The roll was shiny and reflective. Robin thought it looked a little bit like a holographic card from a collectible trading card game, just extended beyond the borders of the roll itself. This one seemed like it might be the easiest to use, and the most versatile. Some of the tape had already been used, but it was mostly there.
The tube, though, seemed like it had an exponentially higher ceiling for potential, although it could also give a worthless result. It was more of a gamble, which wasn’t really his style. At least I have both. I can afford to experiment a little bit. He examined it again, reading the notification as he slipped his satchel off his back.
Robin absent-mindedly nodded to himself as he began unloading his satchel. He took out the Regal Spinneret and both of the Flasks of the Red Rune Witch. He stared at the for a moment, and then as an afterthought, summoned a protein bar from the Satchel of the Generous Matron. He unwrapped it and ate it slowly, savoring the chewy mint flavor, pondering the items in front of him.
Could have been a lot worse than mint…
The Flasks are not that useful as they are. I don’t particularly want to release vengeful frost spirits, and I don’t have the Rune skill at all. I could put them together with the amalgamatape to potentially get a more powerful version, but… I would be willing to bet that a more powerful Flask of the Red Rune Witch would be even less useful to me. The Akashic Adhesive might turn them into something useful.
Still chewing, Robin uncapped the Akashic Adhesive. He could smell the familiar, burning odor of super glue immediately. Weirdly familiar. He carefully squirted a small streak onto the back of the first flask and carefully set it down, repeating the process with the other flask. He then picked both up and pressed the spots where he had applied the glue together, holding them firmly, being careful not to twist them, his experience with master-level Solar Savior Silver models coming in handy.
He waited, wishing he had thought to start counting as he did it. After a few moments, the flasks abruptly snapped into each other, their new form taking the place of the two former objects instantly, like an invisible curtain had been yanked away revealing the object had been there all along.
The new object was… a larger flask. It looked like it was made from cast iron, though it was only a fraction the weight. It had snowflakes carved over the entirety of it, although most of the snowflakes seemed to be melting, a drip or two coming off most of them. This one is pretty ominous. At least it’’s not quite as flask-esque as the components. Thermos might be more accurate. Guess I’ll see. Identify!
Huh. I guess I won’t know if that’s good or not until I try it. It kind of sounds like some kind of berserker-type trait, or maybe a frost and aggro aura? I definitely don’t think I should try this now, though. He glanced up at Opal. I don’t want to hurt her.
He laughed out loud, causing Opal to dance a little harder.
“Sorry, Opal!”
Riiiiight. I don’t want to hurt her. An old song lyric came unbidden to his head, and he sang it out loud quietly to himself as he pondered his next combination. “Watch out boy, she’ll eat you up…”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Robin hesitated. He had just had an idea, but… it might be risky.
Robin slowly lowered his gaze until he was staring at his belt.
He had recently realized that it was made out of elephant skin, the realization a benefit of his higher INT. He held it up over the edge of the lab coat, considering. An elephant leather lab coat would be a lot more protection…
...But no. Not this lab coat. Maybe I’ll find something else, but… this one feels weird. I don’t want to think of Mister Lye every time I feel it move. I don’t want some kind of lab coat that lets me make rogue elephants extra intelligent or something, anyway.
I think my most used piece here is going to be the Crystalline Eye of the Mother of Broods. I have eight, so I can afford to experiment a little bit with them. Maybe the revolver… Some kind of sight, maybe? I guess that wouldn’t really be useful on a revolver. It might extend the range of the bullet, or increase accuracy, though. Better use the Akashic Adhesive… I need a powerful weapon, and “unique” is usually synonymous with that in games. I haven’t even used it yet. Should I upgrade it this soon?
He had already decided even as he doubted. Robin drew the revolver from the holster, then reached into the satchel and withdrew one of the Crystalline Eyes of the Mother of Broods. He unscrewed the cap of the Akashic Adhesive and carefully put two drops onto the transparent sphere, and then added two drops to the top of the revolver.
He carefully stuck the two together and began counting. When he had reached fourteen, the crystal and the revolver snapped together, leaving behind a slightly smaller revolver. It had a dark brown wooden handle, and the metal of the long barrel was a dark gray. The runes around the tip were gone, but similar golden runes seemed to circle right over the hammer of the weapon, which now had a shirt-button sized transparent hemisphere of crystal on top. Robin used Identify as soon as he had the presence of mind to do so.
YES! This was exactly what I was hoping for! Letting me directly translate my MANA into shots could be a lifesaver! And that name is so cool! The Delta-U Revenant? The Delta Rev? The D-Rev? I’ll play with them and see how they feel.
Because the name I think of it as is soooo important.
Robin closed the notification and felt his elation rise when he saw a gold-rimmed box appear behind it.
Holy yoshi. Am I superhumanly intelligent now? I might be one of the smartest people alive! And item rarity, that will be useful, especially if I’m going to keep trying to make things. Robin resolved to check the rarity of all his items as soon as he could.
Another notification came up as soon as he closed the first. Must be the Skill Upgrade.
That one was cool. Not nearly as cool as the first, but… Robin couldn’t help but feel a little sour about it. I had the Engineering skill before! What would it have turned into if it hadn’t downgraded?
Robin withdrew another Crystalline Eye of the Mother of Broods, setting it in his lap. He picked up the tube of Akashic Adhesive and considered how much he had used. Looks like I’ve used about a third of the tube. Maybe just two more things with this, assuming they won’t take more than the previous combinations, and then I’ll save the rest.
Actually… might as well test my new ability now. Robin focused on Identify, staring at the tube, and the box popped up for it again, having slightly changed. The name had an “L” beside it in parentheses.
Legendary…?
Robin looked at the tube with slightly more respectful shock. Definitely saving the rest.
Robin picked up the Regal Spinneret and placed a small stream of glue along the bottom, feeling a little ridiculous preparing to glue a small purse to a crystal ball. He did it anyway, placing a small amount of glue on both pieces before firmly pressing them together.
Unlike the other items, the two did not snap together and leave a new item in their place. Instead, it seemed like the Regal Spinneret ate the crystal ball like Pac-Man eating a ghost, suddenly becoming round and stretched, as if stuffed to the brim. He used Identify.
Unique Epic? I No qualms at all on this one; I like the upgrade. This gives me disposable minions!
Eh. Quasi-disposable, he thought, eyeing the part about “growing more intelligent.” He might either need to keep a few web-spiders around for a long time or never keep any for any true length of time.
Robin checked his tube of adhesive; it was right about where he expected it to be.
One more before I save the rest of the Akashic Adhesive. What should it be, what should it be... I’ll need every edge I can get if I’m going to have any chance of defea… killing the slime. I'll need to srat dumping my extra MANA into bullets, as well. If I go in half-loaded I'll definitely die.
Robin thought for a moment and then smiled. He knew exactly what he was going to combine.
What two items should Robin combine with the last of his Akashic Adhesive [that he is willing to use right now]? (Choose two)
