Chapter 35: Dark Presence #35

'If I remember correctly, metagenes awaken under stressful situations, and they need a substance or a form of energy to imprint on...' I mused, thoughtfully rubbing my chin as I read through the notification. 

It goes without saying that said substance or form of energy will define the metagene's power, so there's a high chance that whatever archetype I choose, especially the occultists and the Mad Scientist, would expose me to something that would awaken the metagene.

And since the archetypes seem to specialize in one field over the others, then whatever my metagene would be, it would match the theme of the archetype I choose now. There is also the chance of a freak accident imprinting my metagene with something random.

'In other words, I'll likely excel in whatever archetype I choose first over the others...' I sighed, scratching my head.

Occultist was the more powerful option, and specializing in it over other archetypes would give me a clear path towards power. But it also came with the most risks unless I found a mentor, which isn't happening anytime soon.

On the other hand, Mad Scientist could be just as good an option and much safer to boot. Specializing in it could give me more versatility than magic, but it required more work and preparation and no immediate power boost.

'Yeah... I'll just go with the safe option then...' I sighed as I made my decision and selected the Mad Scientist archetype.

[You have selected the Mad Scientist archetype]

[Mad Scientist (level 0)]

[You may now select a new class]

[Available archetype specific classes: (Mechanic) (Programmer) (Surgeon) (Chemist) (Biologist)]

[Available basic classes: (Gunman) (Duelist) (Artist) (Scholar) (Linguist)]

...

[Mechanic (MAX Level 30)]

[The class comes with three stat points, three stat points for every level, the Mechanics skill, and the Machinery Scan power]

[Mechanics: if it's broken, this skill can fix it. If it's not broken, it can improve it (sometimes making it worse). If it just isn't, it can build it. Mechanics covers all technical and craft skills,

from carpentry to mechanics to roadie work. It is what you need if you want to rebuild the engine of that mean machine you're tricking out or to make sure the rock concert comes through loud and clear]

...

[Programmer (MAX level 30)]

[The class comes with three stat points, three stat points for every level, the Computers skill, and the Network Crash power]

[Computers: the nerdy art of keyboard slinging for fun and profit, and with this skill, you can make computers do what you want, including programming and hacking. People don't need this skill to use a computer. Anybody can find the on-switch and use a mouse. The Computers skill lets you do fun things like breaking into confidential databases, writing your own programs, programming your VCR, and other cool stuff]

...

[Surgeon (MAX level 30)]

[The class comes with three stat points, three stat points for every level, the Medicine skill, and the X-ray Vision power]

[Medicine: After a tough fight, it pays to know some first aid. This skill covers the ability to heal injuries, and diagnose and cure diseases through modern medicine. A full-fledged doctor has a skill level of four or higher. Anything below that represents some training in first aid or emergency treatment]

...

[Chemist (MAX level 30)]

[The class comes with three stat points, three stat points for every level, the Chemistry skill, and the Chemical Detection power]

[Chemistry: whether you want to create poisons and acids that hiss and dissolve the ground for dramatic effect, explosives that would obliterate it all together, or just a solution to get rid of that one stubborn blood stain on your favorite shirt, this is the skill for you]

...

[Biologist (MAX level 30)]

[The class comes with three stat points, three stat points for every level, the Biology skill, and the Weakness Detection power]

[Biology: as a skill, the Biology skill covers everything from the study of plants and animals all the way to the what turns on microscopic organisms and their breeding patterns]

...

[Artist (MAX level 10)]

[The class comes with three stat points, three stat points for every level, and the Art skill]

[Art: have you ever wanted to create some masterpiece for the ages or have your CD go platinum? All you need is a high enough levels in the Art skill. The skill covers music, painting, sculpture, creative writing, and everything in between]

...

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[Scholar (MAX level 10)]

[The class comes with three stat points, three stat points for every level, the Knowledge skill]

[Knowledge: the skill covers all non-scientific disciplines. History, sociology, psychology, and the like are part and parcel of this skill. Knowledge can be helpful in identifying the background of supernatural creatures, helping with occult research, and allowing you to say cool stuff like this gauntlet is Late Medieval, probably from Florence; the markings are unmistakable. Chicks really dig that shit]

...

[Linguist (MAX level 10)]

[The class comes with three stat points, three stat points for every level, the Language skill]

[Language: If you want hablar Español, sound good ordering at a French restaurant, or read the Old Church Latin edition of the Necronomicon, you need to learn a few languages. This skill covers any language other than one's native tongue]

...

'So the archetype classes are not different in their max level capacity, but they come with powers too...' I mused as I read through the archetype-specific classes.

The powers weren't anything fancy or groundbreaking. But they would either come in handy when applying the skills they come with, like having X-ray Vision while performing surgery, or are merely related to the class, like weakness detection, which translates to insight into biology.

'And I've got a couple of new basic classes too...' I scratched my head, turning to the three new classes: Artist, Linguist, and Scholar. They were niche and had no direct combat application, and I could learn the skills they offered on my own, but maybe I'll find a use for them in the future?

I shrugged and immediately picked the Programmer class without much hesitation, as it was the best option for me right now because I could use it to make money, and it helped me gather information.

Another good first class might have been the Mechanic class, but I'll need to have some money and a workshop to create anything of use or value, so it'll have to wait until then.

[You have gained a new class: Programmer]

[You have gained the skill: computers]

[3+ stat points]

[You have the power: Network Crash]

[You have unlocked the archetype powers tab]

[Network Crash: the ability to negate or destroy protected networks by injecting energy into them through physical or wireless contact. The Network Crash power is dependent on your programming skills, and you will not be able to salvage any information from any network you may destroy]

[Spirit attribute unlocked]

[Spirit 1]

[The spirit attribute represents the supernatural side of the host's being. It includes, but is not limited to, the host's affinity and potential for arcane and natural energies, the capacity to apply supernatural skills, and luck, among many other things (average humans have a spirit score of 0)]

'Does that mean I need spirit to activate powers?' I questioned after reading through the spirit Attribute's description. If that's the case, it's a good thing I've been saving some stat points.

[Correct]

I sighed, shrugging my shoulder as I turned to my available stat points, hesitating for a minute before I dumped 24 points into the Spirit attribute, raising it all the way to 25.

[Due to reaching a milestone in your Spirit attribute, your soul has evolved, and you have unlocked a new perk: (Energy Detector)]

[Energy Detector: the ability to detect the presence of energy, whether electromagnetic (magnetic/infrared), psionic, magical, spiritual, or other, and possibly gain a detailed understanding of the power you are sensing, including the amount/size of energy they are perceiving depending on the target and your own energy]

I felt weightless for a second, feeling something course through my entire body, and a slight headache before it all disappeared, and I felt normal again. I didn't feel much different. The world, however, not only felt different, but it looked the part as well.

It's not like I suddenly began seeing colors. It was more like a field surrounding me, and then there was another field surrounding mine, and as I turned to inspect it, I felt the hairs rising all over my body, sending chills down my spine.

It was a presence, dark and chilling, the likes of which I've never felt before, and it was coming from the very ground Gotham stood on, the soil, and the earth, seeping into every single brick and cinder block of every building, including my apartment.

I immediately deactivated the ability and collapsed to the ground, gasping for air and clutching my chest in pain.

"No wonder this fucking city is rotten to the core..."

 

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