Propagate: A survival litrpg

Day 18

I'm so tired of being left in the dark. Just.. how many more times must I almost die before I finally have every piece of the puzzle? As happy as I am that I survived, why couldn't it be from my own power? Every time I'm stuck, I suddenly and spontaneously acquire just what I need to survive. All of my efforts feel pointless, I feel empty.

So many confusing thoughts. I… should go home. Yeah, that's what I need to do. Just stick to my little island in the middle of nowhere. I'm tired of dealing with this world.

When I awoke, I was still right next to the ravine, and it was only just transitioning from night to morning. The sky is dark and gray, filled with clouds. I can smell the rain.

Class - Survivor | lv 23/25 1999/2300 xp *

Race - Modular Human m

Achievements- The Special | Self indulgent | (+3)

Name - Maximilian Condition- Curse of Soul Fray | Strain

Hp- 2000/4000 (1/2)

SkP- 1 Stp- 3 Souls- 26 11 0

Not much has changed, except for this new condition; [Strain]. System, what does strain mean?

< Strain: A severe or excessive demand on the strength, resources, or abilities of someone or something. >

Is that the google definition? Oh wait, my bad. System, what does [Strain] Mean?

< [Strain]- A side effect of overusing the body using the system as a catalyst. >

I see, is that why I'm so sore? I'm really tired too.

I get up and start getting my bearings. My chest armor is cracked in multiple places, in fact, many of the bones are cracked and need to be replaced. My pelt cape is only slightly shredded, so that doesn't need to be replaced yet, which is good. I'm getting attached to this thing.

I begin moving around, trying to stretch my body, as well as feeling around me with [terrain sense] to find any familiar traces. The skill itself isn't super useful. It doesn't make a map or anything, It just tells me when I go somewhere I've been before, so if I ever lose my way, I can find the path I was using without any sort of landmarks. It doesnt give me any visual cues, I just get a feeling. Again, not super useful, but it's good to have. Plus I suspect it will evolve into a map at some point.

[Terrain sense] is actually level 4 right now, and it's close to leveling up. ? wait.. How do I know that? Vaguely, in the back of my mind, I can feel something filling up. I know it's connected to [Terrain sense] somehow. I guess.. I can sense skill xp now? That's certainly new. Most likely an effect of having [Existential Empower] jump up in levels so much. It seems skill xp is one of those hidden values the system doesn't show me, like agility. Which means that [Existential Empower] lets me tap into the system more. But why? The skill affects my soul, how are souls and the system connected? So many questions.

I can't seem to find the path back, so ill just go the same way and hope I cross my old path at some point. I eat most of the dried meat I brought with me, and sit on a nearby rock waiting for my energy to be restored. Once satisfied, I sat up and began running.. South? I think?

---

Day 19

I have no idea how close I am to my house, but it's been a whole day since I set off. I'm out of my dried food so i'm going to slow down here pretty soon and grab lunch. Which is a casual way of saying I'm going to hunt and butcher some random animal and chow down on its sufficiently heated corpse.

Last night I was browsing my status, and I noticed I still haven't spent my free modification. When I realized that, I did a deep dive into my actual modification menu. I've realized that the modification menu is actually kind of a separate thing from the system. The system, or the status, is very computer-like. Calculative, exact, all about numbers and percents. The modification menu however, is very raw and primal. Not a hint of numbers or percentages in there. It's both a part and not a part of the system. They work together but aren't the same thing. For this reason, I've re-dubbed the modification menu as the Modification ‘Sub-System’.

The name isn't the important part, but the modifications. The way the sub-system works is that it has the mods on the left, list style, and a 3d model of… me, to the right. To the side of the model are these small frames that represent the parts of the body. One frame has a skeleton skull on it, another has a bunch of muscle, another has many nerves overlapping each other like an unkempt server room.

By hitting these little picture frames, physically or mentally, the model changes to show what they represent. My entire skeleton, or just my muscles, every separate body system, part and organ. It's not just that though. It also has percent buttons at the bottom like a timeline. It starts at the very left at 100%, then goes to the right at 125% all the way to 200%. Clearly, it means my reinforcements.

Flipping through these different percentages shows me the physical differences between each reinforcement. Interestingly, between 100% and 200%, the body part/system/organ gets a bit darker. I also get a very specific list of all the alterations that take place when a reinforcement takes place. It seems the dark color is a result of the part being compressed. When something is reinforced, it gets bigger, and denser. It has an order to it, first it gets bigger, then it gets compressed into a greater density. Then, it gets slightly bigger again. So I guess that means I really am growing in size.

When I tap one of the modifications to the left, the model will flip to the affected body part, and show a before and after. Of course, this process also comes with an extremely detailed transcript of everything that takes place, both physically and chemically. I can’t feign ignorance when reading it though, because even when I get to a part I dont understand, the exact meaning gets learned. It doesn't even break it down into simpler words, I just simply acquire the knowledge.

This system would have rocked in biology class.

Now for the juicy part, the contents of the modifications. The body systems mostly have general ones, like {Regenerating} or {Dense}. Each system only had around five or so. The individual parts and organs however, had like a dozen each. It makes sense, the body systems have a ton of different parts and functions. Making only one thing much better could compromise the whole system. So all the modifications have to generalize.

Organs and parts can spec into all kinds or different things. There's like twenty different options for the eyes for god sake! {Foreseeable} which lets me see a glimpse of the immediate future, {Thermal} which lets me see heat, {static} which lets me see.. Electricity?! You can't make this stuff up..

Despite all of this, I'm not seeing any big ticket modifications. If I’m getting a freebie, then of course I'll go for the most expensive and powerful options! C'mon system, read my thoughts! Give me the most expensive, and exotic shit you have!

And what do you know, it did.

I got 1-2 really weird and expensive options for everything. {Draconic} integumentary? Becomes fire proof, covered in unbelievably tough scales and acquire nails that cut through diamond like paper. Oh that's cool- 10,000 souls!?!?

Huh, I wonder just how high it can go?

{Phoenix} (Heart)- Once per month, you can cheat death and arise from the dead, all wounds, stamina, and skill cooldowns erased. 50,000 medium souls

{Gaia} (Skeletal)- Your bones are blessed by the goddess of the Earth herself, and are remade into Gaia crystal. Such crystals cannot be broken (in this world) even by holders of divinity. 130,000 Medium souls

{Odin} (Eyes)- The concept of ‘a cone of vision’ does not apply to you. Everything within a 10,000ft radius is known by you. 100,000 Medium souls

{Leviathan} (lungs)- You are completely immune to suffocation and can absorb oxygen from any matter regardless of form. 80,000 Medium souls

Wow. Just wow, full stop. Now obviously, every single one of these is busted. But something I find odd is that the phoenix heart, which literally lets you cheat death, is cheaper than the crystal bones. Even if the skeleton is unbreakable, the rest of me would still be right? The Odin eyes, as cool as they are, would melt my brain upon use. Actually, I doubt that mod was even made for human use. The leviathan lungs are pretty neat. No downside, but not exactly the table turner i'm looking for.

My reminiscing stops when I come upon my lunch. But looking at the size of it, probably my dinner too. The creature is three stories tall, and about four wide. It's a giant rhino with eight beady little eyes, and its horn is split down into thirds, like a trident. Its knees are bent backwards. Actually, it seems to have two knees on each leg, and six legs in total.

The tri horn lumbers forward, reaching upwards with its massive head and chewing into canopies like their just big leaves. A herbivore huh? What a waste of a hulking brute. I'm not sure what my chances are with this thing. It's clearly spec’d its stats into defense. Though I'm unsure if it will run or fight if provoked. It's moving pretty slowly, but that could be deceptive, or an attempt to save its strength for later. Hmm.. What do I have?

Class - Survivor | lv 23/25 1999/2300 xp *

Race - Modular Human m

Achievements- The Special | Self indulgent | (+3)

Name - Maximilian Condition- Curse of Soul Fray

Hp- 2000/4000 (1/2)

SkP- 1 Stp- 3 Souls- 26 11 0

Stats - (+9 phys)(+3A)

Strength 39

Speed 40 (+5A)

Stamina 37

Dexterity 56 (+35)

Intellect 33

Sense 64.4 (x2.3)(+10)

Vitality 20 (1/2)

Charm 11 {locked}

Special Skills -

Existential Empower ||| lv4/20

Death Resistance \ lv2/99

Corruption Resistance ||| lv1/20

Class Skills -

Desperate endurance | lv2

Schematica 2/3 | lv1

High Hound | lv2

Defense Orientation | lv4

Passive Skills -

Complex Crafting ||| lv1/20

Multishot || lv6/10

Tracing || lv7/10

Int Dismantling || lv9/10

Grinding || lv5/10

Greater Deft || lv7/10

Toxicology || lv5/10

Targeting | lv4/10

Long Strider | lv4/10

Body Reinforcement || lv3/10

Acrobatics | lv3/5

Regeneration | lv2/5

Terrain Sense | lv4/5

Stitching | lv1/5

Dodge | lv1/5

Active Skills -

Rapid Dash || lv4/10

Leap | lv2/5

Power Shot | lv3/5

Meditation | lv3/5

Resistances -

Greater Pain res || lv2/10

Shadow res | lv1/5

Modularity-

Nervous 200% | Immune 200% | Integumentary 200% | Muscular- 200% | Skeletal- 200% Circulatory 200% | Reproductive 200% | Digestive 200%

Brain 200% | Heart 200% | Lungs 200% | Stomach 200% | Intestines 200% | Muscles 200% | Bone marrow 200% | Arteries 200% | Veins 200% |

Glad to see my [rapid dash] has leveled up nicely from all this running. Hmm, put those spare stat points into intellect. I have one skill point, saved for emergencies. I think this is the time to use it, plus, I'll level up when I kill this thing, so I'll have it back soon. Skill Shop! Show me the attack enhancing skills.

< Pierce | Cut | Smash >

My only real options are [cut] and [pierce]. So I can either purchase [cut] and bleed it to death, or, I could get [Pierce] and try to drill a hole through its brain. Both are a decent avenue, but I prefer saving melee as a last resort. Though I might still get the [cut] skill later anyways.

< Skill:[Pierce] acquired. Minus one SkP >

< [Pierce]- Enhances a weapon's ability to go through armor, natural or created. Mildly increases speed and power. >

That's about what I expected. First, a test shot. I need to know how itll affect my aim after all. I climb down from the tree I was perched on and begin running a few hundred feet away, while using [Tracing] to remember where I found the tri horn. I think for a moment before [Leaping] onto a nearby tree. I should make the test as realistic as possible.

<[Leap] Experience threshold Reached. Lv2 -> Lv3>

I knock an arrow and pull back the string. I attempt to activate the skill, but it fails. So, I relax the bow before activating the skill again. This time it works, bright red energy begins weakly sparking off my arrow. As I pull back though, the energy fluxes and floods all around the arrow head, creating a sharp triangle of red energy around the comparatively small arrow head. The red energy coils around the shaft in a helix, before pulsing along the fletching in disappearing into mist in the air. I pull back the bow further than I usually do, until I feel the red tip solidify with *ting* sound. The arrow head resembles an almost white four pointed star, and at that moment, I release. The arrow traces a red line through the air, also surrounded by a thin helix. The almost white star folded back into a perfect point, before slamming into my targeted tree. But not just that one. It bore a hole through the first, and even the second tree, finally stopping with the arrow head barely peeking out the back of the third tree.

I hop down from the tree and begin walking purposefully back to where I put my trace. I walked slowly while waiting for the [Pierce] Cooldown to expire. Despite my other skills, this one only had a three minute cooldown, which is nice. As soon as it reset, I began sprinting towards my target, not using my dash yet, in case things got choppy and I had to run away.

I mentally undo my trace when I get back to the same location. The beast is gone, with an obvious trail of destruction following it. With a quick look I can actually still see it. Though it's very small, signifying its distance from me.

I take off after it while forming a plan. First, I'll use [Pierce to bore a hole through or into its skull. If I kill it in one shot that'd be great, but we all know that's not gonna happen. After the initial shot, I'll use [Power Shot] and [Targeting] to hit the exact same spot, and kill it via double penetration.

…That sounds kinda weird..

A quick jog later and I catch up to the beast, who still hasn't noticed me somehow. I'm not being very stealthy. I [Leap] onto a tree at this side and begin prepping my shot. I have no clue how it'll react, but I'm honestly hoping it'll make a beeline for me, that’ll make it easier to hit, as it’ll keep getting close and not running away. Moving targets are still difficult for me. I desperately need to level up my archery skills.

I take out one of my stone arrows and smear a powerful paralytic poison on it. Remind me to eat some of this later. I wanna get my hands on a paralysis resistance skill. I aim and fire with [Piercing], and my arrow misses slightly. I was aiming for one of its eyes, but the arrow went downward slightly and pierced between its upper and lower eyes.

It lets out a higher pitched rumble, while flailing its head around. I wait just a few seconds before I begin knocking another arrow. I guess the arrow didn't pierce its skull. If the poison went directly to its brain, it'd be lying collapsed on the ground right now. No worries though. I began aiming for the hole I made before, when I realized I was majorly in over my head.

There's absolutely no way I can make that shot, not while it's moving. I click my tongue before I begin plotting as the tri horn continues to bleat in distress. Though I notice it's slowing down considerably.

I start sweating as I aim my bow towards the beast. It's mostly stayed in place, and the thrashing has certainly slowed, but it's still moving considerably. Making it much more difficult considering my tiny target. It's at this moment, I remember the bridge.

When I stood on that falling log and all was lost. I remembered that feeling, like the whole world was watching me. The power, the thrill, I felt it even now. I feel rivers of energy pour into my arms, pulsing through my fingertips. But not unknown. Unlike that day, I can acknowledge what is happening. [Existential empowerment] was helping me again. And at that thought, the system chimed in.

< [Existential Empowerment] Activated. Target: [Targeting]. Skill level has been temporarily increased. >

I feel it in my bones. I remember that white, rainbowy energy. The sheer infinite weight of its power. I feel it again, not as the flood it was at first, but a slow crawl into my very being. Not uncomfortable, but invigorating. I focused on the spot I was aiming for, and time seemed to slow. I pulled back my bow, and activated [Power Shot]. My bow became encased in orange fire. It spread from my fingertips, covering the bow and tracing across my bow string. It glowed with orange light like forged metal.

My eyes focused, and time slowed more and more. I snickered to myself. “Sigh.. it's just too easy! “ and let the arrow fly. Time went forward all at once. The arrow whistled through the air and hit right on target, boring an even deeper hole straight through the rhino's skull. The monster shudders and twitches before falling to the floor with such force I feel my tree shiver.

< lv29 Tri horn Gigant Slain 1260 XP acquired>

< you have leveled up! LV23 -> Lv24 | +1 SkP +3 StP>

<[Targeting] Experience threshold Reached. Lv4 -> Lv6>

<[Toxicology] Experience threshold Reached. Lv5 -> Lv6>

<[Power Shot] Experience threshold Reached. Lv3 -> Lv4>

<[Terrain Sense] Experience threshold Reached. Lv4 -> Lv5>

I'll rank it up once I get to level twenty five. Always gotta have an emergency skill point.

I start a fire with my source gem and begin butchering the giant beast. Knowing the journey I have ahead, I'm going to absolutely stuff myself.

Now I really need to go level up.

---

I've been running for around four hours now. As shown by my status notifications.

<[Long Strider] Experience threshold Reached. Lv4 -> Lv5>

<[Rapid Dash] Experience threshold Reached. Lv4 -> Lv5>

The landscape has seriously changed. What was once a beautiful and tall forest, is now gravel dunes dusted with huge spikes of rock. As Well as an alarming amount of caves at this point. I never thought I had trypophobia, but all this increase in hole activity I'm seeing is starting to freak me out.

Suddenly I see a huge cliff over a flat, non gravely area almost fully encased in shadow. It's at that point when I realize how tired I am. I run over to the cliff to take a break, and fifteen minutes of boredom later, I decide it's about time I actually do some modifying, instead of just thinking about it.

After looking through all the exotic options again, I've found one that really suits my fancy.

Assimilating {Digestive}- Eating a monster imparts some of their stats or skills temporarily. Severity, time, and whether its skill, stats, or both, is affected by what part is eaten. Brain and blood would impart skills, muscle and tissue would grant stats. Cooking greatly decreases the effects. 115,000 Medium souls

Now this is the kind of table turner I was looking for. I've seen this type of ability in media before, and it's pretty busted. Unfortunately, all the people who end up with this sort of power never use it to its full potential. Often forgetting very important things, or not trying obvious combinations. Or, even worse, doing something very effective, and then never doing it again. Ugh, I'm making myself angry just thinking about it. I vow to never blatantly ignore something obvious concerning my status.

So saying, I click that option. With the free coupon now locked and loaded, I decided to take a look at the more mundane, yet affordable options. And wouldn't you know it, I found something quite tempting!

Absorbing {skeletal}- diverts incoming kinetic energy to the bones, which are rebuilt to better handle said energy. 10 Medium souls

There are two parts of an attack that create damage. Say you punch someone. First, you slam your fist into someone, but then, the kinetic force generated from your swing is thrown into them, rattling their bones and organs, potentially causing serious damage, and at minimum knocking them back.

With this upgrade, I'd be able to direct kinetic force away from my squishy insides. It doesn't include any numbers, so I don't know how much it'll reduce it by, but I'm sure it'll make a difference. The only downside is that it won't do much for slashing and piercing attacks, only blunt damage. But that's the main damage type monsters use, so I think it’ll still pay dividends.

With both choices made, I hit the purchase button and wait for the waking nightmare to begin. And unfortunately, I didn't have to wait long. Suddenly, bolts of lightning lance throughout my body. “Gah!” I exhale in surprise. Corded ice riggles in my arms, while spikes grow in my bones, piercing my legs. My ribs groan like ancient trees moving for the first time in centuries.

Minutes later I gasp, trying to collect myself. Then, I notice the tungsten sphere waying down in my gut. The second I notice it, the sphere pops, and molten lava floods all throughout my digestive tract. It's extremely painful, but I can take it. That is, until my stomach bursts and the lava begins pouring into the rest of my system.

I scream.

I summon the system. I watch as the pain resistance notifications continue to rain down, the pain unnoticeably lessening. It takes every ounce of will to not scream again. I’d already collapsed on the ground. I lean over while clutching my stomach, until another lance of thunder crashes into my spine. I spasm, and launch myself into the stone cliff behind me. I don't even notice the pain.

<[Greater Pain Resistance] Experience threshold Reached. Lv2 -> Lv3>

<[Greater Pain Resistance] Experience threshold Reached. Lv3 -> Lv4>

<[Greater Pain Resistance] Experience threshold Reached. Lv4 -> Lv5>

<[Existential Empower] Experience threshold Reached. L5v -> Lv6>

15 minutes later, and I lie heaving on the ground, drenched in sweat. I check my sub-system and see how my organs have changed. My skeleton is simple, I now have these strips of yellow wrapped onto my bones at a sharp diagonal angel. My stomach however, looked completely alien. I'm not sure how to even describe it.

Class - Survivor | lv 24/25 959/2400 xp *

Race - Modular Human m

Achievements- The Special | Self indulgent | (+3)

Name - Maximilian Condition- Curse of Soul Fray

Hp- 2000/4000 (1/2)

SkP- 1 Stp- 0 Souls- 26 12 0

Stats - (+9 phys)(+3A)

Strength 39

Speed 40 (+5A)

Stamina 37

Dexterity 56 (+35)

Intellect 36

Sense 64.4 (x2.3)(+10)

Vitality 20 (1/2)

Charm 11 {locked}

Special Skills -

Existential Empower ||| lv6/20

Death Resistance \ lv2/99

Corruption Resistance ||| lv1/20

Class Skills -

Desperate endurance | lv2

Schematica 2/3 | lv1

High Hound | lv2

Defense Orientation | lv4

Passive Skills -

Complex Crafting ||| lv1/20

Multishot || lv6/10

Tracing || lv7/10

Int Dismantling || lv9/10

Grinding || lv5/10

Greater Deft || lv7/10

Toxicology || lv6/10

Targeting | lv6/10

Long Strider | lv5/10

Body Reinforcement || lv3/10

Acrobatics | lv3/5

Regeneration | lv2/5

Terrain Sense | lv5/5

Stitching | lv1/5

Dodge | lv1/5

Active Skills -

Rapid Dash || lv5/10

Leap | lv3/5

Power Shot | lv3/5

Meditation | lv3/5

Pierce | lv1/5

Resistances -

Greater Pain res || lv5/10

Shadow res | lv1/5

Modularity- Special: Assimilation

Nervous 200% Immune 200% Integumentary 200% Muscular- 200% Absorbing Skeletal- 200% | Circulatory 200% Reproductive 200% Assimilating Digestive 200% |

Brain 200% Heart 200% Lungs 200% Stomach 200% Intestines 200% Muscles 200% |Bone marrow 200% Arteries 200% Veins 200%

Sweet.

<[Regeneration] Experience threshold Reached. Lv2 -> Lv3>

Now that my entire body isn't in extreme pain, I think its about time I move on, lest I be attacked by something. And apparently I jinxed myself with that thought, because not 5 mins later, I caught a weird smell.

While the smell itself is odd, kinda like egg shells, a little buggy. The thing that got me interested was the structure of the smell. Not a cloud like usual, but a straight line. In fact, the smell seemed to be going somewhere. Like a trail. Despite knowing it was most likely a monster, I decided to follow it anyway.

I have good news and bad news. The good news, I have found the source of the holes. The bad news, I have found the source of the holes. It's ants. I should have known honestly, I've read a whole ass book series about ants, of course I knew about pheromone trails.

I watch as hoards of ants enter and exit the cave simultaneously. They clambered over each other uncaring, not even stopping to say hello. Except that one, was that an antenna high five? What odd creatures. I summon the status window and look at my level.

lv 24/25 | 959/2400 xp

You know what I'm thinking right? All these ants, no matter how low level, will net me a ton of xp. I have a suspicion that I'll need a ton of extra xp to go past lv25. There's no way lv25 is the end, that would just be bad design. Plus, I somehow still remember my class card from when I first got dislocated here.

Class: [Survivor]

Specification: Adaption { Body becomes modular}, [select energy source]

Rank: 1^

LV Limit: 25

Class Skills: N\A

Skill gain interval: 5

Bonus: Additional stat and skill points granted upon level up. Natural skill acquisition increased. Xp needed for universal level up decreased. Permanent access to skill shop. System authority Increased.

Demerit: Skills are not granted when class is initially acquired.

Look at that.

Rank: 1^

I'm 99% sure ‘rank’ refers to stars. All the other classes only had numbers next to their rank. But mine has an arrow. I'm very sure that means I can gain stars. And I think these ants are the way to move up.

Or more specifically, their delicious experience points.