Yggdrasil, Huginn Muninn!
The voice ended abruptly after, interrupting my system and causing a flare of power to erupt from within. Threads of every single colour now merged with the pathways of Chakra throughout my body. My concept empowerments flared wildly as the seedlings that were other locked mental powers previously, sprouted and fattened into thriving saplings...
These saplings grew further, widening and expanding until they were fully grown trees. Or, at least, they seemed separate at first. This observation was blown out of the water with the rapidly expanding perspective I was forced to take.
These 'trees' were not individual, no, they were one and the same. Beyond that, they were like a skill tree in Path of Exiles. Branches, roots, leaves, twigs and dew all grew Nordic runes... These runes were each individual and had increasing meaning the further one got to the edges of the tree.
Thurisaz, "The Thorn, The Giant", was one such rune... It bore the meanings of Destruction, Chaos and Force. No explanation was given of it's effects, thus far, but scenes such as this were expanding, expounding and codifying into the very structure of the tree.
With each new rune old ones would interweave themselves and combine in some circumstances. Other runes became symbols more akin to code language, melding into the bark of the tree and unifying into a techno-nature hybrid-rune.
Nothing was explained thus far... A feeling of rightness being the only thing to inform me that this could be a positive thing. Basking in the sensation of rightness, I failed to notice the scale of the tree continue on and on, and on... and on... Until infinity was a real probability for the sheer scope of this 'skill tree', if it could be called that. Snapping out from my momentary elation, the presence of two entities drew my attention.
Ravens, two of them, sat upon the branches and lightly cawed towards me. One was stark white with bright crimson eyes, lightning patterns of black stretching along its well maintained feathers. The other, the brother of the one in white, was opposite. Onyx made the exterior colouration of this raven and white lightning instead sprawled along its feathers. The eyes were a bright cyan blue, almost glowing in the expansive shadow that the higher areas of the expanding tree cast down upon the bottom.
My Sacred gear was in this place also it seemed, comfortably sitting upon a branch hundreds of feet above me, though distance was more of a suggestion within a mind space such as this.
[Yggdrasil has taken root within the Host. Game System will merge with Game Creation System... Please stand by...]
The robotic voice emotionlessly called out over the space before the screen of my Game Creator system merged with this newly formed system...? Confusion was me and I was it, at this moment. What was going on was a mystery and even further, how was I supposed to understand complex metaphysical, probably metauniversal powers... The answer was I couldn't, thus I decided to simply bide my time by staring at the majesty of this newly formed tree.
[Process Completed! A multitude of options have now been included to the 'SHOP' function. New 'SKILL TREE' app has been added to User's Interface. All abilities in games made by the User will be accessible. For example: The Force. The Force can now be used by the User without purchase; due to CODE-1A74E, the systems have combined to best benefit the USER's current mode of increasing power.]
[All purchased : Items, Powers, Summons, Skills, Experiences, Information, Magics, Magical Items, Magical Enchantments, Equipment, Magical Equipment, Game Equipment, Consumables, Survival Goods, Physical Enhancements, Mental Enhancements, Training Equipment, Appliances, Technological Goods, Apartment Upgrades and Summon Level Ups... Will now be half price due to the combined power of two systems merging.]
[System Merge was Initiated by: %#^@*((($^$%))@ -ERROR- Permission Not granted.]
[Game System will now merge with Game Creator System into the 'Ultimate Game System']
Static was what followed as the entire tree began lighting up... It was akin to someone switching on the lights to the universe as every root, stem and branch was alight in multifaceted hues. Some areas were dark, dreary and dreadful. Some more light and sparkly. A multitude were more grey or white in colouration, leaving way for the most extravagant, the single coloured arms that I could see within my range of vision.
Stepping forwards towards the tree, a screen appeared.
[Skill Points: 10]
[More Skill Points will be earned when you achieve level-up]
At the very stump of the tree there were hundreds of options. Each path was unique and described themselves for me in pure stats; like in POE 2 or any other stat-based game. Walking up to one branch I got a basic description.
|As the Up-and-coming God of Games, you will have to choose your path...|
| Path of Nature: +50% Damage with Nature-based Abilities|
The mentioning of me becoming a god was a touch odd and mind-blowing, but I tried my best to stay pragmatic and grounded... I needed to figure out what this was all about and how it could effect me going forwards. My feet carried me to another path.
|Path of the Mind: +50% Damage/Control over Psychic Abilities/Powers/Superpowers|
To the next...
|Path of the Trickster: +100% Charisma Bonus, +50% Coerciveness |
The next.
|Path of the Einherjar: +10% Damage Reduction , +10% Life Span , +10% Physical Statistics|
|Path of the Gamer: +100% Game Related Powers , +2% Luck|
|Path of the Glitch: +5% Chance to Break A Rule of Reality|
|Path of the Admin: +5% Chance to fix Glitches in Reality|
|Path of the DEV: +10% Reduction in Game creation Costs|
Each path was worth 2 points...Meaning I had 5 choices in total at this level. These weren't the only choices and as I moved on some other stuck out.
|Path of the Devourer: 2% Chance to consume 5% of an enemy's power permanently|
|Path of the Conqueror: +100% Intelligence , -10% Constitution , +2% Dominion Quotient |
But the rest were all themed around certain weapons or ideas. Hero was one. Villain was another... They were rather unsavoury for me. Life was much more than just a fight between what people perceived as good and evil, I didn't want to get trapped in that cycle along with everyone else.
Thus my choices were plain to see. Path of the Mind, Path of the Trickster, Path of the Einherjar, Path of the Gamer and the Path of the DEV. These were my choices. And, as soon as I made that choice, my vision returned back to my apartment...
I was standing, which was inconceivable as I remember falling to the ground. Right in front of the window inside my apartment I stood and watched as my hair turned blue, cobalt blue. No pain was felt at all this time as my body felt rejuvenated, reborn almost. Every muscle seemed to increased beyond the limits of humans. My reflexes picked up as I noted, to the smallest detail, my hair changing in real time.
The golden glow from my tattoo had now wrapped around the front of my neck, forming five different runes. ᛁᛈ ,Game-Rune. ᚦᛈ ,Thorn-Perthro, Trickster Rune. ᛏᚦ ,Tiwaz-Thurisaz, DEV Rune. ᛉᛏ , Algiz-Tiwaz, Einherjar Rune. ᛈᛇᚨ , Perthro-Eiwaz-Ansuz, Mind Rune. All of these runes were scorched into my skin without pain and began radiating different lights.
My Game Rune was emitting yellow-orange light, sitting just below my right ear. The Trickster Rune was flashing with bright green golden light under my left ear. The DEV rune was shining bright white at the tip of my chin. Einherjar was pulsing a black and dark green colour at the base of my neck. Finally, my Mind Rune was shedding lumens of a dark purple and light pink nature... Right where the Adams apple would be on a man.
Like a navigational array, these runes that were spread out were united with the array of hundreds of smaller runes. Some meant to grant protection to the emblazoned person, others to ward allies and friends from danger.
With this change a glint of light flashed from my eyes and I noted that the yellow game-themed eyes that I had before were replaced with an even weirder combination. Still yellow in colour, my eyes also had creepy tinges of cobalt blue and pale blue energies sparking in-between fractal pupils. These pupils were normal looking at first glance, but once you stared at them long enough, it was easy to tell that the pupils themselves were made up of fractal images of shattered glass.
Breathing in deeply, I settled myself down as much as possible. My nerves were a little shot since the previous bout of excruciating pain.
"Hoh, just breathe... This is just a gain in power, like we needed..."
Looking at myself once again I noted the wispy ghost-like figures of two ravens on my shoulders, below them two raven tattoos that glowed an ominous blue-black. This got me back into the mind-space of digesting my enhancements. Huginn & Muninn, ravens of Odin... My new Sacred Gear.
A screen emerged for me and classified everything for me, along with the rune tattoos; though I ignored them and focussed on my Sacred Gear.
[Sacred Gear: Huginn and Muninn-
Type: Balance-Type Sacred Gear
Abilities:
Thought and Memory (Passive Ability)-
Information Gathering Huginn and Muninn can scout vast areas, gathering intelligence on enemies, terrain, and hidden objects. They can see through illusions, detect traps, and uncover weaknesses in opponents.
Memory Storage The ravens can store and recall vast amounts of information, allowing the wielder to remember every detail of a battle, strategy, or conversation. This makes them an excellent tactician.
Telepathic Link The wielder can communicate telepathically with the ravens, allowing for silent coordination and real-time updates during combat.
Raven's Flight (Active Ability)-
Independent Manifestation Huginn and Muninn can separate from the wielder and act independently. They can fly at incredible speeds, attack enemies, or deliver messages over long distances.
Spectral Form In their spectral form, the ravens are intangible and immune to physical attacks, making them ideal for reconnaissance and harassment.
Physical Form When materialized, the ravens can physically attack enemies with sharp talons and beaks, dealing moderate damage.
Eyes of Odin (Active Ability)-
Enhanced Perception The wielder gains enhanced vision, allowing them to see in complete darkness, detect magical energy, and perceive fast-moving objects with clarity.
Future Sight (Limited) By channelling the ravens' power, the wielder can glimpse a few seconds into the future, allowing them to predict enemy movements and react accordingly. This ability is draining and can only be used sparingly.
Raven's Shadow (Active Ability)-
Shadow Step The wielder can merge with Huginn or Muninn to teleport short distances, appearing in a burst of shadow and feathers. This ability is ideal for dodging attacks or repositioning in battle.
Shadow Cloak The wielder can become partially invisible, blending into the shadows and making it difficult for enemies to detect them.
Wisdom of the Allfather (Ultimate Ability)-
Knowledge is Power: By channelling the combined power of Huginn and Muninn, the wielder gains temporary access to the collective knowledge of the ravens. This allows them to:
>Analyse and exploit an enemy's weaknesses.
>Temporarily master a skill or technique they have observed.
>Overwhelm opponents with precise, calculated attacks.
Raven's Wrath: The ravens merge with the wielder, transforming them into a hybrid form with raven-like features. In this form, the wielder gains a massive boost in speed, strength, and magical power, but the transformation is time-limited and exhausting. ]
My Sacred Gear was very powerful in information gathering and surveillance, naturally. Thoughts were swirling in my mind for uses of them and having them observe different skills and abilities. Deep in thought I moved out of my apartment and quickly summoned them, the exact same ravens from the skill tree emerging on my shoulders, their head craning to the side to look into my eyes.
"Master? What do you need us to do...?" The black one, Muninn, cawed slightly whilst gazing at me.
"Yeah! Yeah! What prey is there to hunt?" This was the silver one, Huginn, speaking as it cawed much louder and flapped its wings slightly.
Struck with the squeaky voice of Huginn and the mellow deep utterances of Muninn I frowned, my goal for them currently swerving in the direction of just observing lesser heroes and Villains... Perhaps Daredevil?
At my thought the two ravens twitched their heads and squawked.
"Hunt! Hunt!"
"Huginn, calm, we are just observing him. We shall get this mission done mistress." Muninn flew off and cawed powerfully at Huginn before flapping his wings and vanishing in a puff of shadowy embers, both of their presences vanishing into the distance as my link with them confirmed that I was able to see from their eyes as if they were my own.
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