The gem in his belly glowed as he accessed his matrix for everyone to see:
<<< ※ >>>
Logan Murray
Guardian Core Matrix
Base Race: Fungaloid
Current Evolution: Shroomian Acolyte
Cultivator Class: Iron Trunk Cultivator; C-Class, Rank 10
Primary Elemental Affinities: Morta/Toxicus
Racial Abilities:
- Digestion
Racial Skill:
- Domestic Fungi
Level-One Proto-Spore Cultures
- Opal Truffles, Mucal Film, Ghoul’s Snare, Outstanding Allotment!
Level-Two Proto-Spore Cultures
- Braincaps, Outstanding Allotment!
Level-Three Proto-Spore Cultures
- Outstanding Allotment!
Fungal Form (Active):
- Exoskeleton
Fungal Form (Passive):
- Fungal Vision
- Disease Immunity
- Poison Immunity
Spore Halo:
- Pollinic Affliction
- Symbiosis
- Athlete’s Foot
- Rapid Growth
<<< ※ >>>
This wasn’t the first time he’d shown them his matrix, and it wouldn’t be the last. These were his best friends, and every day he felt closer to them—especially after Marko’s confession the night before.
Treacle sat eating the blue grass and viewed the information without comment.
Marko was drinking from his goblet when the matrix filled the air. He spit out a mouthful of mead. “Shroomian Acolyte? That was my favorite emo band in high school. Oh my gosh. You’re almost impressive.”
Inga approached the glowing information. “Yes, a C-Class, Rank 10. Now he is immune to poison, and yes, I do believe his Digestion skill has improved exponentially.”
Logan chose the Digestion ability and read through it with his friends.
<<<>>>
IRON TRUNK DIGESTION
- Digestion converts 10% consumable mass directly into additional Apothos.
- Digestion instantly converts 60% of all Apothos with an Elemental Affinity into pure Apothos.
- Create up to (2) Acidic Digestion Pits in your dungeon to aid in your digestion efforts!
- Ability Gain: Reclamation/Reconstitution. Now the fungaloid can consume inorganic matter such as weapons, armor, metals, and fabrics, breaking them down and reclaiming the items as base usable crafting components. Reclaim 40% of the item into raw material!
<<<>>>
Treacle stopped chewing. Long stems of the blue grass hung out of his open mouth. “Raw materials? Raw materials from inorganic matter? Am I reading that right?”
Inga clapped her hands together. Bits of sugar and cookie crumbs went flying. “Yes! This is amazing, astounding even. And your skin, it has the beginnings of an exoskeleton. Those ridges will make you far more durable.”
Logan focused on his Harden ability and realized that it had indeed been replaced by a new ability called Exoskeleton. He activated it out of curiosity, and the lines of dark gold chitin spiderwebbed across his skin. His whole body widened. He took a step. Yes, he would be a tad slower, but he had his own suit of armor, light but resilient, reinforcing his body without being too cumbersome.
Inga wasn’t done. “I also believe your Pollen ability changes with your new form.”
Logan checked.
<<<>>>
Symbiosis: As an Iron Trunk cultivator, it is possible to use the Symbiosis ability with more than one host. You may pair with multiple dungeoneers—acting as an Eldritch Patron—or use your ability in tandem with additional dungeon cores, creating a unique relationship where a single dungeon could host multiple cores.
Alert! As Iron Trunk cultivator (C-Class, Rank 10), you have the ability to bond with up to three different hosts at the same time.
Restrictions! All fungaloids can naturally bond with one Prime Host, but maintaining a symbiotic connection with more than the Prime Host is a taxing process that can only be maintained for a limited period of time. Note, when the time allotment elapses, the secondary Hosts will be released, though the Prime Host will remain infected! Note, to increase your infection time allotments, cultivate more Core Knots, which will allow for greater focus and more efficient Apothos utilization!
Prime Host = Permanent Bond
Prime Host + 1 = 4 Hours
Prime Host + 2 = 2 Hours
<<<>>>
Logan read and reread the text. Now that was interesting. It was limited for the time being but, if he could tie more knots, he would be a force to be reckoned with. Even better, he could bind with everyone in his cohort—at least for a little while. Sure, four hours was hardly long enough to set up a proper dungeon, let alone run one, but that would change as Logan became more powerful over time. The possibilities were endless.
With a grin, Logan moved on to the next ability:
<<<>>>
Pollinic Affliction: As an Iron Trunk cultivator, the fungaloid’s pollen will swamp the eyes, nose, and lungs of their enemies. This cloud of spores has the possibility of disabling or even killing.
- 10% chance of causing shortness of breath
- 5% chance of causing blindness
- 3% chance of anaphylactic shock
- 1% chance of mortal sneezing
<<<>>>
Logan had to joke, “So, yeah, now I won’t have to worry about Sir Benadryl undoing all my evil plans.”
No one got it. Because, as Inga would say, Culturally specific references aren’t helpful.
Marko tilted his head and mused out loud. “Aren’t those percentages kind of lame? I mean, a one percent chance of anything isn’t very world threatening. Though”—he shrugged—“mortal sneezing does sound pretty bad. Death by achoo.”
Treacle shrugged. “A one percent chance isn’t zero. As for fungal infections, I used to get athlete’s foot as a gnome. My boots would get very sweaty.”
“Not anymore,” Marko said cheerfully. “Having hooves rules.” He clopped his feet down.
Inga couldn’t stop smiling and shaking her head. “You get so many more Proto-Spore Cultures to choose from, including a level three. This is very important, Logan. This changes everything. Your powers are significantly more impressive.” She paused and glanced down, not willing to meet his eyes. “You know, if you don’t want to continue our symbiotic relationship, I would understand.”
Before he could answer, Marko, oblivious, settled an arm over Logan’s shoulders. The satyr was still taller, but now Logan felt more like his brother than his five-year-old son. “This is all great news, Logan, my mushroom mate, my blinding yellow boy, but really, we need to get to the party. A few weeks ago, I had Chef Treegee put aside a pot of coffee for you. There’s a fine layer of muck on top. You’ll love it.”
Treacle grabbed their empty trays. “I don’t much like parties. But it’s too early to go to bed. I might as well be miserable in the Golden Serpent Hall.” He ducked out of the room. Marko left with the minotaur, leaving Logan and Inga alone.
A worry line creased the skin between the astral moth’s eyebrows.
“Inga,” Logan said, “I told Rockheart, and I’m telling you. I don’t want to do this dungeon core stuff alone. Back on my planet, we had a saying, esprit de corps, which basically boils down to the feeling you get when you’re with a team, working together. It’s what has kept me going.”