Symbiotic: Chapter 19

Commander Sara Bloom of the Mycorrhizal Network Army felt her Superhuman strength legs give out from under her as she dropped to the ground, sitting dumbfounded as she studied her new System Status sheet.

“These stats are impossible!”, she muttered to herself in a moment of disbelief. Sure, she’d reviewed the options, determined the probable effects, and taken the actions herself… But… Seeing the results. Had she really gone from a starting point of straight 1’s across the board to stats that were peaking near 100 now. And not on a scall of 1 to 100. The Human average scale was 1 to 20. She was stronger, faster, smarter, and more… um.. Souly, than any non System Human alive? Souly? Ok, that one didn’t sound right. She’d have to workshop it. But, Holy Shirtballs, “I’m five times faster than Usain Bolt!”

Seeing her new Mycorrhizal network at an astonishing 2850 out of 3000, and knowing her next foe was most likely more Greatworms, Sara decided new gear was in order. Surly with a Network so much larger, and with Soul Self and Mind Knowledge so much higher than before, she should be able to create more powerful equipment. Hell. Her Bat, love it though she did, was still just a Basic Item. With Greatworms to smash, it was time to bring out the big guns… Or…. Bats?

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Sara sat in the cavern, spores drifting around her like a living forge. Her old bat lay across her lap, slowly repairing from the scars and splinters from the battle with the Greatworm. It had served her well, but she knew it was time for something greater.

Her mind wandered back to nights spent with friends, laughing over fighting games. She remembered the samurai character, the one who wielded a brutal blunt weapon. What was it called? Tetsuo? No… Tetsubo. Yes. A massive club of hardened wood, reinforced with iron, patterned with spiked studs. It had been devastating in the game, and now she wanted that devastation in her hands.

She knew she could make good items with her Create Advanced Item ability… But could she make Great ones? She closed her eyes, focusing on her spores. The System responded, her will shaping the thought into action.

[Ability Unlocked: Create Masterwork Item]

[Cost: 250 Microbes. Remaining Network Capacity 2600 (2850) of 3000]

Effect: Creates a weapon or tool of exceptional potency, infused with Mycorrhizal resonance.

The spores thickened, weaving together strands of hardened fungal wood. Metal-like filaments grew from the network, wrapping the shaft, forming studs that gleamed with crystalline sheen. The weapon took shape in her hands, heavy, brutal, alive with her will.

When the glow faded, she held it: a Mycorrhizal Tetsubo, spiked and reinforced, humming faintly with her spores’ resonance. She grinned, hefting it with both hands. "Now this… this is handheld devastation."

[Item Created: Masterwork Mycorrhizal Tetsubo]

Type: Two-Handed Blunt Weapon

Tier: Masterwork

Stats:

• Force Bonus: +12

• Speed Penalty: -2 if Force below 25 -4 if Body Force below 20

• Mind Thought Resonance: +8 (spore-linked precision)

• Soul Self Sum Infusion: +6 (weapon channels spores’ will)

Abilities:

• Mycorrhizal Reinforcement: Weapon durability is self-repairing.

• Spore-Linked Strikes: Attacks extend spores into impact zones, allowing Infected Strike to be used even though it is a blunt and not piercing weapon.

• Studded Devastation: Critical hits damage Armor, deal additional +50% damage to non armored targets, and can stun even large foes.

• Energy Siege Synergy: If Acidic Conversion, or other Energy Manipulation effects are active on a target, strikes deal an additional +25% damage to non Biological defenses.

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Sara allowed here former bat weapon to be fed back to the network, regaining 50 of the 100 microbes it cost to originally make it, and swung the Tetsubo experimentally, the studs whistling through the air. It was heavy, yes, but it was weighted so perfectly. Built for two handed power, Sara couldn’t help but grin when she realized her Force was more than double what was required to use it, enough to allow her to wield it in one hand.

“Well. Since it can be used with a shield…”, she said as she set her current Basic shield on the ground and allowed the network to reabsorb 50 microbes from it as well. “Let’s continue this Shopping Episode.”

[Create Masterwork Item]

[Cost: 250 Microbes. Remaining Network Capacity 2450 (2600) of 3000]

Effect: Creates a weapon or tool of exceptional potency, infused with Mycorrhizal resonance.

The shield took shape in her hands, growing outward in layers. Dark green fungal fibers hardened into a broad face, curved slightly to deflect blows. Through it ran silver threads, thicker than before, branching and interlacing like veins of living metal, and coalescing at the grip where her hand met shield. As if linking two networks together. They gleamed faintly, catching the cavern’s dim light, a lattice of strength woven across the shield’s surface. It was beautiful, organic and metallic, alive and unyielding.

Sara ran her hand across the face, feeling the ridges of the silver threads. Her spores pulsed in resonance with the shield, feeding it, strengthening it. She smiled as she patted the surface. “I think I’m going to like you!”

[Item Created: Masterwork Mycorrhizal Shield]

Type: Defensive Equipment

Tier: Masterwork

Stats:

• Physical Defense: +20. Mental Defense +10. Spiritual Defense +10

• Mind Resonance: +4 (spore-linked awareness)

• Soul Self Sum Infusion: +6 (shield channels spores’ will)

Abilities:

• Spore-Linked Guard: Shield integrates with Sporesight, automatically orienting toward incoming threats within range.

• Silver Thread Reinforcement: Reduces physical and energy damage taken by 25%, and reduces knockback or stagger/stun effects by 50%, dispersing force across the lattice.

• Networked Defense: Network marked wielding allies within (Level × 10) feet gain +5% to defenses when positioned beside or behind the shield, as Fungal Coud pulses actively attempt to slow attacks against them.

• Self-Reinforcing: Shield repairs from anything short of complete destruction as long as spores are present.

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Sara lifted the shield, testing its weight. It was heavier than her old one, and Past Sara wouldn’t have been able to even lift it, let alone use it. But its balance was perfect, the silver threads gleaming like veins of power felt like they locked to her hand, and she knew that removing the shield from her by force would be near impossible unless she allowed it. She swung it into position, spores flowing across its face, and felt the resonance hum through her body as she scooped up her tetsubo and began moving and swinging, testing her new limits.

[Skill Acquired: [Novice Mace & Shield Mastery]

Grants basic proficiency with blunt weapons and shields, improving attack control, defensive blocking, and overall combat efficiency when wielding both together.

Sara chuckled at the notification, as her movement and attack patterns melded together into smooth patterns. She still had much to learn, but she had the basics to be devastatingly effective.

"Now I have destruction in one hand… and salvation in the other."

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“I've got to know..."

"Core Stats”

Core Stats (Commander Bonus 300%)

• Body: (26) 92

o Force: 26 (Effectiveness 300% = 78) (+12 Tetsubo, +2 Robes) = 92

o Speed: 32 (Effectiveness 300% = 96) = 96

• Mind: (22) 66

o Thought: 28 (Effectiveness 300% = 84) (+8 Tetsubo, + 4 Shield) = 96

o Knowledge: 22 (Effectiveness 300% = 66) = 66

• Soul: (30) 102

o Self: 30 (Effectiveness 300% = 90) (+6 Tetsubo +6 Shield) = 102

o Sum: 30 (Effectiveness 300% = 90) (+6 Tetsubo +6 Shield) = 102

[Free Stat Points for allocation: 2]

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Physical Defense 92 (+3 Robes +20 Shield) = 115

Mental Defense: 66 (+10 Shield) = 76

Soul Defense: 102 (+10 Shield) = 112

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A part of Sara, a very small but greedy part, was a little disappointed to see her Soul stat pass the 100 mark and there not be some awesome System Status Reward for it.

“Oh, well. Maybe it doesn’t count Equipment bonuses?”

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