra froze and gave him a wide-eyed stare. A look of hurt rushed over her face. The vulnerability was sealed swiftly behind a renewed sneer. “Of course they are!” she stated, a bit too forceful for confidence. “Next ‘Perk’, Master!”
He liked how she said it that time.
Where the previous three were all potent, but two had been too niche, this batch was just all around incredible.
Iron Halo was a bit boring, flavour wise. The sheer amount of Stats offered offset that easily, especially since the way the Stats were acquired and what those Stats were useful for directly synergized. That was then paired up with full mental effect immunity for an incredibly powerful set of defensive bonuses.
Blood Halo offered incredible value in prolonged engagements. As a Metracana, Ehtra’s HP regeneration was already incredibly high and boosting that by up to 198% (since the 200% bonus would also mean that she was dead), could decide many a close engagement. That alone would have been inferior to Iron Halo. Similarly, the mental effect ward on this version of the halo was inferior. Much as John liked the idea that those that tried to mess with the minds of his friends and familiars suffered for it, outright prevention of it would have been better.
The charging effect was what made Blood Halo a good option. The lifesteal would further boost her tankiness and bonus damage was never bad, neither was looking metal as hell. Iron Halo was the reliable, defensive option, promising good performance, while Blood Halo had more offensive power behind it, outperforming its competitor through constant value. Both aided in her surviving through damage spikes and to recover from setbacks.
The Hate was by far the most interesting of the three. It was the much more aggressive version of Momo’s Charm. Whereas Momo had to damage, or aid in damaging, enemies to stack the Mind Damage, Ehtra would just do it via proximity or existing. The First of Hatred would sow chaos in the ranks of the enemy, breaking down discipline until she could take out her target.
Had it been anyone besides Tiamat that they were aiming to kill, John would have readily advised to take this option for its passive utility alone. Isolating the target of their vengeance would have been immensely useful. The way the Lorylim worked, however, made this a non-factor. Tiamat was the head of the hivemind not because she was liked but because she was the strongest. Stacking on disdain for her would not change anything, the Lorylim already hated themselves.
“The Blood Halo,” Ehtra made her choice.
“Solid,” Metra agreed.
“That’s Monster Girl Perks done with,” John stated. “Now for your abilities… these will likely feel more unusual, since you’re so unfamiliar with video games…”
“Then just advise me better,” Ehtra demanded.
John chuckled. “I’ll do my best.”
“Alright, so Executor is-“
“Wielding my sword, Persecutor is dual-wielding, Accuser is focusing on ranged,” Ehtra interrupted him. “I get it. Chain Sword.”
John looked over the options once, then nodded. The only competition he saw was No Innocent. To the End wasn’t going to be useful until she had a few other Active effects and Find did not serve her much if she did not have something to do once she did actually get to her enemy.
“Ah, I can see how this is going to work,” John commented. “You’re meant to stance dance.”
Ehtra banged the back of her head against the wall. “Do I have to pull everything I don’t know about out of your nose? The hell is ‘stance dancing’?”
“Basically, each of the Stances is going to have a certain purpose but to motivate you to not just stay in one Stance all the time, there’ll be temporary bonuses if you change Stances, with certain requirements so you don’t just abuse it either,” John summarized it as best he could. “You follow a rhythm to get the maximum value out of each Stance. You dance. Stance dance.”
Ehtra’s cocked head and raised eyebrow said everything she did not speak out loud regarding what she thought about that. “I will take the Contempt Armour,” she stated flatly.
John, for as much as he liked his value generators, had to agree. The problem with Hold it! was twofold. One, as of this moment, Ehtra had not chosen a ranged weapon yet and so was most comfortable with her sword. She would likely retain that for a long while. Two, 30 seconds was a long time in a fight. The rewards were worth it, in theory, but in practice… Gaia may have to go back to the balancing board with that one.
Contempt Armour was bonus HP Reg with a condition. It had the upside of applying after all other HP Reg buffs did, so it synergized intensely with Blood Halo, and the downside of only dealing with physical damage while having a relatively low ceiling. It would just be a constant boon for her defences. Yet another thing that would help her win drawn-out engagements.
Vengeance Executed was so juicy.
But so incredibly terrible.
Even though John did not yet know how much more Contempt she would end up having access to, he could calculate just by comparison that even 20% bonus damage for 125 was a shit deal. How could this be made good? If they power-farmed it up by having her execute mooks on Crusading Target’s cooldown.
Since John did not want to use her as a weapon of wanton slaughter and such effects only allowed Raid Bosses to count when it came to Illusion Barriers, it was just out.
“Hate Spike,” Ehtra made her choice swiftly and to John’s pleasant surprise. He had somewhat expected that she herself would advocate the wanton slaughter route. For all of the abrasive exterior, it seemed that there was a core there that genuinely cared about people. “What is wrong with his eyes, Metra?”
“He just thinks a lot.”
“Somebody has to,” John returned and gave Metra’s butt a jovial little smack. The First of Wrath perked up a little bit at the swat. Her tail wagged as her grin broadened a bit and turned hungry. She sent a glance her sister’s way, who was taken aback at the scene.
“What is wrong with your eyes, Ehtra?” the first Metracana asked.
“What is wrong with you?” the First of Hatred turned the turn-around around. “You’re attached to him like a lowly concubine. Not even Sargon made you this… clingy and certainly not as dependent.”
“Dependent?” Metra growled; her eyes narrowed and she took half a step towards her sister. “Don’t mistake me loving him for me having forgotten what I am, First of Hatred. I’m not dependent. I’m the judge of kings. If he died today, I would not be what shatters. I would break every stone in every city of every enemy he had. I would drive them to the ends of the Earth, then guide them to the afterlife. I would mourn.” The First of Wrath took a pause. “Do not mistake me having found a king worthy of my love for weakness,” she repeated, then stepped back to John’s side. “He’s just so endearing.”
John tilted his head, letting Metra scratch his scalp. He may not have had animal ears, but he could still appreciate tender touches. Ehtra followed the scene with a resting bitch face. “Whatever you say,” she responded calmly.
“You’ll see for yourself,” Metra asserted.
“Apparently that goes for everything in this age. Are we done here?”
“Well, the most direct increase is yet to happen,” John told her. “Is there anything in particular you would like to happen regarding your balance of power or should I keep the ratios?”
Ehtra waved her hand, just giving him permission to do whatever. Since he knew where asking further would lead, he decided to stick with her current ratios, for the most part. He would boost the Mental Stats a bunch to make her more resilient to mind control and such interferences.
Ehtra took a sharp inhale. For a moment, she attempted to control herself, then she fell off the stool. Quivering all over, she ran a hand through her hair. Eyes darted from place to place. They landed on her sword. She gripped it and pulled it to her chest, clutching it tightly.
For the first few moments, John thought he was just witnessing the usual effects that having one’s power increased threefold in an instant had on the recipient. It lasted longer, however, and Ehtra’s eyes turned darker.
Metra was the first one to move, stepping forwards. Ehtra stared up at her eldest sibling. In a voice so meek and powerless, she whispered, “Mother?”
“Gone,” Metra answered and knelt down before the failed vessel of Tiamat. “It’s not her power that’s in you now. It’s all your own. Don’t fear this change.” As she spoke, the blonde embraced her younger sister.
John and Delicia left the room. It was just the decent thing to do.
Comments
gordianTangle
What I like about Blood Halo is that it damages the "source", not something like "creature" or "caster" - I can imagine some expensive enemy items exploding.
Charles Bell IV
These are going to be amazing to see in action and love the Warhammer references. Going along the Saint Celestine route lol
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