Chapter 4 - Skillful Survivor!

"Can I eat a monster?" says Berto, one hand applying pressure on his injured ankle, the other lifting a crushed crab leg, as if to show it to Mariah. He sniffed the meat and it really seamed to carry that generic "fish market" odor.

Mariah: The creature is not a monster but simply a mutated Hermit Crab. It is saturated with Mana, however so are you, so you should be fine.

"WHAT!?" the young man almost jumped at Mariah's words. "I'm poisoned? How? Shit! It was the coils wasn't it?! God damn it! I don't even feel any different, I feel fine!"

Mariah: You ARE fine User Berto! Calm down! You are not "poisoned". You are infused with Mana thanks to our connection. This is what facilitates your rapid growth and allows us to communicate.

"Wait! So I'm like.. a Champion?" he asked with a mixture of excitement and fear. Fear, mostly, of becoming what he hated. Excitement, in becoming something more than what he is.

Mariah: We do not possess knowledge of these "Champions". They were not present during our previous Connections through the eons, which is puzzling. And before you ask us how many conduits existed before yourself, we will remind you that now is not the time! Ingest, take a 5 minute rest to choose a skill and carry on! The oxygen levels are getting dangerously low in this section of the railway!

Berto wanted answers.. needed them but she was right. Surviving took priority. Besides, if he was going to get to the bottom of what happened back there, he had to get out of here alive. His mentor was injured, exposed to Mana and the man responsible for his condition and the attack on Argos, vanished to who knows where! He took a bite out of the thick white crab meat and immediately winced and squinted his eyes. The fleshy treat, even raw, had a pleasant taste and nice texture. However.. as Berto would then discover, eating raw crustaceans is like eating solid seawater. The brine, the saltiness! He shook his head and forced himself to keep eating.

Mariah: Mana-Iradiated protein ingested. Regeneration granted, 2 Health Points regained. 10% Stamina recovered.

The young engineer felt the pain numb and torn flesh mending slightly. "Thanks Mariah, that feels a lot better. With that, he walked near the fallen rubble, vigor renewed despite his newly acquired injuries and ever growing fatigue. "Stamina.." he thought, as he began lifting the stones and throwing them out of the way again. He guessed that this, Stamina, was another score or pool that drained as he was active. Mariah confirmed this a moment later, displaying the Stamina bar under his Health and Mana bars. "Great.." he moaned, another thing he had to worry about.

Mariah: That is the reason we were reluctant to show you this score until now. In our defense, all people take care of their health and stamina. The only difference is that yours have numbers assigned to them.

"MmmHmmm.. I'll assign some numbers you..mgmskcj.." complained Berto and let loose a mumbling string of insults directed to everything and everyone he could think of. "I'll choose that Skill now.." he said begrudgingly. "Um.. tell me about the Craft skill again..". Mariah had already gone the Skills and explained their use to the young man. He had also learned about the rarity value that was assigned to each skill. Ranging from A to E, a skill's rarity defined how common and useful it was although that was not absolute. A user could benefit greatly even from a common skill if they put it to good use and skill rarity wasn't fixed. A talented user could scale the rarity of a skill if they had an affinity for it, making it more potent.

Mariah: Craft allows a user to better fabricate crude instruments, even by hand. Craft also compliments the user's ability to put together tools, contraptions and even weapons. A very basic survival Skill User Berto. Maybe you should consider Dodge again? It is a rarer Skill to obtain and quite useful no matter your level!

Berto paused and gave it more thought. "Wait.. I also have the rarer Engineering Skill because of my real life experience. It's also my highest Skill. Won't that make Craft better?".

Mariah: Recalculating.. Correct! Engineering (B) is an advanced "Creator skill". With your expertise and high Intellect attribute, Craft would be greatly complimented. It could even lay the foundation for a higher tier skill later down the road.

"Well what's important right now is survival.. Our ancestors didn't survive against all odds because they were stronger than everything else.. but smarter! If I can build tools and weapons without a workshop I could give myself a serious advantage here! Ok, let's go with that.."

Mariah: Very well, Award: Craft (D) Lv.1 selected! Synergy between Engineering Skill identified. Upscale due to Intellect score of 15 implemented. Craft Skill raised to category (C) and Lv.3 as a result. Craft (C) Lv.3 allows the user to visualize designs and locate materials needed easily as they are highlighted in their vision. They can also mold softer materials into shape by bare hand! Congratulations User Berto!

The young man smiled excitedly and got back to work. He couldn't believe he was actually looking forward to test this out! He felt as if he had his very own superpower! 

• • •

20 minutes later, with the last piece of rubble set aside, Berto now stood in front of an airtight hatch. About 50 meters of cold, dark and monster infested waters separated him from the hatch leading to the next section of the railway.

Mariah: "Feat of the Day" parameters met. You moved a mountain of debris by bare hand. 2 Attribute Points awarded!

Apparently "Feat of Day" was something the Evergreen could award Berto with, once per day, after he had completed a commendable task. Berto resisted the urge to immediately invest his free attribute points, thinking it would be smarter to check the road ahead first and then invest in whatever stat would better his chances of survival. And the situation ahead seemed dire indeed. Not only would he have to swim across 50 meters of crushing depth and freezing water, he would have to do so while worrying about one Hateful Hermit near the other hatch. He didn't even want to think about the fact of having to do it with one breath.

Berto spun around and located a panel, so seamlessly fitted into the floor that an untrained eye would never spot it. He opened it by pressing on it with his entire weight, activating its release mechanism. In the now open hatch lied a variety of cables and machinery. Berto knew what he was looking at because of his field of studies but more importantly at the time, because of his Craft skill! The man wanted to make something and his skill was guiding him by highlighting anything useful in his vision. He grabbed a narrow steel pipe, that had broken off on one end and pried it loose. He also found an emergency repair kit, usually left in critical locations in case of malfunctions but the tools here were specifically made for a water filter system and were of no use to him. A safety mask with a built-in air filter however, that he could use! His skill then lead him to point between two large pieces of debris, where he jammed one end of the pipe in and then proceeded to apply force to it until the end broke off, leaving its hollow interior exposed.

Wherever there was an item useful to his craft, it was highlighted in a yellow aura, seen by his eyes only. Next came a jagged piece of scrap metal and some copper wire. He jammed the metal into the light pipe and started hammering at it with a piece of concrete. Normally this would never work, Berto knew this.. That is precisely why he was grinning like a fool when the metal started bending into a crude imitation of what he wanted. The metal shard was bent into a spear tip, which was then better secured in place by the wire. With what copper remained, Berto also made a handle for better grip.

Mariah: "Crude Spear" crafted! 50xp rewarded for crafting your first weapon. Crude Spear grants a +5 Attack Modifier and is not impeded by water resistance when used in melee combat.

Berto's smile stretched from ear to ear! He felt like a survivalist hero! He steadied himself by remembering the very real danger ahead and assessed the situation through the glass walls of the tube. "I have a weapon and a mask.. The mask isn't designed for this kind of use but should allow me to see clearly for 1 or 2 minutes tops, before it just gives in and fills with water. I have one enemy.. that I can see.." he said and kept searching for any other dangerous thing out there. He could crawl along the top of the tube and attack its blind spot but there was something else.. something that scared him even more.

If he were to open the hatch and move ahead, his part of the railway would be flooded and the next one.. It had no lights. He could see nothing. No movement.. nothing! If he went out there, he could not return. He would have to brave the next section. There was no oxygen here to just stay and wait for level ups to fall from the sky. The road to safety was ahead, all he needed to do, was take the first step. He rolled up sleeves, took deep breaths and unlocked the hatch. "Mariah, allocate the 2 extra attribute points into Agility and Vitality. That should make me faster and able to hold my breath longer, right?".

Mariah: Your assumption is correct. Points allocated. Agility raised to 12. Vitality raised to 11. Your Health Point maximum has increased but not your current Health Points. You can hold your breath while moving for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Good luck, User Berto!

The young man wore his mask and after taking a deep breath, twisted the hatch's release valve. With a *KATHUMP* the hatch popped open and water poured in the tube. Berto held on the hatch door until he was completely submerged under the cold water. He felt his heart skip a beat as his chest froze. He looked into the endless abyss ahead.. and stepped out.

Berto grabbed hold of the reef and winced in pain as the the jagged coral cut into his hand. He fought through it and started pulling himself along the reef, occasionally kicking to propel himself forward faster. He traveled diagonally and a little higher than the next hatch was located. His body ached and the chilling water only exaggerated every small pain he felt. Water slowly poured into his mask, the pressure overcoming the device's suction to his face. The liquid started collecting in the edges of his mask and the young man knew that if he delayed in any way, he would end up blind, struggling to to find his way to a breath of air. The thought made his blood freeze and he kicked the water harder. In front of the hatch stood a Hateful Hermit, picking at the corals with its powerful pincer, feasting on anything it could grab in its vice. Berto advanced towards it, angling himself over it and out of its line of vision, like a lizard on a wall hunting insects.

He never felt more thankful for the spearfishing trips his father took him on. Half his mask was now filled with water and could only see clearly out of one eye. Thankfully the corals shed a little light on the area, with their almost alien bio-luminescence. He drew back his crude weapon.. his lungs were burning.. he tightened his chest.. and thrust downwards! The spear pierced the crab's carapace with ample resistance but Berto did it! He felt the tip of his weapon dig into the creature's insides as it jerked with a sudden motion of desperation and then immediately went limp.

Mariah: Critical Hit dealt! Hermit received 12 points of damage. Hateful Hermit Lv.3 defeated, 45xp gained!

Berto gagged, his lungs aching for air as he yanked his weapon free. He had no time left and swam downwards to the hatch! It was open and he slipped inside, barely being able to see now. He could make out the water's surface two meters in and every instinct he had begged him to jump up to take a breath! Berto was about to kick up and suddenly saw a shadow over the water and something breaking the surface! A pincer! "God damn it!" he thought! Their was a blasted crab just above the only exit! He sat on the bottom and placed his hand on the nearest solid surface to keep himself from floating up. He waited, he had to, but every second seemed like an eternity and the edges of his vision started going black. Suddenly the crab moved a meter closer to him and submerged half its body.

Berto lashed out like a wild animal and jammed his spear right in its face! He saw its Health bar plummet but the thing was still moving. The crab reached for the young man's face but he intercepted with his arm instead! In this state the pain didn't even register for Berto! Mariah told him how much HP he lost but he didn't listen, couldn't listen! In an instant he pulled the spear back and attacked twice more! The crab sank to the bottom with a hole where its face used to be and the engineer broke the surface with a gasp so loud, it could be mistaken for a battle cry!

Mariah: Hermit received 6 points of damage. Hermit received 3 points of damage. Hermit received 4 points of damage. Hateful Hermit Lv.3 defeated, 45xp gained!

Berto crawled out of the deep waters and gasped for air as he coughed up the salty liquid he had breathed in. He wanted to collapse out of exhaustion but realized that this section of the railway had water almost a meter deep in it. The light here was barely enough to allow him a sense of direction. He was cold, weak and ready to pass out with no place of respite in sight. The young man drained the water from his mask and activated its small torchlight, located on his right temple.

Mariah: Berto watch out!!

Mariah's voice jolted him into action and his fingers instinctively clutched his spear tighter. Two Hateful Hermits were headed for him, their form almost completely obscured by the seawater. Would he be able to take on two at same time, or would his arms give out after a few thrusts? "Mariah I need to get out of the water!" he shouted in his head as he waded through the water, trying to avoid them. Mariah didn't answer.. Maybe she couldn't help him in this way. He reached a pile of rubble and managed to successfully climb out, sustaining only a single cut from the pursuing creatures.

Mariah: User Berto, 1 point of damage sustained. 4/13 HP remaining! Hydrodynamic (C) Lv.1 Skill gained by powering through the depths 50xp awarded! Swimming (E) Lv.1 Skill gained, 25xp awarded. Apnea (C) Lv.1 Skill gained by enduring the urge to breath during a long dive! 50xp awarded! *PING* Level Up Berto!! Health Restoration initiated! Estimated time until full recovery 30 minutes due to excessive trauma! Excess fatigue nullified, Stamina Restored! 3 Attribute Points awarded!

Berto's body suddenly became less rigid, his spear lighter and his feet ready to spring him into any direction. He batted a pincer away with his weapon and jumped higher up the hill of fallen concrete. The crabs pursued, undeterred by the young survivor's boost in mobility and vigor. When Berto reached the top of the debris he realized there was nowhere else to go. If he jumped down and away, he would simply end up in the water again.

The creatures were excellent climbers and would be upon him in a matter of seconds. He looked down at them as they crawled up and over the pieces of concrete and had an idea! Sticking his spear into the rubble and behind a rather big piece of debris, he used his weapon as a lever and pushed with all his limited might. His muscles weren't big enough to move it but with physics they didn't need to be! The block of concrete finally budged and rolled down, creating a miniature landslide. The falling rubble hit the first crab dead on, knocking it back in the water, and threw the second one off balance. By the time it could refocus its efforts it received a spear tip to the face. With the first hit Berto managed to reduce the creature's HP to 1/3 and the next one was more than enough to finish it.

The second crab began crawling back up and the young engineer was surprised to see that its HP had barely budged by the damage it had received. Hateful Hermit Lv.6 its tag read and Berto groaned as he backed away from it. He tried a few thrusting attacks with his spear but only one found its mark, dealing a few points of damage. The rest were either parried by its oversized claw or glanced off its reinforced carapace. Berto grabbed his spear with both hands and braced himself in a fighting stance of sorts. "Mariah.. Allocate two attribute points into Strength!" he said with resolve before shifting his attention to the beast. "Come on you son of a bitch! I survived the attack of a crazy wizard, I dug through a mountain of concrete by hand and swam 50 meters under the sea! I'm not about to get killed by Sushi with anger management issues!".