Monroe-Chapter Three Hundred and Forty-Five. Absolute Units and dealing in non-absolutes.

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Congratulations! You have reached your second personal threshold! You may select one of the following bonuses.

Reduce the cost of a single spell or skill by 8%

Reduce the cost of all the skills or spells in a single school by 4%

Increase the value of a single spell or skill by 8%

Increase the value of all the skills or spells in a single skill by 4%

You may increase the value of a single attribute by 16 or any two attributes by 8.

"Well, that's new," Bob said.

'The System added that option in response to reports that the other bonuses weren't always useful,' Trebor replied.

"I'm not complaining, given that I have Attribute Affinities, that turns into thirty-two points, which makes it a strong choice," Bob said. "We weren't sure if the bonus points from taking a path at the first threshold would double on an Attribute with an Affinity, but they do, so these should too."

'They will,' Trebor assured him.

"I have a feeling I'll be sitting at the cap for a while, grinding out more Attribute Affinity Crystals," Bob muttered as he selected the option to increase his attributes, splitting them evenly between Intelligence and Wisdom.

'I suspect you'll evolve when you reach the cap,' Trebor replied.

"What happens to my path if I evolve?" Bob asked.

'The value simply change to reflect your new tier,' Trebor explained. 'Evolution is one of the primary reasons the paths were changed, to allow users to continue to grow, rather than experience what you did, that being tier seven on a tier five path.'

Bob nodded slowly. All the bonuses from his path dealt with thresholds, which meant they would continue to scale.

Which was great, considering the work he was putting in.

Name Bob Level 16 Tier 8 Size 9 Armor Hardness 124 Weapon hardness 30 Str 16 Achievements : Extradimensional Traveler Armor Style 1.01 Weapon type 1.01 Cord 16 Pinacle Durable Dodge 16 Spell casting 1.01 End (Affinity Crystal Applied) 80 Pedagogue Extradimensional Ferryman Level Thresholds Int (Affinity Crystal Applied) 192 Academic Fragmented Level 8 Threshold Bonus Attribute Bonus - 32 points to both Intelligence and Wisdom Level 56 Threshold bonus: Locked Wis (Enduring Affinity Applied) 192 Stamina (Maximum): 48 Stamina Reserved : 0 Savior Reconstituted Level 16 Threshold bonus: Attribute Bonus - 8 points to both Intelligence and Wisdom Level 64 Threshold Bonus: Locked Stamina Regen (maximum) 9.6 Stamina Regen Reserved: 3 Progenitor Paragon Level 24 Threshold bonus: Locked Locked Health 1352 Mana (Maximum) : 192 Mana Reserved: 36 The Old Ways Level 32 Threshold bonus: Locked Locked Armor 230 Mana Regen (Maximum) 38.4 Mana Regen: Reserved 18 Extradimensional Explorer Level 40 Threshold bonus: Locked Locked Damage 175 Spell Casting 240 Venerated Level 48 Threshold bonus: Locked Locked

While he was putting in the work, his Attribute Affinities were doing the same. Despite the number of skills he had, he still regenerated twenty mana each second, which allowed him to keep a Trebor piloted Jake out continuously.

He'd upgraded both his Summon Mana-Infused Object spell and Trebor, while his Summon Mana-Infused Creature was languishing at level forty-eight.

Name Jake (Trebor) Level 48 Tier 8 Size 10 Armor Hardness 64 Weapon hardness 64 Str 112 Path Defender Armor Style 1.01 Weapon type 1.01 Cord 112 Dodge 112 Spell casting 1.01 End 272 Natural Attack 8.00% Bite 15.00% Kick 15.00% Int 16 Natural Armor 8.00% Armored Hide 15.00% Wis 16 Stamina (Maximum): 192 Stamina Reserved : 0 Dodge 15.00% Consumate Summoner 8.00% Stamina Regen (maximum) 38.4 Stamina Regen Reserved: 0 Health 13136 Mana (Maximum) : 16 Mana Reserved: 0 Bite Damage 389 Armor Mitigation 517 Armor 395 Mana Regen (Maximum) 3.2 Mana Regen: Reserved 0 Kick Damage 390 Modified Dodge 138

That said, at level forty-eight as a defender, Jake was an absolute unit. Bob had finished the next step of the quest to increase the level of the monsters he was facing, which meant that at level fifteen, he'd been facing level twenty-one Gwarli, which had been no challenge for the mighty UtahRaptor.

Of course, the defender wasn't doing much damage either, but that was where his four skirmishers, courtesy of his Eternal Servant skill came into play.

Overall, Bob was feeling pretty good about his path. Another eight levels, and he'd feel comfortable leaving the Dungeon.

Yorrick smiled broadly as he rose from his desk and came around it, gesturing to a pair of comfortable chairs and a couch. "Good morning President Hartford, President Garcia," he said warmly. "Tea? Coffee?"

"Coffee," Elania said, echoed by Emmanuel.

Yorrick sat down on the couch while they took the chairs across from it. "How can the Terran Confederation help the United States and Mexico today?"

He was somewhat surprised when the President of Mexico took the lead.

"Over the past two weeks we've begun a program together to rotate our more dedicated citizens through each other's Dungeons," President Emmanuel Garcia began. "The Dungeons can become tedious, at least for those who are delving them every day."

"It has also allowed our citizens access to a broader range of goods," Elania continued. "While basic consumer products remain in high demand, the need for weapons, armor, potions, and other delving necessities is something that can only be met by skilled craftspeople, which we are still developing."

"Mexico City, for example, hosts a dedicated young woman named Marcia Guadalupe, who has specialized in crafting spears," Emmanuel smiled proudly.

"While we have Joey DiMarco in New York who makes amazing shields," Elania countered.

"Weapons and armor being what they are, they aren't mass produced, but custom made for each customer," Elania said.

Yorrick nodded. "So, you bring your best and brightest together, dedicated delvers with dedicated crafters," he smiled. "It brings joy to my heart to see your two nations working together so closely."

Elania smiled at Emmanual. "We're trying," she sighed, "but, the sad truth is our highest level delvers are out pacing our highest level craftspeople."

"Understandable, the nature of craftsmanship is that it progresses more slowly than delving," Yorrick agreed.

"While our craftspeople aren't going to run out of commissions, we find ourselves in need of higher level gear than we can currently produce. Our thoughts naturally turned to you," Emmanual smiled.

Yorrick nodded. He'd expected that at some point, the nations of Earth would turn to the Empire for equipment. "We do have citizens who are skilled enough to craft equipment for tier seven and tier eight adventurers," he acknowledged. "I'm certain we could come to an equitable arrangement, allowing your people access to our skilled crafters."

"We have many Dungeons with different experiences and resources to offer," Elania said, while Emmanuel nodded in agreement.

"Of course," Yorrick nodded, "in that, I'm sure we can mirror the agreements your nations currently have in place." He smiled and leaned forward. "The imbalance comes from the skills of our crafters when compared to yours. I'm certain that, given time, that imbalance will even itself out, as both of your nations have a long history of excellence, yet in the mean time, I'm afraid I'll have to ask for something more."

He watched their expressions carefully. Neither showed so much as a blink.

Yorrick loved playing the game.

"What did you have mind?" Elania asked.

Yorrick made a show of rubbing his chin, a tell he'd carefully cultivated over the centuries. He brightened his expression. "An agreement to reject the installment of any temples of worship staffed by anyone associated with the Church of The Light of Parceus," he offered. "The Terran Confederation was created to ensure our continued religious freedom from that organization, and avoiding future conflict serves all of our nations."

Elania's face betrayed a flash of a frown. "You wouldn't object to a Church of the Light, assuming it was native to our world," she said.

"I would not," Yorrick agreed. "It was our hope that Thayland would eventually house adherents of both the Light, and the Dark, living beside each other peacefully. Should a Church of the Light rise here on Earth, we hope that our openness and honesty will temper the tendency towards bigotry."

"Do you think it likely that the Church of the Light of Parceus will come to our universe?" Emmanuel asked.

"I don't know," Yorrick confessed. "I'd like to think that if they ever did, it would be with a gentler, more tolerant mandate, but I rather doubt it. From what I have been told, Kellan spanked them quite thoroughly," he grinned, "which will cause them quite a bit of trouble on their own world. I'm sure they'll investigate Thayland at some point, years from now, but I hope that our absence will suffice."

Elania leaned back, carefully not looking at Emmanuel. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝓮𝓌𝑒𝒷𝘯ℴ𝑣𝓮𝓁.𝒸ℴ𝘮

She'd expected Yorrick to request something, as they did have less to offer. It was an unusual and somewhat grating experience to be on the other side of the deal, asking for more than they offered.

She'd discussed the possible offers with both her cabinet and Emmanuel, and the religion angle had come up with both. Her cabinet had thought that Yorrick might request that they forbid the worship of the Seven Gods of Light, while Emmanuel thought Yorrick might ask for space to erect temples to his own dark gods.

Neither of those would have been acceptable, as she couldn't pass a law preventing the worship of any deity, nor could she provide space for temples.

His request was more along the lines of agreeing to embargo goods and services from one foreign nation at the request of another, which was something her own nation had done for centuries.

It was a reasonable, almost benign request.

Which made her suspicious.

"That agreement wouldn't prevent our nations from engaging in trade with Parceus, even if the agents of that government were clergy," she said slowly.

"As long as there aren't any altars, imagery, or sermons, then trade with a clergyman would be acceptable," Yorrick agreed, then leaned forward and whispered loudly, "you'll have to watch out though, they tend to get preachy without any invitation or warning."

"We'll need our state departments to review the agreement," Emmanuel said, "but I believe we can agree on the principle."

"Fantastic," Yorrick grinned. "I have to say my favorite part of my new job is just how agreeable everyone is. I've run into a few heads of state who weren't that friendly, but for the most part, I like all of you as actual people."

Elania collapsed in her chair with a sigh.

"At least portals make travel a lot quicker than it was before," Taylor said sympathetically.

Elania grunted in response. It had taken less than an hour to travel from Washington D.C. to southern Africa.

It was somewhat frustrating to have to rely on an organization outside of her own government for transportation, but she just didn't have enough Dimensionalists to go around, while the Endless made that school, along with the Portal spell, their third priority.

The Endless were a blessing in many ways. The citizens of her nation that had joined that group had been more than willing to settle down in the flyover states, building their towers and teaching the people who'd been stuffed into stasis all about the realities of their new world, including the proper way to delve, as was taught to the Endless by He Who Walks Before.

It was one of those almost a joke things. The young people, because they were almost all young, had all been inducted into the Endless back on Thayland, where they'd seen just how effective the Endless were. They'd learned about the six rules of delving, which would have been fine, with Bob being a sort of Chesty Puller figure, but then the Divine Blessings had appeared.

No one actually though that Bob was a god, but there was a growing number who thought that sainthood wasn't out of the question, especially with System giving tacit consent to the idea by way of adding new Divine Blessings.

The problem with the Endless was that they could and would tell the government 'no' if they disagreed. While it hadn't happened on a federal level yet, there had been an incident in California where the Governor had ordered them to provide portals to transport his cabinet and several supporters to a retreat in Colorado. The Endless, unable to see anyway that this would benefit anyone, given that the request also included kitchen and service staff, told the Governor of California to fuck off, explaining that he could just use helicopters to get there.

Elania personally thought the Endless probably would have agreed were it not for the demand that they wait until after the retreat was over to portal everyone back home, just in case something required one of the attendees immediate and local attention.

She was relying on that group to move both her citizens, and Mexico's from Dungeon to Dungeon, with the agreement that the Endless would be able to delve those Dungeons as well, variety being the spice of life.

"We're three weeks out from having enough Dimensionalists to start offering transport from New York, right?" She asked.

Taylor nodded. "We'll able to offer Portals, departing and arriving hourly, to and from one hundred Dungeons in danger of overflow," she replied. "The analysts think we'll be able to prevent any overflows within just a few days, at which point we'll start rotating through Dungeons based on capacity."

It was one of the better programs she'd implemented. She'd recruited from military personnel who were mustering out, offering them a Dimension Affinity Crystal in exchange for four years service as a glorified taxi. They'd been given secondary priority in the Dungeons, right behind the Druids. Her final concession, the one that had sealed the deal for them, is that they would be able to charge one mana crystal per person for each trip. Most of the volunteers had leveled up with an eye towards discounting the cost of their portal spell, so it wasn't unreasonable to assume that they'd quickly become rather wealthy.

Which turned her mind to another topic.

"The brothels?" She asked glumly.

"The crackdowns have driven the business back underground, where, unfortunately, our restoration of nationwide communications had allowed it to flourish," Taylor reported with a sigh.

The world's oldest profession had seen a staggering resurgence over the past six months. As it became clear that the world really had changed, and that levels, skills, and spell were the new hallmark of power, the lack of available delves in the nation's most densely populated cities had led to young women selling their services for mana crystals.

There were several factors involved, amongst them the general unwillingness to commit violence amongst most of the populace, an unwillingness notably not shared by a certain segment of the population, namely young, antisocial men. The gamers had, it turned out, inherited the Earth. They were the first to sign up for delving a Dungeon, and the most frequent. While the taxes she'd imposed were high, they did come out with mana crystals, but with little to spend them on. Young women who ordinarily wouldn't have given those young men the time of day, found themselves tempted by the wealth they boasted.

It was a tale as old as time, although normally it was older men who had the wealth, but it remained the same.

It might have gone unnoticed, were it not for the new policy which used the System for identification.

Acknowledging that the System was effectively all powerful, presenting one's status screen had taken the place of government identification.

As information was gathered, collated, and filed, it became clear that there was a growing trend of young women having reached level five without ever having delved a Dungeon. There had been numerous inquiries, the dangers of homegrown Dungeons being built and then abandoned having been made evident, which was the only way they could have delved without it being recorded. The young women had claimed to have received their crystals from their boyfriends, giving names. Those names had led to further interviews, where the nature of those relationships had become obvious.

Elania was of two minds. On the one hand, there were very few incidents of coercion. The young women had gone into the relationship intending to gain enough crystals to reach level five and take a path. Their bodies, their choice. They could have simply scheduled a slot to delve their local dungeon, and while they wouldn't have reached level five any where near as quickly, they could have done so. On the other hand, the few incidents of violence were almost all linked to a young man who found his relationship with a young woman over after he'd helped her reach level five. That tied neatly into the third hand, where those young men were exclusively leveling skills to fight monsters, while the young women for the most part, were not, which meant those altercations tended to go rather badly for the young women, while the whole affair meant that the people who were delving the most reliably weren't using their crystals to advance themselves, but others.

It was an absolute mess, and one that had provided unending headaches. The most recent issue had been actual Brothels popping up, allowing delvers fresh from the Dungeon to unwind in a very transactional fashion. Unfortunately, coercion had been an issue in many of the establishment, hence the crackdown.

"I don't have the bandwidth," Elania admitted. "I feel like were doing the best we can on that."

"On an even less pleasant note," Taylor continued, "I have the reports from the senior centers and the hospice care."