[NR] Bonus Talent - Chapter 731

Jason leaned forward, “These talents do sound interesting and completely unrelated to actual talent. Where do they show up on the status sheet? Because that doesn’t sound like a skill.”

Courtney nods, “And it isn’t with them either. Talent gets thrown on the catch-all pile that is ‘bonuses’. And while rare, some players do have them. Even right from the start. Though you also aren’t wrong in that they seem unrelated to what people think of as talent.

“The best guess on the naming is because they are for monsters and those with them are seen as talented beasts. Which is also why you won’t find someone with a ‘talent’ for swords or anything else active. Some pet battlers like to call them passive talents. As if a talent for using swords isn’t a passive thing as well. They simply mean that when using it, you aren’t actively doing something.”

Jason nods, “Yeah, I can see that. There are more than a few things named for their original use despite what might have been found out later. So, I assume you have a few things picked out for me to try for?”

Courtney shrugs, “More like I’ve found some synergies with what you already have. For instance, if I remember correctly your cultivation skill reinforces your skin?”

Jason nods.

Courtney, “Well, then you might be interested in doubling up on that with a talent that does the same thing. I’m not exactly sure what that will do, but at worst it just costs you some experience for nothing in return.

“Also, you can work towards talents that improve on the previous System ‘weapons’. Your bones are a good example. Though I guess technically tougher skin would also count towards the ritual on said skin.”

Rosha rolls her eyes, “Yes, yes, he has a bunch of options. What’s the really juicy one you found? I can see it in your eyes! They’re practically sparkling.”

Courtney fake coughs into her hand. “Well, I did find one particularly good option. The talent is quite popular for certain monsters, which the battlers like to call stat sticks. In other words, monsters with such high stats, you don’t need any finesse, you just beat others over the head with the sheer quantity of stats the monster has.

“Except that faces the problem we have right now. Needing more stats than you can reasonably train before the next bottleneck locks you in. So, for those monsters? The battlers found the talent ‘Sustained Effort’.

“Basically a talent that makes every stat gain, doubled. Sadly, at least in their opinion, it isn’t that literally every point of Strength becomes two. Rather, the extra point goes to whichever stat is the lowest of the main three. The monster’s body is working overtime to make up for its own weaknesses.”

Jason, “That sounds perfect. What’s the catch?”

Courtney shrugs, “To gain it, they basically have to keep pumping the monster full of magic and stimulants. Well, I guess you don’t technically need to do that? The requirement is simply that the person gaining it has to be able to exercise in a state where they don’t run out of energy, don’t get tired. Which the battlers do through uses of said magic and stimulants. I assume you can manage something more elegant.”

Jason shakes his head, “No, there has to be more. Otherwise, I’m sure there are a bunch of talents that people would just naturally pick up. Like, tougher skin? There are entire martial arts devoted to that kind of thing. People who would sacrifice even half the experience they gain just to get such a thing. What blocks talents for regular people?”

Courtney, “The System, of course. Same reason so few people manage to mess with their experience ratios like you have. It is an ‘advanced’ feature and the System has decided to keep it out of our hands unless we prove worthy of it. Monsters though? Who cares if a monster manages to mess themselves up by tanking their ability to level? There are always more monsters to replace them.

“For a local to unlock talents, they just have to pray to the deity of their choice. Well, supposedly being at level cap allows you to bypass it for yourself. Except you’re at level cap and so won’t do much good.

“That leaves players. We have the short end of the stick. Though it is simple. All you have to do is ask the System. The question is whether the System will bother to answer. I guess you might have an easier time of it?”

Jason, “Is it actually the System, or is it the various avatars that handle stuff for the System like when doing character creation and the tutorial?”

Courtney shrugs, “People didn’t specify that. Most likely don’t see there being a difference between the two.”

Jason, “Well, there is a difference and if an avatar can handle it, I might have an in. Or at the very least, know someone.”

Courtney shrugs again, “Well, it can’t hurt. If anything, they might shortcut your getting the System’s attention. So I guess all you need to do is make sure you don’t ever get physically tired.”

Rosha, “How is that even possible? Wouldn’t muscles still get tired, no matter how full of energy you are? After all, part of muscles getting tired is the buildup of acids. Not just running low on fuel.”

Courtney, “Well, for the monster battlers? They use specialized healing spells to remove it combined with magical manna. As in the bread-like food and not what you use to cast magic.”

Jason, “And as for me? I think I’m already partway there. At least from the acid buildup side of things. Sort of like how broken bones don’t bother me. I just have to make sure I keep myself topped up on food. Maybe look into using my cultivation to replace some of that as well.”

Rosha, “That is a question. Why don’t you grow out of needing food with levels? Like, at the high end you end up packed full of your power of choice.”

Courtney, “You need food, not just for some sugar to power yourself. It is also needed to cycle the material body.

“Get cut and bleed a bit? Sure, Mana could create it out of nothing. If you had an absurd amount of the stuff. No, much better is to accelerate the body’s natural generation of blood. Not that some people haven’t figured out how to make this more Mana efficient. The solution simply tends to be so personal that others can’t copy it.”