Game Changer (Reality Benders Book #3) LitRPG Series

by Michael Atamanov

  Ugh, it was a shame, of course, Break-in gave me such interesting perspectives. But here I remembered an old Russian gamer joke: “If you’re playing a mage and you get a quest to find a two-handed war hammer with bonuses for pickpocket, must have been leveling your character wrong.” This was exactly such a case.

  Listener, decision accepted. Break-in skill deleted.

  Half the points in that skill may be reallocated.

  You have received eleven skill points!

  What, just like that? I just put on the helmet but couldn’t do anything else before everything was decided for me. And again I didn’t understand if I had made a conscious choice or just run out of time.

  Listener, your new class requires the Scanning skill.

  You have taken the skill Scanning level 1.

  Son of a bitch! What was that then? What did the game system not like about my already level-49 Scanning ability, or as it was now called, “&6%%##@@!”? I was enraged that it needed to be replaced with that very same skill at level one!

  As if hearing my annoyed thoughts, the game algorithms realized I had two Scanning skills, and a new message came before my eyes:

  The &6%%##@@! skill has been marked for deletion. Confirm? (Yes/No)

  I just waved a hand. A headless man doesn’t have to worry about going bald, per the Russian saying. What else could I do? I had to delete this obviously glitched skill. I didn’t even manage to think my agreement before the decision was accepted:

  Listener, decision accepted. &6%%##@@! skill deleted.

  Half the points in that skill may be reallocated.

  You have received twenty-five skill points! (total points accumulated: thirty-six)

  Thirty-six points... Alright, settle down... I needed eight points to bring Mental Fortitude up to forty, and twenty-eight for Machine Control, giving a total of no more and no less than thirty-six... Was that just a coincidence? Should I give it a go? I started putting the points into one skill, then the other

  Mental Fortitude

  40

  Machine Control

  40

  Both skills activated, and the lines lit back up. Right after that, another bedsheet of incomprehensible symbols ran before my eyes, then the bothersome text suddenly disappeared, replaced with legible system messages. What a relief!

  Congratulations! Class change to Listener complete!

  Hitpoints reduced from 1704 to 1278.

  Magic Points increased from 237 to 555.

  ATTENTION!!! At present, you are the only Listener in the game that bends reality!

  Fame increased to 50.

  Fame increased to 51.

  I removed the helmet and wiped the condensation from the glass. I pulled it off! I managed to smooth over almost all the problems with the class change, too. Although I did have to delete one and reset another to level one. And to be honest, the system still said my Mineralogy level was unknown, but I was hoping to handle that soon enough as well.

  By the way, with the reappearance of Scanning, the button was also back though it had changed color to green. What was the difference between it and the old violet one? Naturally, I tested it out.

  My mana bar dropped a good bit, and my mini-map just showed a schematic rendering of the nearest walls and characters. As I might have known, my scanning radius was tiny again, and my abilities were weak, so not much was being shown. Although... now this was interesting... I zoomed in and saw some unfamiliar markings. When I read the text, I was elated:

  Airlock control unit. Interface chance: 17%. Total control chance: 2%.

  Right maneuver thruster control system. Interface chance: 4%. Total control chance: 0%.

  Laser cannon control unit. Interface chance: 1%. Total control chance: 0%.

  Navigation system. Interface chance: 0%. Total control chance: 0%.

  Tini Wi-Gnat. Level-48 Miyelonian. (inactive)

  Level-279 Morphian. Interface chance: 12%. Total control chance: 0%.

  When I saw that I could take control of a living creature, I was bemused. But I was much more interested in the fact that I now had a different type of Scanning. First of all, it required me to spend mana, and quite a bit of it. Second, a scan showed me computer systems and creatures I could attempt to interface with or even control. What was more, even at level one, it was showing me the Morphian’s true nature, not its guise as a Miyelonian Translator. Now that was better than the old Scanning!

  Seemingly, I was beginning to gradually understand the Listener profession. This class had a noticeable inclination toward magic, and was specialized in Scanning, but also Machine Control. It could even control living creatures. That made it something of a hybrid between a Prospector and Psionic Mage. Sure, I wasn’t quite as good at mind-control magic, but I also wasn’t so narrowly specialized. I now had quite a lot more Magic Points, too and that was very nice. But as for Hitpoints, I had a fair amount less, which of course was not great. But everything came at a price, including changing to a unique class.

  By the way, was I even able to use the Prospector equipment now? That crucial question needed to be answered right away, so I took out the Prospector Scanner and a geological analyzer. I could still handle the “laptop” and metal tripods and set them in the requisite slots, but I was not able to use them. Fortunately, I just didn’t have enough skill points:

  Your character’s Scanning level is insufficient to use this item. Minimum level: 19.

  On the one hand, that was very strange. An item I had used before was now beyond me. On the other hand, I couldn’t be too upset by how things came together. It would be much worse if the system didn’t recognize it as compatible with my new skill and required the type of Scanning now called “&6%%##@@!.”

  After I thought I’d handled all the changes, I saw another set of incomprehensible red symbols, which thankfully transformed into a readable message:

  Listener, access confirmed.

  Searching for available units...

  I froze, rereading the lines again and again and not understanding what was happening, or what the algorithms of the game that bends reality were searching for. A minute passed, then another... And after I’d made up my mind that the system had simply frozen, my patience was generously rewarded:

  Appropriate unit found.

  You have received a Small Relict Guard Drone.

  Chapter Two. Going to a Comet

  A SMALL COMBAT DRONE of an ancient race! Just like the deadly lightning-fast drone that took down the Shiamiru’s whole guard team at the Relict base! Cool!!! That would make a great addition to my team! However, my joy was short-lived. All the rest of the text was illegible, so I couldn’t figure out how to control this drone, nor where it was located. Furthermore, based on how long the algorithms spent searching, it must have been very, very far away. I would be lucky if it was even in the known part of the Universe.

  In order to find answers to these questions, I would have to learn the ancient Relict language. Without that knowledge, I might as well have been stumbling in the dark, just swaying chaotically from side to side, hitting random objects and never really knowing what they were. But where to begin studying a long dead language? There were no dictionaries, and certainly no teachers. Not that I could access anyway.

  The obvious answer was to start studying the Listener class description. From what I’d seen, such texts followed a formula: first the name, then a brief description, required skills and finally limitations. I could also be sure that the text would contain the word Listener, probably more than once. I would most likely also be seeing the word Scanning, given the skill was required for the profession. I brought up the syntactic bramble and started trying to decode it.

  It was hard to figure out where to start reading. Was it left to right, right to left, or maybe even vertical? I mentally thanked the heavens that the Relicts actually used separate symbols or letters, not jerky continuous lines like the Geckho.

  Oh! A familiar symbol. Interlaid circles like ripple
s in calm water. It was also used in the Scanning button. I thus suspected it meant “Scanning.” One symbol per word. So, the Relicts didn’t have a proper alphabet, these were logograms.

  Astrolinguistics skill increased to level sixty-eight!

  The Scanning symbol was used a few times, and that got me somewhere. Apparently, it read vertically top to bottom, in columns going right to left.

  Lines of text ran across the visor again, and I wanted to dismiss them as usual, but suddenly found some familiar symbols, and it dawned on me! This mysterious text was just the class information in Relict!!!

  Then that complex doubled sign must be my status and name: Gerd Gnat! Here it would of course have been interesting to know what the Gnat glyph meant: were there bothersome little bloodsucking flies on the ancient race’s homeworld, or was this symbol a phonetic representation? I had no way of knowing. However, I did pick out the word Listener in the information. It was similar to the Scanning symbol but wrinkled as if flattened out. I managed to move the new text with mental commands and placed it next to the class information for convenient comparison. The Listener glyph was also used a few times in both texts, as I supposed. But then, if this description was formed by the same pattern as usual, the next segment of text should have been: Level-61 Listener. And this one meant my race: Human.

  Astrolinguistics skill increased to level sixty-nine!

  Electronics skill increased to level forty-two!

  You have reached level sixty-two!

  You have received three skill points!

  That came just in time! Before my very eyes, my character info shifted, allowing me to identify the numbers 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 3, which was in a new line that must have meant: “Attention!!! You have three unspent skill points.” My vocabulary snowballed, allowing me to decipher more and more symbols. I was definitely on the right track, so I found myself very excited and overcome with well-deserved pride.

  But then I got distracted. Minn-O La-Fin was back in the game. The Dark Faction Princess knocked politely at my open doorframe. She didn’t enter and just stopped in the doorway, staring at Ayni and Tini as they slept on the upper bunk opposite me. I scooted over on my bench, making room for her, but the proud Princess didn’t want to sit:

  “Gnat, I am like to know why you is put I alone in room with big black-fur trader? You no want living with me, and talking kitties is take I place?”

  I could read slight offense and near envy in Minn-O’s voice. I couldn’t hold back and laughed good-heartedly, trying to quickly reassure the upset Princess:

  “That scary black-haired trader is actually a Geckho woman by the name Uline Tar, and she is considered very pretty by their standards. And just so you know, never let it slip that you didn’t know she was a woman. Uline will get very offended. Trust me, I’ve made that mistake before. In fact, you were given a great honor. Despite the cramped conditions on the Shiamiru, they put you in a less crowded women’s cabin.”

  The Dark Faction lady thought for a second, then gave a silent nod toward Ayni, clearly wanting to know why this Miyelonian was not also placed with the women. I understood that the keen and curious Morphian had probably already woken up and was just pretending to sleep and listening to our conversation. I extended a hand and gave the fluffy creature a friendly ruffle of her well-groomed neck scruff.

  “Ayni is a special case. She is a surprising and very loyal creature, who I trust with my life. She has lightning-fast reflexes and moves so fast you can barely see it. Her intuition is great, and she has a wealth of experience with the most unbelievable races. She has saved my life three times in dire battles, and I am very grateful to her.”

  Without opening an eye, the fluffy Translator gave a satisfied purr, just like a house cat, then turned her head, exposing her neck and whiskered cheeks for petting. I’m not sure that a real Miyelonian, a race known for their subdued emotions, would have behaved that way. The Morphian was probably more reading my expectations and playing up to them. Minn-O then, with a heavy sigh, said unexpectedly:

  “Gnat, I have to admit, I come for other reason than this. I only now is talk with ruling grandpa Thumor-Anhu La-Fin. He to be very glad for us together and offer in honor of celebration five more days ceasefire you faction. He also ask about Miyelonians, especially Ayni. My Leng is very impress with Miyelonian capable Translator fast-fast teaching you soldier. He even ask me figure out how much is cost her service.”

  At that very moment, Ayni sharply opened an eye, confirming my guess that she hadn’t been sleeping for some time, and started smiling with a mouth full of sharp teeth:

  “My services cost very dearly. Your faction doesn’t have enough crystals.”

  “But...” Minn-O tossed a quick gaze at me and fell silent, however I understood her unvoiced objection. If the H3 Faction had the funds, the rich Dark Faction had more.

  “I did that just for Gnat’s sake. He’s my only friend in the Universe. And as you’re Gnat’s wayedda, I am willing to train you as well. And you too, Gerd Gnat. You could stand some training, along with your friends. We’ve got an ummi and a half before we get to the Geckho base, and I suggest we use it intelligently.”

  “Do you know where we’re going?” I asked in surprise, because I was still in the dark.

  In response, Ayni gave a nod of confirmation just like a person, smiled and, tossing a quick gaze over Minn-O, switched to Miyelonian:

  “It isn’t hard to guess. The Geckho have only one military base in this sector of the galaxy, on the Un-Tesh comet. Around here, there are only Meleyephatian and Miyelonian stations. It’s actually strange that the Geckho were the ones who found your home planet first.”

  I immediately latched onto the rare chance to speak about grand-scale galactic politics and asked the Morphian what would have happened had the Meleyephatians found our Earth first. Ayni considered it and answered honestly that she didn’t know:

  “For my race, as you know, being subjugated by the Meleyephatian Horde ended in tragedy. It is possible that your kind would meet just such a horrible fate. On the other hand, the Horde contains dozens of races, including some similar to yours but from other stars. So it’s hard to say. The Meleyephatians are harsh and have no patience for other ways of thinking, but subject races somehow learn to live with them and even grow in a manner of speaking... Yes, they lose their freedom, pay a heavy tribute, are subject to total control over birth rates, science and production, and must provide troop levies at a moment’s notice... But some races choose that path consciously and are even proud that they managed to join such a powerful union as the Meleyephatian Horde, whose heavy footsteps make the whole Universe tremble.”

  “Are the Geckho a better master for humanity? And overall who is stronger, the Meleyephatians or the Geckho?” I asked, knowing my questions could be extremely important, maybe even vitally so.

  “Gnat, never confuse vassalization with enslavement!” Ayni’s voice rang out in agitation. Her pupils shrank into tiny dots. I’d seen this before when a Miyelonian got angry or concentrated. “You and your people must pray to all higher powers that the Geckho will win, otherwise your situation will grow drastically worse! But I am not taking a side in this war. Meleyephatian-Geckho relations have been a powder keg for a long time, and this is not my war! I know the Un-Tesh comet well. I have been there a few times in various forms and I know the layout well. Gnat, I’ll be leaving you there. It was nice knowing you. Ah yes... the Priest Leng Amiru U-Mayaoo’s tail. I know you’re hiding it in your inventory. You can keep it as a gift. Let it serve as compensation for all the stress I put you through!”

  * * *

  OTHER THAN ME, Minn-O, and other people from the H3 Faction, three Geckho wanted to train combat and fitness: the twin brothers Basha and Vasha Tushihh and, much to my surprise, Uline Tar. It was impossible for such a large group to practice in the narrow corridor and even more so in the tiny cabins, so Uline asked the captain to open the cargo hold.

  After converting t
he Shiamiru from a peaceful cargo and passenger shuttle into a combat spaceship, the size of the cargo hold had been severely reduced. Half of it was now occupied by additional forcefield generators, but there was still enough room for our purposes. Uraz Tukhsh agreed with unexpected ease, which surprised me even more. The captain was unusually agreeable, which struck me and even put me on guard. Something was wrong with our loser aristocrat, but I never found a good time to ask Uline why he was acting so strange.

  Earlier, I told Eduard Boyko to go into the real world and inform Lozovsky of Leng Thumor-Anhu’s offer of a five-day ceasefire extension, so we waited for him to return before we got started. On my very first day in game, Svetlana the Assassin led us in fitness training. And the session Ayni conducted was distantly reminiscent of that, but only because she put us all into a big group to track our Endurance and Hitpoints. In every other way it was different. Ayni told us the main idea of her training style was that skills grew more actively when a player was on the verge of death, when one well-timed shot or successful dodge was all it would take to, at the very least, send health into the red and possibly force a respawn.

  “But we’re on a starship!” I noted reasonably, inferring that all our respawn points were very, very far away. After all, such extreme training could end in us having to sweep back through the galaxy to pick up our crew!

  “Well, then you have that much more motivation to survive!” the Miyelonian said with a predatory smile, once again demonstrating her small sharp teeth. “Or, if you’re not sure you’ll survive, you can change your respawn points onto the Shiamiru, although that carries a huge risk. Then, if the ship blows up, you die once and for all, both in the game and real life.”

  No way! It only took me one time to learn that ghastly lesson for the rest of my days. When the Shiamiru just barely escaped the explosion of the Relict base, it was a miracle I made it out alive! I categorically refused to move my respawn point onto the shuttle and forbid my friends from doing so either.