OverXelous
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11. Awakened Staff
🕑 Added 2025-01-03 14:00:07 +0000 UTCAlex stared at the Rift’s shimmering surface and his heart hammered against his ribs. The now familiar blue-tinted portal shimmered in waves, but all he could see was same entrance he had stepped into with Valtherion several weeks ago.
He knew that it was a different Rift. He knew that it wouldn’t lead to him appearing in the same Epic Rift as before, but with nothing to see the inside of the Rift, just the swirling blue tear in reality, his overactive imagination couldn’t help but wonder if there was a chance it somehow did send him back to that horrible place.
“That’ll be three Mana Stones,” the Guild member said. Her voice pulled Alex back to the present. She was young, probably the one who’d found the Rift entrance on the farm grounds they now stood. She wore jeans, a sweatshirt and a puffy gray vest. The beany and gloves seemed worn and she kept her hands in her pockets while she spoke, though removed them to extend a hand to accept the payment. “One per person.”
“Right,” Alex said. He fumbled with the spatial pouch under his jacket, well aware that Gabby and Edwin were waiting patiently behind him. Handing off the payment, he took a deep breath and looked back at the portal.
Get it together. This isn’t even close to the same thing, and I’m not the same either.
If he couldn’t calm his nerves, he figured that he might as well hype himself up and talk his body into understanding that it wouldn’t be a repeat- even if it was the other Rift.
“First time?” the attended asked him while glancing at the trio. She had a friendly smile on her face, and she looked at them with her eyebrows raised almost like she was looking at a cute puppy.
Alex wanted to laugh, but he realized that he really was acting worse than he had when entering his first Rift. He shook his head and Edwin and Gabby both responded, assuming that the girl was talking to them.
“Indeed,” Edwin replied.
“Yep! Is it going to feel weird? Going through, I mean?”
“Like going over the peak of a rollercoaster,” Alex said, looking up at the tall portal. “It goes away quickly though, just keep your feet under yourself, and you’ll be just fine.”
The attendant nodded. “Exactly. Just walk straight through, and you’ll be fine. The main cavern is well-lit and usually has other groups present.”
“Alright, you two ready?”
After getting two nods, Alex led the way into the portal. His heart rate quickened and he felt a cold sweat begin to run down his back.
Alex’s muscles tensed involuntarily as gravity reasserted itself, but he forced himself to relax and quickly dismissed the quest window. He looked around the main cavern that the attendant has spoken of. The luminescent cavern stretched before them. Its walls were dotted with crystalline formations that pulsed with a soft, blue-white light. Alex's Heavenly Eye revealed streams of mana flowing between the crystals like ethereal rivers, creating patterns that reminded him of constellations.
"Evening!" A group of younger Awakened passed them, hauling what looked like mining equipment. Alex nodded in response, noting how their eager chatter echoed off the cave walls.
They’re likely here for that guild contract I saw when we applied here. Seems like a decent way to earn a few guaranteed Mana Stones. Just bring back some specific materials from the Rift, turn them into the Guild, get a pay out.
The Rift had become something of a training ground for new Guild members, though Alex preferred to find a more secluded spot for Edwin and Gabby's first experience and he quickly found his thoughts pulled away from his own experiences as he thought through a plan of action for the other two.
As they walked deeper into the tunnels, Alex found his attention drawn to the moving shadows cast by the glowing crystals. The light caught the rough stone walls at odd angles, creating shifting patterns of darkness that his mind kept trying to transform into passing scales.
He tensed twice at different times in the first few tunnels they walked down. While he was able to hide his thoughts and struggle from Gabby and Edwin, who were just happy to be there and fascinated with everything going on around them, he wasn’t able to hide his emotions and small reactions from his companion.
Val stirred in his jacket, likely sensing his unease.
“Val keep watch?”
Yeah, buddy. That would be great. Thanks.
Valtherion moved out from his jacket and used his tail to swish in front of Alex, sending feelings of reassurance as he flew up to the top of the tunnel and around the next bend to scout ahead.
Better safe than sorry.
Alex thought to himself. His thoughts of how silly he was being were pulled to times when he was a kid and still lived with his parents. When he’d watch a scary movie and later that night, when he walked around the house, he felt the need to walk faster or go up the stairs quickly. While he knew that there was nothing there in the dark, his skin still crawled and his imagination could so easily play tricks on him.
He knew that his fears were irrational and that there was no chance a shadow serpent would be present in an Common E-Rank Rift.
Channeling his nervous energy into something productive, he touched his hand to the top of his spatial pouch and quickly began to call items into his hand to make sure he hadn’t forgotten any supplies.
After ten to fifteen minutes of walking at a decent pace, Alex looked back at the two to check on them. "How are you both holding up?" Alex asked. The spatial bag at his hip felt weightless despite containing their gear, another reminder of how far he'd come since his own first Rift experience.
Edwin maintained his usual composure, though Alex noticed his butler's eyes darting between the glowing formations with interest. "Quite fascinating, Master Moore. The rock formations are unlike anything I've heard of."
"These crystals are gorgeous," Gabby said, her usual energy tempered by genuine wonder as she studied the formations. "Do you think we could bring any back? They'd make beautiful decorative pieces for the house."
"Let's focus on the task at hand first," Alex said, suppressing a smile. He guided them around a corner, away from the main paths where most Guild members gathered. The tunnel was narrower but still tall enough to stand comfortably. "We're looking for a smaller chamber. Something a bit more removed, where we can set up properly."
The mana streams visible through his Heavenly Eye grew denser as they moved, swirling in lazy eddies around certain crystal clusters. He'd learned enough about Rift dynamics to know this usually indicated a monster spawn or breeding ground nearby. It was perfect for their needs, but they'd need to be careful.
"I hear water ahead," Edwin observed, his voice echoing slightly off the crystalline walls.
"Good ear," Alex replied. "There should be a chamber up ahead with a small underground stream. That's where we'll set up." He patted the spatial bag. "Time to put all that gear to use."
The cavern they entered opened up into a roughly circular chamber about forty feet across. A small stream cut through the far side, its gentle burbling echoing off the walls. The ceiling rose in a dome shape, covered in hanging formations that caught the light from the crystals below and scattered it throughout the room.
Alex set down the spatial bag and pulled out three large coolers, their metallic interiors gleaming. "Alright, this is perfect. We can set up here, away from the other groups."
"Master Moore," Edwin said, eyeing the equipment. "Perhaps now would be a good time to explain exactly what we're hunting?"
Alex couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. "Slimes."
"Slimes?" Gabby asked, her nose wrinkling.
"Yep. Blue ones, specifically." Alex started arranging the coolers near the stream. "They're actually perfect for first-time Awakening. Low level, predictable movement patterns, and—" he paused, remembering his own first encounter, "—technically speaking, they're not too dangerous."
Edwin's eyebrow rose. "'Technically speaking, sir?"
"Let's just say my first Rift experience involved slimes, and it didn't go great." Alex pulled out three sledgehammers next, their heads covered in protective wrapping. "But that's why we're going to be smarter about it. No charging in like an idiot this time."
He explained the plan as he set up, demonstrating how to bait the slimes toward the coolers using their tendency to leap forward in a predictable rhythm. Once trapped within the cooler, the dry ice would freeze them solid, making them brittle enough to shatter with the hammers.
"This seems... elaborate," Edwin observed, accepting his hammer awkwardly.
"Trust me, it's better than trying to fight them head-on. Those things are surprisingly durable and borderline immune to blunt force. It makes things hard when you’re unprepared and just pick up the nearest branch." Alex moved to position them, placing Edwin and Gabby on either side of the stream with their coolers ready. "I'll stay back here, but don't worry. If anything goes wrong, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve now that I can use to help."
As if on cue, a wet slapping sound echoed from one of the smaller tunnels leading into their chamber. Alex's Heavenly Eye picked up three small mana signatures heading in their direction. The blobs made their way slowly, not yet having noticed the humans in the open space.
"Here we go," he whispered, stepping back to give them space. "Remember, let them come to you. If they don’t notice you, step forward and wait for them to start to jiggle, then move back."
The first slime oozed into view, its gelatinous body was a light blue color, rather than the green that Alex had first faced.
He felt a ridiculous surge of satisfaction. Time for some payback.
He watched as Edwin and Gabby tensed, their hammers resting by the coolers behind them. It would take a bit of time for the dry ice to freeze the slimes once trapped. So, Alex had recommended that they not burden themselves with the weight of the hammers until needed.
The front slime moved exactly as he remembered, bobbing along with that deceptively innocent appearance. Two more followed behind it, and Alex couldn't resist. He used his [Mana Thread] to draw a ritual circle in the slime’s path.
When he’d seen that there was a Common E Rank Rift with slimes as a primary monster, he’d immediately begun to prepare his revenge. He’d used the [Ritual Insight] cooldown on his Heating Ritual again to gain insight into the schematic. With the added understanding and some additional ritual shapes from the advanced manuals, Alex had created his first offensive ritual.
Lastly, he used his off hand to create two more threads and dip them into the pouch of Mana Stone dust and pulled a small premade bag of materials from the spatial pouch. He used the thread to drag the pouch along the ground at high speed to rest where the ritual was formed. Knowing that this ritual was relatively cheap and that his modified version of the ritual was meant to allow both catalysts to be placed in the same spot, he planned to use it often for combat. He had prepared twenty bags of prepared materials and was pleased with how well the combo worked.
Concentrated Heating Ritual.
A thin red line of superheated air struck the rear slime, instantly vaporizing a portion of its mass. The creature jiggled violently before expanding and rapidly deflating. It made a sad sound like a balloon losing air, but Alex just smiled.
That's for my first Rift, you little bastards.
"Focus on the other two!" he called out, watching his staff prepare for their first monster encounter. "Remember the plan!"
The remaining slimes noticed the movement and began their characteristic pre-jump wiggle. Alex watched as Edwin and Gabby executed the plan perfectly.
"Now!" Alex called as the first slime launched itself toward Edwin.
His butler sidestepped smoothly, revealing the open cooler behind him. The slime sailed through the air and landed with a wet plop inside the metal container. Edwin snapped the lid shut in one fluid motion, his composure never wavering.
"Well done," Alex said, then turned his attention to Gabby. "Ready?"
She nodded, eyes fixed on the remaining slime as it approached. "Come on, you Jello from Hell," she muttered, taking a deliberate step forward.
The slime responded exactly as expected, gathering itself for a leap. Gabby moved with surprising grace, pivoting away at the last second. Her timing was slightly off, which caused the slime to catch the edge of the cooler. Despite that, she recovered quickly, tilting the cooler to nudge it fully inside before securing it.
"Perfect!" Alex beamed at them both. "Now we wait for the dry ice to do its work. Should take about five or ten minutes."
Edwin straightened his vest, which somehow hadn't wrinkled during the entire trip and encounter. "I must admit, Master Moore, your strategy was quite effective. Though I confess, I expected something more... challenging."
"Trust me, without the preparation, these things are a nightmare," Alex said, remembering his own first encounter. "Grab your hammers and get ready. Remember what we talked about in the car? The System works largely off of intent, so even though your awakening happens through combat, you will be able to gain experience later by doing things that you are attempting to improve in."
Gabby lifted her hammer, testing its weight. "And you're sure this will work?"
"Positive. Just remember what I said. When you make your hits on the slime, try to picture your goals and what you want to do when you become an Awakened. Freezing them will make them brittle, so it should only take a solid one or two hits." Alex moved closer to the coolers, checking the frost forming around their edges. "Almost ready. Remember, this is just the beginning. The System will recognize the kill, and that's when you’ll feel some brief pain in your stomach, and the blue windows will appear."
They waited in anticipation. The only sound was the gentle burble of the stream and the faint crackling of ice forming within the coolers. Alex smiled to himself, knowing that in just a few minutes, their lives would change forever.
After another ten minutes went by, Alex could see the metal rims frosting over and the wiggling within had stopped. "Alright," Alex said, kneeling to check the coolers. "They should be frozen solid now. Edwin, you want to go first?"
Edwin adjusted his grip on the hammer, maintaining his composure while clearly feeling nervous. "Very well, Master Moore."
Alex helped him unlatch and flip open the cooler's lid. Inside, the slime had become an icy blue sculpture, its final wiggle frozen in place. He tipped the cooler, and the chunk of slime-ice rolled out awkwardly. Edwin took a deep breath, and Alex could see him focusing his thoughts as instructed.
The hammer came down with force. The frozen slime shattered like glass, crystalline shards scattering across the rocky cavern floor. Edwin immediately tensed, a sharp gasp escaping him as he doubled over.
"Easy," Alex steadied him with a hand on his shoulder. "That's your Core forming. It'll pass in a few seconds."
Gabby watched with wide eyes as Edwin straightened, blinking rapidly. "Sir, I... I can see it. The window, just as you described."
"Take your time reading it. Remember that you can direct the System with your thoughts and those general commands we talked about earlier," Alex said before turning to Gabby. "Ready for yours?"
She nodded, gripping her hammer tightly. Her frozen slime had taken on an almost artistic pose, caught mid-leap. Gabby planted her feet, took a steadying breath, and swung. The crack of impact echoed through the chamber, followed immediately by her sharp intake of breath as she pressed a hand to her stomach.
"Oh wow," she managed through clenched teeth. "That's... intense."
Alex watched them both carefully as they processed their first System notifications. Edwin's expression remained controlled, but his eyes widened slightly. Gabby was less reserved, her face cycling through surprise, confusion, and finally, excitement.
"So," Alex said after giving them a moment, "sharing traits is not something that’s normally done. The traits and skills you get are private. You don't have to—"
“It says [Intuitive Understanding]," Edwin read aloud immediately, his voice carrying a bit of wonder. "It seems... quite appropriate."
Gabby beamed. "[Culinary Creation]! It says that if there are ingredients in any dishes that I make when I eat my own creation, I’ll know the properties of that ingredient for future use!"
Alex couldn't help but laugh at their enthusiasm. "Those are perfect for both of you. But remember, traits are just the beginning. Now that you're awakened, you'll start gaining experience from activities aligned with your goals. We could head home right now, but I think we should wait.”
“What for?”
“Now that you’re Awakened, you’ll get presented with two quests after being in the Rift for a bit of time. Normally, they appear as soon as you enter the Rift, but for your first, you just need to wait long enough, and it will appear. I suggest that all three of us stay and slay the necessary number of slimes needed to complete the Personal Quest.”
“Ah, this is a Cull Quest?” Edwin asked. “I remember seeing posts about people thinking these were the best kind of quest. There was also a lot of complaining about something called a fetch quest?”
“I haven’t seen one of those, but that’s funny. People always hated those in video games, too.” Alex laughed and looked around their secluded chamber. “Well, I’ll leave the decision up to you guys. Do you want to go or stay?”
Both Edwin and Gabby answered in unison, “Stay.”
Alex smiled, pleased with their decision. “Great, I’ve got a bit more revenge to get from these bouncy bastards.” He also thought that it might be nice to stretch his muscles a bit and try to collect some easy Mana Stones from the slimes. While these monsters wouldn’t present him with much of a challenge or push his progress forward, it was an easy way to vent some of his frustration at his greatly slowed progression.
Comments
nathbregou27
Can't wait for the manga adaptation, Slime Slayer
TerrestrialOverlord
Bouncy bastard seems an appropriate name for them.
Felix Skinner
see was same entrance *the same the attended asked him *attendant get a pay out *payout The Rift had become something *the paragraph that starts with this line is just one long sentence and reads strangely. Probably worth thinking about breaking it up a bit.
Corwin
Might try Edwin's trait in figuring out different things within the Rift. Such as how to properly harvest various materials or what can be transported and transplanted or might have an impact on cultivation
small_brain_boy
Yeah I feel like it's gonna take a few rifts before he quit twitching too hard.
Beeees!
This slow burn apacolypse without full collapse of society is very interesting, and people being able to influence traits also supports further civilized developments. Makes sense that a lot of early traits would be combat focused as people would really o ly be thinking about how to kill the monsters in the rift from the get go
OverXelous
Thanks! He's not quite over all of that just yet, but I didn't want to overdo it
OverXelous
Definitely!! It's not random like a lot of other systems and stories, the System is definitely trying to push people into progressing in what they want or what they'll be good at!
Beeees!
Wow, I guess intent and life experience can really effect the trait people get. Having a super butler and super chef will be cool
Ron
Good job portraying the PTSD
