Dead and Buried
After the entrance exam was over, all of the students went to our dorms to rest. It took me a little while to find my room, considering the massive size of the school, but I managed. I was pretty excited. I'd managed to level up from my last battle. I must have had spare EXP left over from my last level up.
After checking my status, it looked like my shock ability had leveled up, too. This was good. Unfortunately, I couldn't see the value that corresponded to my level progress. I would just have to guess.
I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but when I tested out my shock ability, there wasn't much of a change. It felt like there was a little more energy running between my fingers, but that was pretty much it.
After settling into my new dorm room (which, might I add, was much nicer than my old apartment) I headed back to my old place to clean up my... mess. Damien's blood was still coating the walls, and the new tenant was coming TOMORROW.
[You're not the brightest, are you, Mars? You didn't have to murder him. Now you're going to be put away. Oh well, I can't say you don't deserve it...]
Oh, shut up, Gamma. This is basically your fault. I mean, you're the one who made me want to eat people.
Fortunately for me, it was a free day, intended for the kids who weren't from around here to be given a chance to explore the city a little. For me, this just meant unpacking and cleaning. I stopped by the convenience store next to my apartment to grab some bleach and towels before heading back to the complex.
I took the stairs up the the fourth floor, where I lived, and walked up to my apartment when I saw something stupidly inconveniently standing in front of my opened door, with a look of disgust and shock on his face.
Great. My new friend just found out that I'm basically a god damn serial killer. It was Kaiden, the kid who was supposed to be getting private lessons from one of the teachers at my academy. He must've had to stay here instead of the dorms since he wasn't officially a student.
I approached him, acting casual, not really minding the supplies typically used to clean up gore in the bag in my hands.
"Kaiden, my friend, my good, good, friend. So you're the new tenant, huh?"
I said, acting extra cheery. It was pretty stupid of me to think that acting like I was high on gumdrops and rainbows would make the scene of a murder in my apartment any less suspicious, but what the hell, it couldn't hurt.
"Uh... buddy?"
He looked at me silently.
"I don't even wanna know, man,"
He finally told me. He closed the door and walked away.
"I thought I'd get settled in early, but, uh... just have this cleaned up by tomorrow, please."
He said, with a stone-cold look on his face. Oops. At least our pleasant meeting the day before seemed to have had bought me a get-out-of jail free card for a little while. I'd probably have to explain later, but I'd just take it for the time being.
It took me three hours to scrub all of that blood off of the walls. Damien, that ass, even being a nuisance after death. Fortunately, my work seemed to have had payed off, as not a speck of blood remained. Proud and thoroughly exhausted, I went back to my dorm and passed out on my bed.
Finally. A chance for a fresh start at Cisten Academy. I'd been wishing for something like this my whole life.
>>
The next morning wasn't particularly exciting. I woke up having to drink three cups of coffee before managing to get dressed and shower. I managed to make it to the real orientation without getting picked on by some high-level bully. I didn't want to show too much strength, heeding Gamma's words.
I had my schedule folded up in my pocket since I felt better having a paper copy than having to check the digital copy all the time. I had quite the assortment of classes. None that were ability-related, but I had my normal academic classes as well as close-combat, weapon use, and ability theory classes.
A few others were dotted around in there, but it was a pretty big schedule, changing every day of the week allowing for more classes to be packed into every poor student's schedule. The amount of homework here must be atrocious.
The head of the first years, Mister, gave a little speech before sending us off to our first period classes. For me, this was ability theory.
It was a small class, but the levels varied widely. This was a required course for all students, so they just mixed the levels. Our teacher was late, so we got to settle in for around five minutes before a skinny man with messy hair and stubble wearing an untucked button down shirt and a loose tie stumbled into the room.
He had bags under his eyes, like he hadn't slept in days. His posture was terrible, and his eyes were half-closed. Franky, he looked more like a zombie than I did.
[Very funny, Mars. You should know zombies are stronger and more energetic than regular humans.]
Yeah, yeah. Give it a rest, Gamma.
"Hello, class. I'm Mr. Stein,"
he grumbled, while rubbing his chin.
The class took out their textbooks, expecting a lesson to start, but instead he got right to writing on the board. He wrote down equation after equation, writing phrases on the board that I'd never heard before.
"Genome magic enhancement"
"Cellular atrophy under accelerated states of cellular mutation"
These two were interesting to me. Maybe GAMMA was some magical genome enhancement. And maybe my rapid healing would mutate my cells, or even cause me to age quickly.
Gamma? Care to intervene?
[Of course, young champion. I cannot disclose exactly what I am to you, but I assure you your ability stretches beyond accelerating the cell cycle within each of your cells. It reprograms them to reproduce at alarming rates when necessary, supplying them with the necessary energy to do so, and commands them in a way that can regenerate any structure in your body created by cells. These signals are sent from your brain, and thus, you will not be regenerated if your brain were to be destroyed. Actually, this means you will never grow old, no matter how much you age. Don't worry, though, Mars, you'll still grow into adulthood.]
Wow, that's pretty badass. I'm literally immortal unless I get my brain crushed. I gotta eat a few people here and there? Small price to pay for this kickass system. Thanks, Gamma.
The lecture was fascinating. Mr. Stein went into a rant about the history of magic, and although everyone knew the basics, he seemed to be incredibly knowledgeable about it. I'm surprised the school even permitted him to talk about it openly like this; it was considered forbidden knowledge to some religious groups.
The rest of my classes were basic academic classes that day, so I returned to my room that night and lay in my bed. Then I remembered I'd earned a skill point from beating up that guy in the entrance exam.
I already knew what I wanted to buy. I was down to [1/6] mana, and I needed a way to regenerate it without eating people.
The skill I needed was something I'd already noticed last time I got my first skill:
[Energy Absorption (LVL 1):
*PASSIVE*
Allows the bearer's body to absorb the raw energy floating around in the air and earth, allowing cells to generate MIATP (Mana-Influenced Adenosine Triphosphate), effectively allowing the bearer's cells to generate mana on their own as long as there is an abundance of magic energy freely flowing throughout the area in which the bearer occupies.]
Finally, I could regenerate mana on my own. Although truthfully, I hadn't even used enough mana for it to become a problem for me, so I didn't have much to be relieved about. Still, I could feel the energy slowly seeping into my pores as soon as I purchased the skill. It felt... sensual.
[That's a first, even for me.]
Just let me relish the moment, Gamma.
After a small experiment, I seemed to gain about 1 mana point back every hour or so while in my dorm room, so a night's rest would completely recover my mana supply.
This felt good. I could feel myself improving.
Mars' status:
[Name: Mars Valentine]
[Level: 3]
[Race: Zombie]
[Mutation Points: 0]
[Skill Points: 0]
[Skills:
Immortality (MAX):
*PASSIVE*
Bearer is effectively immortal so long as brain remains intact. Bearer will not age and all injuries will be healed rapidly.
NOTE: If bearer does not consume human flesh regularly, the effects of {Immortality (MAX} will be diminished, reducing healing capabilities of the skill.
Pain Tolerance(LVL 1):
*PASSIVE*
Increases bearer's tolerance to pain.
Mana Drain (LVL 1):
*PASSIVE*
Through consuming human flesh, bearer can harvest the mana within it and increase his capabilities with mana-required skills as well as increase his physical capabilities.
Charged Fingers (LVL 1):
*ACTIVE*
Electricity will run between the bearers fingers, electrifying anything touched by them.]
[Energy Absorption (LVL 1):
*PASSIVE*
Allows the bearer's body to absorb the raw energy floating around in the air and earth, allowing cells to generate MIATP (Mana-Influenced Adenosine Triphosphate), effectively allowing the bearer's cells to generate mana on their own as long as there is an abundance of magic energy freely flowing throughout the area in which the bearer occupies.]
[Mutations:
Hunting Claws: Allows the bearer to grow retractable claws under his nails. 4 inches long and as sharp. 0.1 mm wide edges.
Condensed Muscles: +1 Strength. Causes bearers muscles to remain more compact while becoming stronger.]
[Ability: N/A]
[Curses:
Zombified:
Bearer has been affected by a strange and ancient pathogen. No longer requires sleep. Buffs to all stats. After going long enough without eating, bearer will turn into an insatiable killing machine, out to consume human flesh.
G.A.M.M.A.: The incredible and powerful system known as G.A.M.M.A. has granted pity on the pathetic bearer and granted him new life as a zombie. G.A.M.M.A. is amazing, beautiful, and all around the greatest creation the universe has produced.]
[Capabilities:
Strength: 10(+1)
Agility: 7(+1)
Endurance: 5(+1)
Intelligence: 8(+1)
Mana: 7
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