Endzone: Simulated Apocalypse - Chapter 134

At long last, it was time to collect the final herb on the list: Moonflower. This one was a bit special, however. According to its description, not only did it grow in a very specific and unique location, it was also only visible and harvestable at nighttime. And right now, the sun was just beginning to set. There was still some time to kill before night set in.

After some thought, Cyanide and Ragnar decided to simply take some time and rest while they waited for the moon to rise and night to kick in. The two sat on top of the hill where Cyanide had fought the massive lizard, and remained in silence as they each minded their own business.

Both, naturally, were deeply focused on their game systems. They were both looking through the Skills Shop, trying to determine which skills to obtain, as well as which stats to spend their CP on. Cyanide had 20 spare CP, of which he put 10 into STR and 10 into AGI, while Ragnar emptied his 20 all into VIT. Once a bruiser, always a bruiser.

As for skills… Cyanide chose something different than usual—a Death Affinity Soul Art simply known as ‘Control’. What it did was very straight-forward, but very powerful too if mastered:

It allowed the user to possess and control mutants.

This was different from Imprinting on a mutant or anything like that. Whereas Imprinting was permanent, the Control status ailment was temporary and could be canceled at any time. It was far easier to use, and didn’t involve the touching of any Mutant Cores or anything like that. All the user had to do was send out these invisible pyschokinetic threads that could attach to mutants and access their central processing unit, allowing the user to take control of them and command to do things.

That was not all, either. Depending on the level of the skill, Controlled mutants can gain bonus ATK and DEF stats, as well as HP. Naturally, with level-ups, also comes the ability to Control more mutants at once and reduces the Soulforce cost of doing so. Essentially, at max rank, it is theoretically possible to have an entire army of undead, bio-mechanically enhanced mutant soldiers at your service.

Of course, for a skill as powerful as this, it was only natural that the cost would be high as well. It took 5 SP just to unlock the base skill, which only allowed Cyanide to Control one mutant at a time—and just doing so would take tremendous effort and practice. Still, Cyanide never had been one to shy away from hard and tedious work, which is why he even bothered saving up his SP to purchase this skill now in the first place.

Next, with CP and SP out of the way, he went to equip his new armor. Asmodeus, the Hydra, didn’t drop any, unfortunately—but that was fine. He doubted it would be better than the one that massive lizard Blood Baron dropped anyway: The Thunder God Set.

As he headed over to the equipment screen and switched out his current black Lightweight Armor Set of cloth (but with Metal’s DEF thanks to Infusion Modules), he replaced it with the Thunder God Set.

Just from a glance, one could tell the difference. Cyanide’s old armor had a bland, grey background, signaling it was a one-star common item, whereas this armor set’s pieces had yellow-orange backgrounds that indicated they were five-star legendary items.

Not only that, but upon equipping the armor, a blurb of text appeared beside his character profile on the screen hovering before him, and it read as follows:

[2-Piece Bonus: Thunder God’s Protégé]

[Lightning affinity ATK DMG increased by 18%. Any attacks that can trigger the Shock status ailment will be a guaranteed infliction.]

[Full Set Bonus: Thunder God’s Decree]

[After inflicting Shock on a target, call upon a lightning strike from the sky that does massive AOE Lightning DMG. The Lightning affinity ATK DMG bonus to Shocked targets is further increased to 50%.]

Not only that, but each armor piece had their own unique stats as well:

[Headpiece: Thunder God’s Helmet]

[HP: 2500]

[The design has an air of archaism to it, decorated with a language of times long since past. It does however, boast a sheen unbecoming of anything of its age. The few who’ve had the privilege of donning this helm experienced headaches and episodes that border on hysteria, likely from the electricity that pulsates within, but for the unrivaled protection it instills in battle, some are keen to say it is worth it…]

[Chest Armor: Thunder God’s Chestpiece]

[ATK: 75]

[Rusty but glamorous, old but powerful, this chestpiece holds the memories of a long passed god. It is said that the chestplate once took a strike from the most powerful heavenly tribulation of them all, Divine Lightning, which is what gave birth to the scar-like mark on the right breastplate of the armor…]

[Gauntlets: Thunder God’s Gauntlets]

[CRIT RATE: 5%]

[Laced with metal spikes, these gauntlets are the gloves that once held the mighty Mjolnir in their hands. Said weapon, of course, has been lost to time, but it awaits somewhere deep beneath the ground, waiting for the day it would resurface and be picked up by these same gloves once more…]

[Leg Armor: Thunder God’s Leggings]

[DEF: 25]

[A wise old woman once told a young boy, “good shoes will keep you alive just as much as any good sword will.” The young boy took those words to heart, and sure enough, these handmade leggings and boots he crafted himself have saved him from many dangers, carried him through countless lands. Without it, he would not have lived until the day he achieved godhood… but little does he know, the old woman from all those years ago was just a swine who wanted some money out of the penniless child.]

Unfortunately, even with all these great upgrades and whatnot… Cyanide was hesitant to use it. After all, not only did it make him look like some sort of ancient barbarian, it also made him slow and clunky compared to his old cloth armor. Overall, it would make him a bunch more powerful, but… at the same time, it was going to change his combat style completely. He couldn’t use Infusion Modules here—there were too many stats and bonuses to transfer.

… It was then that he noticed a tiny button beside the armor pieces’ names. It looked like a T-shirt icon, and Cyanide curiously clicked on it to see what it was.

Instantly, a pop-up appeared before him, and read as follows:

[Spend x1 Vial of Hydra Blood to Transmute this armor piece?]

Cyanide blinked.

Transmute?