A/N: This is raw so it'll be a bit more scuffed than usual, I'll come back to this once I get some food inside me and maybe some coffee. Though I hope you still enjoy it!
A/N 2: I went through and have no complaints, so you can leave paragraph comments now!
As I begin my long trek back to Primm and beyond, I look over my options for synergies. [One-Eyed Ghoul] and [Rinkaku] are mandatory as synergies, so they stay. Adding [Concrete Conduit Physiology] can make everything better, I can even use the extra limbs to help in actually trying to fly. Not the barely passing hover mode that basically every single one of the powers have. I could stretch the use of [Claws] considering Kaneki was able to use his Rinkaku as a hand to wield his sword. Speaking of swords, my [Chikage] would seriously boost my Ghoul facets several fold because of the RC cells and all of that life energy…I think.
[Endless Stomach] is always a thing…so I could stock up on a lot of…resources, for my RC cells. Though, I don't know how comfortable I am with eating other people, even mutated people, like super mutants, Ghouls, and even Feral Ghouls. I could try to make an argument for eating only horrible people, irredeemable super mutants, and letting the Feral Ghouls be used for something beyond just being mindless monsters…but when do I stop? Do I stop at just those kinds of food sources, or do I extend it out to eating horrible 'Normal' people.
The people like Benny, who will never learn and keep trying to destroy everything for their own goals. What about the Great Khans? Should I destroy them and eat the ones I deem unsalvageable? Or should I eat the Raiders across the Mojave and try to pretend to be better than them just because I have a reason to eat people instead of doing it because they taste good. Because I know the second I eat someone, I'm going to do one of two things. I'll either compartmentalize the taste and move on, or I'll get addicted to it like Reza did and go on a feeding frenzy until I don't know who I am anymore…
"I guess I'll just cross that road when I get there…" I say, shaking out of that dangerous train of thought. 'I can't hope for [Novice Discipline] to kick in and level insanely quickly, I'll need to get a higher level one…or train it myself…' Laughing at the irony of myself proving that I have no discipline by thinking about something I just said I wouldn't think about again. I look back at the synergy panel, pouring my focus into it.
Time skip — Primm entrance — Early morning
—————
Final synthesis: Concrete Leviathan
– You become a towering, armored monster—melding concrete, claws, and Rinkaku tentacles into a single destructive force. Able to absorb, shape, and weaponize the urban landscape, you rampage as an unstoppable behemoth built of flesh and stone.
– Unparalleled adaptability: Switch between raw defense, overpowering attack, fine control, and stealth.
– Outlast and outthink all rivals by mixing brutal force and clever, environment-shaping tactics.
– Survive and thrive anywhere in the man-madeworld—top of the artificial food chain.
—————
Ability slots used: 3/5
Slot #1: Create water
Slot #2: Claws + Concrete Conduit Physique + Rinkaku + One-Eyed Ghoul = Concrete Leviathan
Slot #3: Ace of All Trades + High Specs + Time Accel + Jack of All Trades = Prodigy Engine/Instant Adaptation
Slot #4: Empty
Slot #5: Empty
—————
Gazing at my abilities in contentment, I look up at the town now in sight. As I travel across the bridge I start to search for a food stall, finding one I ride up and dismount. Looking at the man behind the stall, I see him cooking what looks to be a veritable zoo of meats, some kind of mutated vegetables, and using some makeshift spices. He assembled them all into skewers, then placed them on an open fire grill that looked to be ripped off the ones from campsites…actually, it was. Seeing as he's the only one with decent looking food, I pay for a few skewers and take them to the side.
The man was nice enough, a bit grumpy from the early hour, but better than what I was expecting. Same with the food, especially the meats, I didn't think anyone could make meat this good-
*Chrrrk-krshhh…*
"What the-!?" I shout, feeling my RC cells strengthen. The RC cells that should only increase when I eat…human…my head whips over to the guy selling the meats, the RC cells helping me to focus more than I usually could. My senses noticed things about the man that I just pushed aside as him chugging coffee or a Nuka Cola for energy. Small twitches, darting eyes, the way he spoke in short and clipped sentences. He's a cannibal, an early one, but a cannibal all the same.
I stand, walking up to the man again, "Hey, this is really good, what is it?" I ask, wanting to see what lie he'll give me.
"Huh!? Oh, it's super mutant meat." He said, his eyes shifting even more, making my eyes narrow. 'I can't tell if he's lying or if these are just the symptoms of cannibalism making him look like he's lying.' I think while trying to use [Jack of All Trades] to help before realizing it won't help since almost all creatures have mutated to some extent. Enough so that any knowledge from the 21st century would only be used as guidelines.
"Really? Interesting, I wouldn't think that would be safe since they're basically humans, but if you're sure it's safe then I'll believe you." I say, hoping to prod some kind of tell out of him. Though saying that was probably not the best course of action, considering he looked really pissed at the 'basically humans' part.
"'Basically humans'!?" He yelled, "Them freaks oughta be thankin' their lucky stars I even bothered to slap 'em on my grill, much less gnaw on 'em after!" He continued, twitching and scratching his forearm enough to make me think he's trying to rip it open. All of this drew the attention of the few other people out right now. From the looks of them though, most agreed with him.
"I'm not saying they can't be horrible," I said diplomatically, "I'm just saying that even with them being mutants, they were still human at one point, and that still makes their meat dangerous to eat for normal humans." I say, feeling [Novice Communication] in [Jack of All Trades] making my words reach him better than they normally would. My words apparently had an effect, seeing as how he stopped himself from snapping back and looked down at the different meats on the grill.
"Can you prove it?" He asked, looking skeptically at me.
"Well, I'm a courier," I start, making sure he got that part, "I've been all over the West and a bit to the East. So I know a lot more than the common person." I say, going to continue before he interrupts.
"That's great and all, but what does that have to do with this?" He asks, looking like he's regretting letting me speak.
"It's important because I know where the super mutants came from." I say, making him and the others who got closer look at me in surprise. "You see, they were normal people made into super mutants by a man called The Master. He was an insane man who wanted to make a unified world using what's called the Forced Evolutionary Virus. Remember that first part, it's important." I say, looking around and seeing more people gathered around, listening intently.
"The Forced Evolutionary Virus, or FEV for short, was a pre-war experiment to make supersoldiers to aid in fighting the Chinese in Alaska. This was soon proven unneeded seeing as everyone decided to just nuke each other." I say, gesturing around to everything around. "Though this is where The Master comes in, he was a man that stumbled into the Military base responsible for the FEV tests. He got exposed to a massive amount of the stuff, so much so that he should have died from the sheer quantity, but he didn't. Instead, he fused with the machines around him, becoming a mass of machinery and flesh." I stop, taking a breath and letting everyone digest what I just said. Taking a few glances around I see some people deep in thought, most just looking entertained. Like this was just a fun story to listen to.
"After fusing with the machines, he started creating the super mutants. Since the very first super mutants were created up until now, they were all forced into it." I said, hearing murmurs of disbelief around me. "He was trying to make a 'Unified' world, but that didn't matter when that unity rips away everyone's humanity when they change. Because the virus forcibly evolves the person so quickly that the mind does what it can to stay intact at the cost of forgetting who they were before, making the super mutants you see today. Though there were some successes amongst them, those that retained their humanity and intelligence, but they're like finding a needle in a hay stack." I say, feeling my throat and taking a sip of water before continuing.
"After The Master fell, the super mutants disbanded, roaming across the wasteland. Some tried to find a place to belong, some fell back into their violent instincts after the change, and others followed their remaining biological instincts." I say, though this time someone interrupted. I couldn't see them, though they were somewhere in the back of the crowd.
"What the hell do you mean 'biological instincts'?" They said, causing others in the crowd to nod in agreement.
"The instinct I'm referring to is the Allee effect, more specifically the Component Allee effect. This refers to when a species has difficulties in reproducing due to reproductive failings…super mutants are infertile, yet keep their human instincts to reproduce. So kidnapping and transforming anyone they could grab is the only way for them to 'reproduce' in the only way they remember how. Just remember, I'm not saying you should forgive them for everything they do, just that I want you to understand that they don't have a choice in what they became." I finish, seeing a large number of the group thinking hard. I let them think on what I told them, ensuring what I took stayed out of sight…what? You didn't think I lore dumped everyone just because I could, did you? No, I was swiping all of the meat off of the guys stall.
I might not know how to feel about killing and eating people, mutated or not, but these people are already dead. I can't do anything about their deaths but I can make their deaths worth more than just the pleasure of cruel people. I might have given those people something to think about, but they'll forget about it the second a new super mutant attack happens. Some might remember, some might even try and inform others, but most will just keep hating. It'll take more than just words to change their minds. My mind recalling the mission 'The Wretched and the Wise' I got after becoming a conduit.
"I need some kind of crafting ability." I mutter, hoping the gacha will give me something to actually help them, mainly those at Jacobstown. They need as much help as they can get, plus they are trying, they're just suffering from stealth-boy withdrawals. Making it back to Umbra, I mount and nudge him forward, leaving the town before the stall owner notices all of his meat is gone. "Thank you, [Jack of All Trades]." I say after moving out of town, feeling the knowledge from all the skills in it helped me sway and distract all the people so I could swipe that guy's stuff.
Ding! Lore dump on the people of Primm, making some rethink their life decisions, and swiping all the stuff at a man's stall while doing it.
1x Gold Item/Skill ticket acquired
Taking the whole cube of meat off the skewer and swallowing it directly, I wonder what the ticket could mean by 'Item/Skill'…what? Out in the wasteland you have to have skills like that so you can just choke down some of the things people make. Anyways, I decide to roll the ticket and see what it does.
Rolling Gold Item/Skill ticket.
Ding!
[Garden of Eden Seed]
|Rare Item|
These rather unassuming looking grass seeds, when planted in any kind of soil, or even sand, will quickly grow into a lush garden without any nutrients or such needed, enriching the ground around them, the plants from the soil increase the quality of energy in the air, the garden will continuously expand in a non-invasive way which can easily be stopped by setting up fences, crops grown on the soil of this garden grow up much faster and are notably healthier. Cattle raised there will be much healthier and vigorous. Restock Timer: 720 Hours
Or!
[Polar Channel flow - Cellular Overdrive]
|Rare Skill|
You have mastered the Pugilist skill of pushing every single cell in your body to their absolute limits drawing up every ounce of energy they have to augment all of your stats to their limits.Using this skill places immense strain on the body and repeated use may cause permanent damage.
"Hm, so that's what that does." I say, bringing Umbra to a stop. "What should I get you two?" I ask, looking at ED-E and Umbra. Umbra instantly clicked his foot against the concrete once, giving his answer. ED-E however,
(sharp drum hit, swing band flair)
♪ It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing! ♪
(radio crackle, dismissive announcer)
"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."
(quick burst of rock 'n' roll guitar)
"Move along, hotshot!"
"You don't care? Fine, I'm already really strong, so an over drive mode is just overkill at this point." I say, selecting [Garden of Eden Seed]. As I select it a small, hand sized bag of grass seeds falls into my open palm. Just by feeling the bag I can tell it's as full as it can get without bulging the bag. Looking back at Primm, I can still see the buildings, but the people are out of sight. Turning back, I dig into the bag and toss a handful to both sides of the road. Making sure to get them all on the sand and dirt instead of the concrete before using [Create water] to splash them a bit. Tying the bag closed, I put it into my coat pocket, just so I can reach in and toss more seeds as we go.
Nudging Umbra forward, I speak, "ED-E, can you play something? Anything will do." I ask, and ED-E let out a few beeps and static before Big Iron comes out of his speakers.
"Hell yeah, now all I need is an actual big iron and I'll be complete." I say, patting Umbra's neck and kicking him into a run. As I rode I came across a small building, it looked like a police station, though it looked abandoned. Feeling like it was important in the back of my mind I pulled Umbra to a stop and dismount.
*Bang!*
Kicking open the door I draw both Maria and the 10mm, bringing them to bare before-
*BWAM!*
Feeling a laser impact on my chest I grunt, jumping to the side before a second shot hit, the hit managing to actually harm me. It was no more than a flesh wound, but it was still an injury. 'Good to know, basic weapons can't hurt me but more advanced weapons can still cause injuries.' I mentally note. Holstering my 10mm, I draw the sawed-off from my hip and bring it up. Advancing more cautiously, I peak in-
*BWAM! BWAM BWAM! BOOM!—Thump! Clatter.*
Counting the time between shots, I make an educated guess of the shooter's location before firing, hearing him and his gun clatter to the floor. Coming around and seeing no one else, I enter, with my guard still raised and see no one else inside.
"Should've just splattered him with concrete." I mutter, rubbing the laser wound that was already healing.
(loud sigh, burst of static)
♪ Why do fools fall in love? ♪
(radio crackle, fed-up announcer)
"This again? Give me strength!"
(brisk percussion, impatient swing)
"Would've saved us a heap of trouble!"
"Why didn't I?" I asked, ED-E bobbing and letting out a few affirming beeps. "Because there's only one guy here," I state, waving my sawed-off at the corpse, "plus, this doesn't require a massive show of force like the Correctional Facility did." I finish, holstering the sawed-off and Maria before walking up to the guys corpse. His head was half gone and leaking onto the floor, the laser pistol he was using laying next to him.
It wasn't anything special, so that told me that basically anything laser related would hurt me. Grabbing the gun and placing it onto a table for later, I continued through the building. Finding a few mantises in the back of the building, I killed them but found nothing else. Coming back to the guy, I move his stuff to the other side of the room before searching. I found another Star bottle cap, some ammo for the laser pistol, extra clothes, and a Guns and Bullets magazine. I know these are supposed to be skill books, but these are just regular books now, they shouldn't be able to do anything.
Leaving the clothes, I stash everything into the sacks on the sides of Umbra, and mount him before I kick him off again. Roughly twenty minutes later I came across a few radscorpions fighting a group of giant ants. There were more radscorpions coming from a rest stop, down into the road junction. The ants were trying to hold the spot, they weren't winning, but they weren't losing either. Bringing Umbra to a stop, I dismounted and pulled the Service Rifle from his side.
Walking forward, I knelled and took aim. I waited for a good opportunity to just shoot without having to aim too much, but they just wouldn't group up. I couldn't go down there and kill them with my powers because they're too close to the Mojave Outpost, and I don't want anyone to know exactly what I can do yet. Throwing caution to the wind, I stood back up and sprinted down the hill to the fight. All I had to do was shoot and dodge until they were all dead. This'll be fine, just annoying.
Time skip — ~10 minutes later
*BABABABABABANG! Click!*
"Fuck!" I shouted, slinging the empty gun around my shoulder and pulling Maria and the 10mm before continuing to fire on the remaining radscorpions and ants. You might be wondering why I'm still fighting. Well, as soon as I started shooting the ants fell into a tight circle and didn't move. But the radscorpions turned and charged me, like I was the biggest threat there. I was, but them knowing that was something I didn't think they would pick up on. There was that and the fact that they did this screeching thing that brought more of the radscorpions down from both sides of the junction.
The junction itself was in an indentation in the ground…for some reason, a good place to destroy a small group of people, and a horrible place to defend. Honestly, I don't know why the ants were in here but they were and I needed to kill them anyways. Since the NCR is so stretched thin that they couldn't do anything about them, "FOR SOME REASON!" I shouted, throwing even more caution to the wind and just activated my Rinkaku.
*SHLK-SHRRRIP! CRACK-THWAP! CRACK! SHLAT!*
Whipping the tentacles around at the next wave of radscorpions, I watch in joy as their exoskeletons give under the force. Whipping around, I stab into the few radscorpions left on that side before jumping up and looking around. Looking up at the rest stop I find three more at the rest stop coming down, looking the opposite way I see a veritable hoard of ants coming from the burrows in the desert that was once a lake. The ants were all just sitting down there thinking I would die if they just threw enough bodies at me. I just fucking knew it.
I stabbed my Rinkaku into the ground and readied myself before shooting off. I was heading straight for the biggest ant hole and launched myself in, smashing the ones trying to come out. Heading in, I found long tunnels leading in every direction, but I decided to just head through the closest one. Launching my way through the tunnel, I kept attacking as I moved. This would go on for a while, but it'll be worth it…so worth it.
[Chapter 7 End]
A/N: I don't know if my reason for why he ate the meat was well articulated or not, but I have to keep him grounded as a decent person. Sure, he can kill someone without flinching, but killing then eating them? He'd be no different from the raiders at that point, even if he has a reason for doing so.
Also, did the energy weapon weakness make sense? I feel like it did, but I'd like your opinions on that. I mean, sure, normal bullets and cold weapons can't do anything against him now, but energy weapons are a different story.
Plus, he's only around mid C Rank after eating the super mutant flesh, so basically a bit above super human. Also, the conduit physique didn't actually increase his stats all that much, you see conduits dying from all sorts of things like any normal human would, so all it does is allow him the ability to use and manipulate concrete without hurting himself directly from it.
Anyways, that's all. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and that those of you who have read this far (and even those who haven't) have an incredible rest of your day/night.