Mage Tank

Chapter 163: Phase Two

GLOBAL SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT

The wording of this announcement has been modified to adopt the predominant terminology in use by the current generation. Please see your index for additional information on terms of art.

This notification is being delivered to all Delvers in World Region 001. This notification will be delivered continuously to cause minimum disruption to Delver actions. Please ignore this notification until you reach a location of relative safety for a minimum duration of 10 minutes.

All phase 1 challenge Delves have been conquered! Please congratulate the following Delvers, who have been noticed by the System as this generation’s first Escalated Delvers. Each will receive the achievements World’s First and Escalation.

The Hierophant's Valley:

God King Ayamari of Ayama

Saekongr’s Crevice:

Zenithar Sakra Manar of Eschendur

Deijin’s Descent:

Lord Varrin Ravvenblaq of Hiward

Brood Lord Shog’tuatha of C’thon

Inquisitor Nuralie Vyxmeldo’a of Eschendur

Esquire Arlo Xor’Drel of the Third Layer

Lady Xim Xor’Drel of the Third Layer

System Phase 2 has been unlocked and initialized. The following System features have now been enabled:

Slot Expansions

All Delvers may now attempt to unlock up to 2 additional Active Skill slots, 2 additional Intrinsic Skill slots, and 1 additional Passive Skill slot. These slots can house ordinary skills or special Expansion Skills.

These additional slots, and the Expansion Skills that can fill them, can be unlocked by completing Expansion Delves. Only Delvers with a sufficiently advanced mana matrix can unlock these additional slots.

New Delve Types

New Delve types have been enabled and may now be accessed by Delvers who meet the appropriate qualifications.

Expansion Delve

Level Range: Any

Level Reward: None

Parties Required: 1

Escalation: Recommended

Completing an Expansion Delve can unlock either a new Active Skill slot, a new Passive Skill Slot, or a new Intrinsic Skill slot, up to a maximum depending on the current System phase. Each Expansion Delve has a unique skill that can only be obtained by completing that Delve, and which matches the slot type the Delve unlocks.

Delvers may attempt Expansion Delves even if they already have the maximum number of slots available for the phase. If a Delver has already filled all their available slots, they may choose one skill of the same type offered by the Delve to be replaced. If they do, they lose the chosen skill and gain the unique skill after a brief update period.

Labyrinth

Level Range: 10+

Level Reward: 0-8

Parties Required: 2-8

Escalation: Strongly Recommended

Labyrinths have multiple Obelisks placed throughout them, are much larger than normal Delves, and have no time limit. Exit portals are provided whenever a party successfully activates an Obelisk, whereupon that party may choose to either exit via the portal or stay in the Labyrinth to pursue additional Obelisks and rewards. Exit portals disappear after 1 hour unless all Obelisks have been activated.

Labyrinths allow up to 8 parties to enter at once. However, each Obelisk will only grant its reward to the party that activates it. Once activated, the Obelisk will no longer offer rewards to any other party. Obelisks may also have their own objectives which must be completed before the Obelisk can be activated.

Labyrinths have a variety of unique rewards not found in other Delves.

Raid

Level Range: 20+

Level Reward: 0-8

Parties Required: 16

Escalation: Required

Raids present challenges unlike any other Delve. Once a Raid has been opened, the first 16 parties to accept the system invitation will participate in the Raid together as one group, called a Raid Group. One Delver from among the Raid Group may be elected by a 2/3 vote of all participants to become the Raid Leader, who has unique functionality within the Raid. A Raid Leader must be elected before the Raid can commence. If no Raid Leader is elected within 1 hour of initialization, the System will choose the Raid Leader.

Raids have many stages of objectives that must be completed in order to clear the Raid and activate the Raid Obelisk. No exit portal is provided until the Raid is cleared.

There are three Raids available in System Phase 2. Each Raid must be conquered in order to initialize System Phase 3.

Overworld Events

Additional events that take place outside of Delves may be discovered or triggered. These events vary in scope, but the most common are discoverable Dungeons.

Dungeons are locations of dense mana concentration that give rise to hazardous phenomena. Dungeons contain no Obelisk and grant no levels, but each Dungeon provides a significant boost to one or more Intrinsic Skills. Dungeons may also contain a variety of resources from rare crafting materials to unique items. Dungeons have no party requirements, but it’s dangerous to go alone…

New Creation Delves

An additional 7 Creation Delves have now been activated and are available to any person wishing to become a Delver. Each Creation Delve can host up to 100 candidates per year.

These new Creation Delves are located in the following areas:

The Eastern Plains of Eschendur

The Province of Litta in the Littan Empire

Choval

The Western Expanse of Ayama

The Fiefdom of Gyerim in Timagrin

The Western Knifepoint Mountains of Mittak

The former tribelands of Vykoth’s in Davah.

“This is a lot,” said Xim, scanning the notifications.

I was forcing myself to crawl through the text slowly, trying to work through everything that had just become available to us.

“If this truly went out to all the Delvers of the world,” said Nuralie, “then everyone now knows it was because of us.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Assuming that’s what World Region 001 means,” I said.

[That is what it means,] Grotto thought to us.

“Mystery solved,” I said. “And it looks like Zenithar Manar took up your request, Nuralie. I didn’t think she’d go after Sakongr’s Crevice while the Littans were in Eschendur.”

“There is no telling how long we have been in here,” said Varrin. “Months at the very least. The state of Litta’s invasion is unknown.”

“Is it a problem that Shog’s listed here?” asked Xim.

“It is only right that I be recognized for my deeds, demoness.”

“Shog, if I’m a demon then you’re a bird!” said Xim, eyes narrowed. She moved on before anyone had the opportunity to ask for some clarification. “What I mean is the whole world just saw that a c’thon is on our team.”

“Is it… because I have feathers?”

“At least he was included,” I said. “Grotto got left out.” I turned to the Delve Core and reached over to give him a pat. “Sorry, bro. You deserved better.” He deftly floated to the side and avoided my affection.

[I am unbothered. I am your familiar, not an individual Delver. Your own infamy serves my purposes well enough.]

“Infamy? Why am I infamous?”

[It is also preferable that my true identity as a Delve Core not be thrust into the minds of thousands of powerful individuals throughout the world. Anyone with eyes can see that Shog is a c’thon, whereas my own secrets require greater scrutiny to be unveiled.]

“But, is Shog your summon?” asked Etja. “Or is he a Delver?”

“The skill is still drawing mana,” I said, checking my status. “He’s still listed as a summon.”

“Is he both?” asked Nuralie. She turned to Grotto.

[I will not claim that this scenario is novel but I have not encountered such a thing.]

The sound of throat clearing caught our attention. We looked up from our notifications to see Avarice eyeing us.

“Our business is done for the moment,” said the avatar. “I let Number Two know that our transaction had come to an end, though I did not expect her to act so suddenly.”

“Her?” I asked. “Does the System Core prefer that pronoun?”

“Most of her personalities are female,” said Avarice. She held up a hand to silence our follow-up questions. “I will seek you out when I have another question for the Dread Star. Until then, take care not to perish.”

Avarice gave us a slight nod, then her body melded into her shadow, which faded away into nothing.

“The number of people who tell us not to die is too high,” said Xim.

As Avarice disappeared, I tried to remember the Dread Star’s ‘true’ name, but all I got was a jumble of impressions. I quickly scanned the evolution’s text, but all instances of the celestial word were gone.

“I am afraid we will regret that trade,” said Nuralie.

“We could have gotten more out of her,” said Etja with a single jaunty nod.

“More skill slots,” said Varrin. It took me a moment to realize he was talking about the notification and not something we could have squeezed out of Avarice. “We will need to seek out these Expansion Delves as soon as possible.”

“Are any of us using all of our slots?” asked Xim.

“We are getting close,” Varrin replied. “Their rewards also include unique skills.”

“Labyrinth sounds like a recipe for a blood bath,” I said. “Eight parties–forty Delvers–all fighting over the same 8 obelisks? That’ll be a nightmare.”

“Not for us,” said Varrin.

“Why do you say that?” I asked.

“The Labyrinths almost certainly have level ranges,” said Varrin. He glanced up at me. “Who in our level range could stand up to us?”

“Pride goeth before a fall,” I said with a judicious stroke of my beard. “We’ve only got 11 levels of free stats over a normal level 12 party. Let’s not get too comfortable.”

“Why be twice as strong when you can be thrice as strong instead?” said Etja. She floated up off the ground and began doing a slow, aerial cartwheel. She furrowed her brow, still reading the notification while she spun. “I’d be more worried about a Raid.”

“Yeah,” I said. “We’re pretty good at beating things up with the power of friendship, but that might get tough if we had to do it with 75 more friends.”

“It is a breeding ground for conflict,” said Varrin. “Gathering that many competent Delvers in a given level range will be an enormous undertaking as well, likely calling for international cooperation.”

Etja held out her hands and put on her serious face.

“I could just mesmerize everybody! Then no one can betray us!”

“If Etja’s thinking it, then other people are thinking it,” said Xim.

“We can keep it in mind,” said Varrin. “For now, it is beyond us. We are not level 20.”

“Eh, give it a month,” I said. “All we’d need to do is smash up 1 Labyrinth and crush the dreams of everyone else inside.”

“We should train first,” said Varrin.

“We could hunt dungeons instead,” said Nuralie. “It says they give an intrinsic skill bonus.” Pause. “And they have treasure.”

“I do like a good treasure hunt,” I added. I began fantasizing about uncovering overpowered artifacts like an indestructible colossus to trample over my enemies or a lotus bloom that could be sacrificed for 3 mana of any color on turn one.

I was interrupted by a heavy sigh from Varrin.

“These extra Creation Delves will not endear us to Hiward,” he said. “Without the Delver monopoly, it significantly reduces the kingdom’s global impact. We are not a large nation.”

“Being upset about other people having nice things isn’t a good look,” I said. “Besides, increasing the Delver population is half of the reason we carved a bloody path to this Delve. We’ll need everyone we can get to deal with the avatars. And Brae’ach as well.”

“We did the right thing,” said Varrin. “Do not expect it to be popular with upper echelons of the Hiwardian government.”

“I think a lot of Delvers will be ecstatic,” said Xim. “More skill slots, more riches, what’s not to love?”

“More competition,” said Nuralie.

“Many Delvers will gain no benefit from this,” said Varrin. “Coppers and silvers will be left behind. It may engender animosity if they feel excluded.”

“Sounds like a whole lot of not my problem,” I said.

“Harsh,” Xim replied. I shrugged.

“We’re not here to make everyone happy. We’re here to save the fuckin’ world.”

“Ambitious,” she added.

“What was it you were saying about pride?” asked Etja.

“It ain’t boasting if it’s true.”

“Cocky.”

I raised an eyebrow at Xim and she gave me a toothy grin.

“Also,” I continued, “not to be greedy but… is that it?” I looked around the chamber. “This was a special Delve, so where’s the special Delve reward?”

“The phase transition was not enough?” asked Varrin.

“That’s a prize for everyone, not a prize for us.” I crossed my arms. “We haven’t even gotten those achievements we were promised.”

We all glanced around, waiting for a well-timed System notification.

“Maybe we have to find the portal first,” said Xim.

Give me a moment. I’m dealing with a lot of queries right now.

“Oh,” I said. “Sure, no problem. I am eager to get the hell out of here though. I need a shower and a visit to my barber.”

“Don’t piss off the god-like entity that grants us vast wealth and power,” Xim chided me.

“It’s part of how we communicate,” I said. “The System takes jabs at my deep-rooted insecurities, while I grouse and grumble about it. I’ve got rapport.”

Not with me you don’t.

“Hmm,” I hummed. “Fair enough. I guess I’ve got rapport with your… sister?”

We are not related.

“Dearest friend?”

Ha.

“Co-worker?”

Close enough.

…

Okay, here is part 1 of your special reward for being special.

Aaaaacccchhhiiiieeeeeeevvveeemeeeeennnnnt!

Man, you really don’t see enough of these things these days, do you?

Hya! Hwah! Here we go!

The System grants strength far beyond anything achievable prior to its existence, harnessing magic forces to create gods among mortals.

And that wasn’t enough for you, you greedy fuck!

Your relentless pursuit of strength beyond measure led you to forces outside the bounds of the System. Did you make dark pacts? Maybe you burned away portions of your soul for short-term gains. Did you practice tai chi and slay upstart young masters of the Hole-boring Flying Sand Magic Mist Tube clan? You dare!

Regardless of the madness, your method paid off, making you *gasp* STYSBFYL. You have earned the Escalation achievement!

Escalation: You are recognized as an Escalated Delver by the System, and that’s all. Did you expect another dose of the stronger get stronger? Just wait for it. This designation lets you use a lot of cool shit, like those items you got from the Icon of the Psychopomp, for example.

“Did you also have a personality error, Core 2?” I asked.

System Core 1 writes the achievements. I just work here.

“Ah… What does STYSBFYL stand for?”

Stronger Than You Should Be For Your Level.

“I see. What style manual do you use? I don’t think all of those words should be capitali–”

Next!

You went where no one has gone before! (Except for thousands of people from prior generations.) You dove into the unknown and through heroic effort defeated challenges that vanquished all who came before you! (Except, again, for all those people who had already done this in a previous cycle and succeeded.) You’ve earned the World’s First achievement!

World’s First: Did you think we’d make you go and do all those Expansion Delves? You’re on the ground floor of those little shits!

You have unlocked 1 additional Active Skill slot!

You have unlocked 1 additional Intrinsic Skill slot!

You have unlocked 1 additional Passive Skill slot!

“Oh damn,” I said, eyes wide. “That’s a hell of a jumpstart. Now we just need some–”

Don’t speak.

We know what you’re thinkin’.

Skills.

Not just any skills.

Thick-cut skills cooked to perfection.

You can’t stop at just 1! But you’re gonna have to because you only get to pick 1 since that’s how this works.

Aaaaaand you’ll get to check ‘em out after this commercial break! Stay tuned!