Chapter 2: Terminal
The Phantom Ravager's screech ricocheted through the air, a sound so grating it made Ren's teeth ache. He dove behind a shattered vending machine as its claws sliced through the wreckage, metal shrieking and spraying jagged debris. His breath came in shallow gasps, his mind racing for a plan.
HP: 38/50
MP: 22/100
The Phantom hovered closer, its translucent body flickering like corrupted code. Its glowing purple core pulsed rhythmically, each beat making Ren's pulse quicken. His Fireball spell was too weak to finish the creature, and his current mana reserves wouldn't sustain another direct assault.
And yet, the Phantom wasn't the only threat. The rift down the street was pulsing again, disgorging more Ravagers in rapid succession. Ren clenched his fists. Panic wasn't an option—it never had been. He had always lived on the edge of deadlines, rewriting the rules when the system failed him.
Now wasn't any different.
Skill Acquisition Available: Terminal
Description:
? A modular interface for adaptive combat strategy
? Combines spell-coding components into user-friendly modules
? Enables real-time spell customization during combat
? Unlocks advanced chaining and optimization features
Would you like to acquire this skill?
(Y/N)
"Yes!" The word escaped him before he had even processed the full implications.
A surge of energy rippled through him, electric and sharp, as the system accepted his command. His HUD flickered, the Spell Coding interface dissolving and reforming into something sleek and modular.
Skill Acquired: Terminal
Memory Allocation: 15% System Focus
Ren gasped as the new interface unfolded in his mind, vibrant blocks snapping into place like puzzle pieces. Each block represented a core spell component: Damage, Cooldown, Mana Cost, and more advanced modifiers like AoE and Status Effects.
The Phantom lunged again, its claws carving a deep groove into the pavement where Ren had just been. He rolled aside, assembling his first spell within the Terminal interface with trembling hands.
Modified Spell Created: Photon Burst
Type: Light-Fire Hybrid
Mana Cost: 6
Cooldown: 700ms
Effect: Base light damage with fire scaling. 15% chance to stun targets weak to light.
Scaling: INT × 0.6 + WIS × 0.4
"Photon Burst!" Ren shouted, thrusting his hand forward.
A radiant lance of light erupted from his palm, slamming into the Phantom's core. The creature screeched, its form flickering as the spell's energy gnawed at its integrity.
Combat Log:
Photon Burst Damage: 32
Light Vulnerability Modifier: +12
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Critical Multiplier: ×1.5
Total Damage: 66
Enemy HP: 54/120
Status Effect Triggered: Stunned (1.5 seconds)
The Phantom staggered, its claws faltering. Ren grinned, his mind racing as he scanned the modular grid. Photon Burst had worked, but he needed more. Something to exploit the Phantom's stunned state.
"Let's create something new," he muttered, dragging blocks into place in the Terminal interface. His fingers moved instinctively, connecting Damage, Mana Cost, AoE, and Fire Scaling modules.
Custom Spell Created: Fire Web
Type: Area of Effect Fire Spell
Mana Cost: 10
Cooldown: 2s
Effect: Creates flaming strands that trap and damage enemies in a 5m radius
Scaling: INT × 0.4 + WIS × 0.3
Status Effect: +20% damage to stunned enemies
"Yes!" Ren grinned as the spell locked into place.
The Phantom's core flared ominously, its stunned state fading. Ren raised his hand, shouting, "Fire Web!"
Flames erupted from the ground in a brilliant display, forming glowing strands that snaked toward the Phantom. The creature shrieked as the fiery web coiled around it, trapping its flickering form. The flames gnawed at its HP relentlessly.
Combat Log:
Fire Web Initial Damage: 12
Fire Web Damage Over Time (6/s for 5s): 30
Enhanced Damage (Stunned Bonus): +20%
Enemy HP: 12/120
The Phantom Ravager let out one final, distorted screech before shattering into jagged fragments of corrupted data. Ren dropped to his knees, his chest heaving as the last of the flames died out.
XP Gained: 60
Loot Acquired:
? Intermediate Mana Potion
? Data Core Fragment (Rare Item)
The rift pulsed again, a fresh wave of Ravagers spilling into the street. Ren's HUD flickered with a new prompt:
Emergency Protocol Activated: Overclock Mode
Description: Temporarily bypass cooldowns and mana restrictions at the cost of system stability.
Warning: High risk of user backlash.
Activate Overclock Mode?
(Y/N)
Ren hesitated, sweat dripping down his face. His body was screaming for rest, but the enemies showed no signs of stopping. "No choice," he whispered. "Yes."
Energy coursed through him, volatile and overwhelming. The Terminal interface flickered erratically as modules rearranged themselves at dizzying speeds. Ren's mind sharpened amidst the chaos, clarity cutting through the noise.
"Photon Burst, Fire Web—chain them!" he roared, pouring his remaining mana into the attack.
The resulting combo was devastating: a blinding lance of light followed by fiery strands that erupted in an inferno, engulfing the advancing Ravagers. Their data forms disintegrated under the combined assault.
When the light faded, silence fell. The street was littered with fragments of corrupted data, and the rift had begun to collapse in on itself. Ren collapsed to the ground, his HUD blinking ominous warnings:
Warning: System Integrity Critical
Current Status: 75%
He stared at the Terminal interface, its modular grid pulsating softly. A weary grin spread across his face. "Scratch for spells," he murmured. "This… this I can work with."
Above him, the night sky pulsed faintly with residual energy. For the first time, Ren felt like he was more than a pawn in someone else's game.
