“Maybe, but I’m not the idiot standing before a group of very enthusiastic killers by itself.” Once more, I eye its Status, grateful for the information I have now. The understanding that came about after spending so much time Leveling in the Administrative Center.
Wex isn’t a Legendary. It’s a much weaker than normal Heroic—at least in terms of its “fake” Class. That was confirmed both by the Lady and my own experiences Leveling up. Even as a late-stage Heroic, it doesn't have the same level of Skills, the kind of ability to do damage that a real Heroic would. That’s because most of its Skill Points have been dedicated toward the System Edit Skill—just like my last few ones.
Of course, it’s made up by the fact that it can buy Heroic Skills, just as I would have to if I had progressed normally. Add the fact that we need to Level up both Classes at the same time, because we’re forced to gain experience in two different formats, and its Combat Class just isn’t that powerful.
Oh sure, it could go out and fight to level its fake Class, but without Class Skill points to dedicate toward combat Skills, Wex must rely on its purchased Skills to make up the difference and hide its lack of Skills. And with our responsibilities and the need to split our time, I bet it was not as easy as just jaunting off.
In the end, that probably means that an Administrator is weak in a direct confrontation like this. Or at least, theoretically. If you discount the use of the System Edit Skill in combat itself.
I have a feeling I’m going to get a lesson on its uses in a second…
“Maybe.” Wex cleans its front legs again, rubbing them together.
For a second, I look into the fractured kaleidoscope of its eyes, the fractured vision of its almost invisible body.
And then we dance.
Chapter 23
It’s not me who starts the fight but Mikito. She uses Makoto, her long-range strike, swinging Hitoshi in a short, chopping motion that makes the explosion of energy from the tip of the legacy weapon arc out in an ever-growing curve of energy.
Wex throws itself out of the way, swinging on an invisible thread attached to the ceiling and dodging the strike. It avoids Mikito’s initial attack with ease, but as it lands on invisible threads, Wex doesn’t take into account the living-flames Hitoshi provides.
They catch onto its threads, jumping from connection to connection, burning their way to Wex as they destroy its delicate web. The flames are hungry, seeking blood and flesh, and the spider lets out a squeaky exclamation of surprise as it slashes and parts its own web, forcing it to fall away.
In the distraction, I act.
First step, I throw up my Penetration Evolved Skill. It’ll keep me alive longer than not. Domain and my Aura switch on, followed by Eye of the Storm as I figure my team could use the boost and distraction. Then I trigger the rest of the defenses in the building itself. Weapon turrets drop from the ceiling only to get stuck, caught in webs. Drones attempt to roll out of their resting spots, only to burst apart as explosive threads ignite, sending molten shrapnel into space. The defenses that Katherine paid for are rendered useless just like that.
“Fine,” I snarl and raise my fist, clenching it.
Judgment of All doesn’t require me to hit the Administrator, just for me to see it. And Wex might be mildly camouflaged, but it is moving too much. There are too many flames above it now to hide it completely.
Judgment of All starts up, and Mana floods out of me. And keeps flooding. My eyes widen as I sense Wex tearing at my Skill using its System Edit Skill. I try to block it, but I’m too late.
Notifications arrive, telling me what it was doing, all too late.
Judgment of All Activate
Administrative Override: Mana Cost Tripled
Duration Reduced: 6.5 seconds
Even so, my plunge into my Skill is enough to make the damn Administrator stop. Its mental intrusion scurries off just before it nerfs my damage too.
I feel, more than sense, the rush of Mana that hammers into the floating point of its body. To meet an obstruction. The Mana burns, tearing away at Wex—but not. I frown, digging into the discrepancy with my System Edit Skill even as I conjure swords and throw them at the damn spider, letting my floating weapons create problems for the scurrying spider.
Stored Reserves (Level 10) (Administrator Modified)
The Anasi Martial Glutton’s premier Skill, it allows the Anasi to consume health and Mana stores from its victims and store them for later use. Stored reserves replenish health and Mana of the user at an increased rate.
Effect 1: Store up to 11,000 HP and Mana from consumed victims at a ratio of 1:100
Effect 2: Increased Regeneration of Health and Mana of user at need by 11%. Each addition unit regenerated decreases stored HP and Mana respectively.
Administration Modification: Stored reserves of HP and Mana take damage first. User resistances are still in effect.
“Son of a bitch! It’s got a reserve for health,” I shout to the group even as it bounces away from one of Mikito’s attacks.
She’s on her ghost horse now, riding on air as she charges it. Wex is fast, but she’s good and the ever-changing size of the energy blade on Hitoshi keeps it guessing.
“I know,” the Samurai snaps at me. Another cut, this one bouncing off the sudden silvery body of the spider. A second later, it’s back to normal as the Administrator swaps around the traits of its physical body with Body of the Dead. “Stop standing around and help!”
“I am doing something. Didn’t you see that… I guess you didn’t…” I mutter.
Of course she wouldn’t. Judgment of All, even now finished ticking down, never had an external effect because it soaked all that damage up in its health bank. Even nastier, its Resistances—including its Administrator Resistances—soaked up much of that damage. Which wouldn’t have been that high otherwise, it being pure Mana damage.
“I got it!” Ali shouts.
The Spirit flies straight up, the conjured ball of plasma in his hand about to be lobbed at the Administrator. Only for Ali to suddenly stop as he hits a series of invisible threads. Even with my higher Perception, I can barely sense the way they shifted to catch it, forcing Ali to hold. A second later, they burn the caught Spirit, attacking him on the immaterial plane as well as the material plane.
The Spirit holds it together long enough to release the plasma containment in the general direction of Wex, catching the Administrator in the backblast. It isn’t a direct hit, but it does destroy even more of its threads. Threads which keep growing back.
I debate flying up, but I’m not Mikito. I lack her Skills to avoid and dodge the damn web. And getting caught is a bad idea. Instead, I fall back on an old standby—using Blade Strike to cut at the spider above.
While I do that, while I let my physical instincts take over, I step into the other side of the fight, extending my System Edit Skill. For I can see how it’s tearing at Mikito’s Skills, knocking them down, aborting their start, increasing cost and otherwise hampering her.
Blitzed is put on cooldown. Isoide—her haste—increases in cost by ten times. Shatter is lowered in percentage, making it almost useless. Even Gi, her unblockable, undodgable attack, is nerfed as she’s forced to expend multiple times her Mana to make use of it.
It’s going after me too, but only occasionally. Domain only barely reaches them as they dart around the inside of the building. Eye of the Storm taunt effects aren’t affecting it at all, its mental resistances more than sufficient. The damage effect is nice, since it adds to my Skills, but it isn’t burning the threads as I hoped. And my Aura doesn’t affect it directly. As for my Blade Strikes, it’s easier to dodge or tank than to actually bother Editing.
I dive in, fighting Wex with my System Edit Skill. I cancel its Skills, block further Skill uses, attempt to delve into its Status Screen. We’re fighting on a half dozen fronts virtually, and in a short period, I go entirely on the defensive.