Seated upon his throne within the enigmatic confines of Voidwatch Castle, Markus allowed himself a rare moment of introspection. The recent culmination of events, the revival of the Protheans and the termination of the Reapers' relentless harvest cycle had irrevocably altered the trajectory of the galaxy. A subtle, satisfied chuckle escaped his lips as he contemplated the cascading ramifications of his actions.
The resurrection of the Prothean species introduced a formidable power back into the galactic arena. Once the architects of a vast empire that spanned the stars, the Protheans had been revered and in some quarters, feared for their technological prowess and imperial ambitions. Their sudden re emergence was poised to disrupt the established balance among the current civilizations. The Asari, Turians, Salarians, and Humans, who had long considered themselves the galaxy's stewards, now faced the challenge of integrating or opposing a race with claims of ancient dominion. Political alliances would be tested, and the specter of conflict loomed as the Protheans sought to reclaim their place in the cosmic order.
By dismantling the Reapers' cyclical purging mechanism, Markus had effectively severed the galaxy from its predetermined fate. For eons, civilizations had risen only to be culled at their zenith, a pattern that ensured stagnation and prevented any one species from achieving ultimate ascendancy. With this cycle broken, the natural order was upended. Races were now free to evolve without the looming threat of annihilation, leading to unprecedented advancements or unforeseen chaos. The removal of this existential check introduced variables that could either foster an era of unparalleled cooperation or ignite wars of unprecedented scale as species vied for dominance in the newfound power vacuum.
Markus reveled in the uncertainty his actions had sown. The galaxy, once trapped in a monotonous loop of rise and fall, now faced a horizon brimming with both promise and peril. Within a few centuries, he mused, the tapestry of this galaxy would be unrecognizable. A testament to his influence and a source of endless intrigue for his immortal gaze. Content with the seeds of transformation he had planted, Markus leaned back into the shadows of his throne, a smile playing upon his lips.
He contemplated what to do now that the Mass Effect 3 lore had been fully integrated, his eyes locked onto his already mastered Flash skill, now at level 10. In a moment of unbridled determination, he initiated the evolution process. With a quiet, almost imperceptible surge of arcane energy, Flash began its transformation. Markus's system displayed subtle flickers of code and energy, confirming that evolution was underway, and soon Flash evolved into Blitz.
After a brief interlude, the transformation completed. The evolved skill, now named Blitz, emerged as a force to be reckoned with. Its details flashed on Markus's status page in a crisp interface:
Blitz Lv.1 (Evolved from Flash Lv. 10)
Range: 1,000 meters (increases by 10% with each level)
Time Dilation: 90% (all entities within range move at 10% of normal speed for 5 seconds)
Bonus: Grants Markus a 100% boost to attack and movement speed during the effect
Description: Blitz unleashes a burst of accelerated energy that warps the battlefield. Blitz channels the essence of rapid phase movement to overwhelm foes, granting Markus superhuman speed and a temporal advantage that leaves enemies staggered and vulnerable. Its range and speed enhancements grow with every level.
Markus leaned back, watching the new ability shimmer into existence on his status page. With Blitz now at his command, he knew that every confrontation would be marked by a sudden, overwhelming burst of speed and power.
Turning his attention inward, Markus contemplated another formidable ability he had acquired from Ciri, Dimensional Drift. This skill promised instantaneous traversal across universes and alternate realities, a tantalizing prospect that beckoned exploration. Opting to test its efficacy over the more familiar World Gate, he rose from his throne with deliberate grace.
Approaching the expansive window, the gravitational pull of the black hole seemed almost palpable. Activating Fate's Edict, he sought to ensure his journey would not lead him into realms dominated by entities such as Dark Wolf Shiro or other worlds steeped in Woke idiocy or Cancel culture. Satisfied with the safeguard in place, a subtle smirk played upon his lips.
With unwavering resolve, Markus engaged Dimensional Drift. The chamber momentarily shimmered as reality bent to his will, and in an instant, he vanished, leaving behind the silent expanse of Voidwatch Castle, now devoid of its master.
A sudden ripple tore through the fabric of reality, and Markus emerged without sound or spectacle, stepping forth into a lush, dense forest bathed in filtered sunlight. Towering trees stretched skyward, their canopies forming a living ceiling of green and gold. The air was thick with the scent of moss and blooming flora, damp earth cushioning his boots with every step.
Markus halted, his sharp gaze scanned the alien surroundings. No distant hum of technology. No echo of civilization. Only chirping insects, rustling leaves, and the hush of a world untouched by modernity. He inhaled slowly through his nose, expression unreadable. "Medieval," he murmured, "wonderful."
There was no immediate sign to identify the world. No ruined monuments, no Mass Relays, no recognizable structures, and no indicators of dimensional bleed or prior tampering. It was as if he had been dropped into a blank page.
Markus exhaled with a hint of restrained irritation, as he activated his Wraith skill.
His body faded instantly, shifting into a ghostly silhouette before vanishing entirely. He passed through tree trunks, rocks, and even the wind itself without resistance. A silent phantom cloaked in ethereal grace.
Hovering midair, untethered by gravity or form, he invoked Reality Domination. The world bent subtly to his will as its structure unfolded in his mind. Mountain ranges, oceans, rivers, and settlements began to take shape within a metaphysical map sculpted by the very fabric of the realm itself.
But as the topography solidified he frowned.
Nothing.
No coordinates matched. No landmarks triggered recognition. No world name surfaced from the deep, immortal well of his memory.
Markus narrowed his eyes, irritation edging into his voice. "Either I've stepped into the pages of a discarded bedtime story… or Fate's Edict has failed me."
His form drifted higher into the canopy, the ghost of a smirk forming as his sarcasm laced the silence. "If some isekai protagonist greets me with cheerful optimism and a sword that talks, I swear I'll detonate the entire planet."
With a sigh layered in contempt and curiosity, Markus prepared his next move. Scanning for sentient life whose memories might reveal this world's secrets.
Still cloaked in his ethereal wraith form, Markus drifted soundlessly toward the nearest settlement. A modest village nestled between the tree line and a winding stream. Cobblestone streets, open air market stalls, and timber framed homes dotted the landscape. The scent of baked bread and livestock mingled with the stale aura of stagnant progress.
Using subjugation, his presence seeped into the minds of nearby villagers, farmers, merchants, guards, even a bored innkeeper polishing mismatched mugs. Memories flooded into Markus's consciousness like a cascade of fragmented glass, each shard offering a glimpse of the world's story. Language, culture, currency, even political gossip passed through him in seconds. And then finally he recognized this world.
"…Living in this World with Cut and Paste," he muttered, the words dripping with disdain.
His eyes narrowed as his incorporeal form floated above the town square. His lips twisted into a grimace of cultivated disappointment. "Of all the wretched, juvenile worlds the multiverse had to cough up."
Saccharine scenes of emotional monologues, unnecessary and awkward harem antics flitted through Markus's mind like a particularly ineffective psychic virus. "Ah yes… the hero," Markus sneered, voice laced with theatrical revulsion. "An emotionally stunted cabbage with the combat instincts of wet parchment. A golden ticket to absurd power… and the moral compass of a temple acolyte on sugar."
He crossed his arms behind his back, exhaling in silent frustration. "This is a universe where cheat abilities are squandered on chore completion."
Markus turned from the town, his patience wearing thin. "Solo Leveling offered ambition. The Witcher, depth. Mass Effect, scale. And now this," he said, motioning vaguely at a farmer attempting to cheerfully stack crates in the rain, slipping and faceplanting into cabbage.
He hovered higher, gaze lifting to the distant horizon. "The only silver lining here is that this world's rules are flimsy enough to break."
His voice dropped to a whisper. "Which means I can make it mine before its protagonist finishes another righteous speech about saving village girls from overgrown rabbits."
With newfound purpose and a palpable sense of contempt, Markus began crafting his next move. One that would turn this world's simplistic foundation into something far more… refined.
Hovering high above the village, Markus allowed the last threads of extracted memory to settle within his mind. The name floated to the surface: Myne, a boy of no remarkable origin and even less remarkable charisma, yet granted reality defining abilities through means still unknown.
"Hmph… Appraisal, Cut, Paste. As if naming a child's coloring book," Markus muttered with disdain. "And yet, it's not the naming sense that warrants attention… but the source."
He cast his awareness outward, allowing his omniscient perception, sharpened by layers of Reality Domination and Omniscient Awareness to scan through timelines and probabilistic paths. If the boy had already awakened his skills, then Markus would act at once. Copy them, elevate them, and bring them to proper form through discipline and evolution. If not, he would merely watch… like a spider atop his web, waiting for the string to quiver.
"I shall locate this brat," he said aloud, tone clipped and refined. "And should my memory prove accurate, he should be fawning about somewhere near the capital. Worshipping temple stones and babbling nonsense about being a king, no doubt."
With but a thought, he vanished again, reappearing miles east, closer to the central regions of the kingdom. An invisible wraith among peasants and cobbled roads, nobles with garish attire, and knights who looked more ceremonial than lethal. He passed unseen through walls, taverns, and mansions, scanning thoughts and surface memories for a trace of origin of the this power.
It was not just the boy that intrigued him. It was the method. praying in a magic circle in a church to unlock metaphysical powers? A ritual so absurdly simplistic it practically reeked of concealed depth.
"No such boon is granted freely," Markus murmured, eyes narrowing behind the wraith veil. "There must be a system. A binding structure. Some manner of external force governing the allocation of such power."
His thoughts turned colder, more clinical. "And where there is a source... there is ownership. If it distributes power to fools, it can be reappropriated. Rewritten. Seized."
Already he envisioned it: the Cathedral, or perhaps some divine relic buried beneath it. A fragment of a greater mechanism or deity, operating as a forgotten administrator for this world's rules. It would be his soon enough.
"But first," Markus mused, drifting through the shadows like a ghost king in exile, "I shall unravel the truth of these gifts. And when I am done dissecting this world's mechanics, I will reap its essence down to the bedrock."
The contempt in his voice melted into anticipation. A lesser world, yes. But lesser worlds were often the easiest to twist, to reshape, to own.
Activating his Omniscient Awareness and Reality Domination, Markus cast his consciousness across the entire planet. In mere moments, every living human's essence was mapped and cataloged within his mind. Among the myriad of souls, one stood out: Myne, the boy of interest.
Without hesitation, Markus teleported to Myne's location, his form remaining concealed in the ethereal veil of his Wraith skill. Observing the unsuspecting youth, Markus initiated his Copy Card ability. Three translucent cards materialized, orbiting silently around his head, each inscribed with the names of his skills:
Appraisal-Complete
Cut
Paste
A smirk played on Markus's lips. "So, the boy has already awakened his abilities," he mused internally. Utilizing his three available copy slots, he extracted Cut, Paste, and Appraisal-Complete from the brat, feeling the new powers integrate seamlessly into his own repertoire.
Focusing on the newly acquired skills, Markus examined their properties:
Appraisal-Complete (Lv 1): Grants the user the ability to examine and discern the details of any object or entity with complete accuracy.
Cut (Lv 1): Allows the user to remove specific skills or attributes from a target.
Paste (Lv 1): Enables the user to transfer the previously 'cut' skills, abilities or traits to another target.
Recognizing the potential, Markus recalled from this world's plot that a particular slime possessed a skill that amplified experience gain tenfold. Determined to expedite his leveling process, he teleported to the nearest forest where this slime was known to dwell.
Engaging the creature, Markus employed his newly acquired skills, effectively 'cutting' the experience boosting ability from the slime and 'pasting' it onto himself. Recognizing the immense potential of the Tenfold Experience Acquisition skill he had extracted from the unassuming slime, Markus's strategic mind raced with possibilities. This ability, which amplified experience gains by ten times, was a rare gem in such a rudimentary world. Determined to maximize its benefits, he utilized his Omniscient Awareness to conduct a comprehensive scan of the planet, pinpointing the exact locations of all similar slimes harboring this coveted skill.
Without delay, Markus embarked on a calculated campaign, employing his Cut ability on the Tenfold Experience Acquisition skill from the identified slimes. Through repetition, he amassed and integrated the skill nine additional times, culminating in its elevation to level ten. Anticipating a significant transformation, Markus initiated the evolution process. As expected, the skill transcended its original form, evolving into Hundredfold Experience Acquisition. This formidable ability now granted a hundredfold increase in experience acquisition, not only accelerating his personal advancement but also exponentially enhancing the proficiency growth of his skills.
Skill: Hundredfold Experience Acquisition
Description: Augments the user's experience gain by 100 times, encompassing both personal leveling and skill proficiency advancement. This enhancement accelerates overall growth and mastery at an unprecedented rate.
Satisfied with this substantial enhancement, Markus turned his focus back to his strategic objectives, now equipped with a vastly accelerated pathway to power.
As dawn approached, Markus paused, acknowledging the progress made. He resolved to continue this regimen, utilizing his Copy Card ability to its maximum limit of ten extractions per individual, ensuring each skill reached its pinnacle.
"Soon," he reflected, "these rudimentary tools will evolve into instruments of unparalleled power."
Over the next three days, Markus maintained a vigilant watch over Myne, observing the boy's journey back to his village, his encounters with thieves, and his initiation into the Adventurer's Guild. Each day, Markus utilized his Copy Card ability to replicate Myne's skills, ensuring he extracted Cut, Paste, and Appraisal-Complete to their maximum potential.
By the end of this period, Markus had elevated Appraisal-Complete to level 9, while both Cut and Paste reached level 7. Recognizing the necessity of advancing these abilities further, he committed an additional day to intensive training, culminating in all three skills attaining level 10.
With his objectives in this realm temporarily fulfilled, Markus retreated to his palace in Vizima, nestled within the Witcher world contained in his subspace. Seated upon his ornate throne, he prepared to initiate the evolution process of his newly mastered skills.
Markus exuded an aura of composed authority. The chamber was dimly lit, the flickering flames from the hearth casting elongated shadows across the intricate tapestries that adorned the walls. Ida Emean aep Sivney was on her knees working hard to help him "relax". Her presence was both calming and dignified, a testament to her centuries of wisdom and grace. Recognizing the significance of the moment, Ida maintained a steady rhythm, her keen eyes observing Markus with a blend of curiosity and reverence.
With a deep, measured breath, Markus closed his eyes and initiated the evolution of the three skills he had acquired from Myne. The air around him grew dense with arcane energy, subtle currents of power weaving intricate patterns that danced across the chamber.
As the evolution process unfolded, Markus felt a profound shift within the skills of Appraisal-Complete, Cut, and Paste. They began to transcend their original forms, each undergoing a metamorphosis that promised unparalleled potency.
Appraisal-Complete Lv. 10 transformed into Insight Lv. 1: A newfound clarity settled over Markus, granting him the ability to instantly comprehend all attributes, history, and potential of any object or being, including hidden aspects that can elude even the most discerning eyes.
Cut Lv. 10 evolved into Rule Lv.1: An intricate understanding of complex abilities and entities unfolded in his mind. He now possessed the capability to analyze, deconstruct, and selectively remove or replicate specific elements with surgical precision.
Paste Lv. 10 ascended to Bestow Lv.1: A sense of magnanimity enveloped him as he could now grant skills or traits to multiple targets without affecting of losing his skill simultaneously, with the discretion to set conditions or limitations on their use, ensuring absolute control.
As the final tendrils of energy settled, Markus exhaled slowly, he reached his climax, holding the Elven sorceress' head in place as he "bestowed" in her throat his grievances of the last week. There was nothing better compared to Elven beauties in the whole multiverse to make a person feel relieved to his core. The evolution was complete, and with it, a new chapter of power and dominion awaited.
In the quiet pre dawn hours, Markus materialized near Myne's modest dwelling, his form concealed by the ethereal shroud of his Wraith skill. The village was still, save for the occasional rustle of leaves and distant calls of nocturnal creatures. Approaching the sleeping boy, Markus extended his hand, initiating the Rule ability.
A subtle, almost imperceptible glow enveloped Myne as Markus meticulously extracted the skills Appraisal-Complete, Cut, and Paste from him. He deleted the rest of the skills the boy has gained in the last week. The process was seamless, leaving no trace of their prior existence within the boy. In their stead, Markus employed his Bestow ability, granting Myne a suite of rudimentary skills:
Mana Manipulation (Beginner): Basic control over one's internal mana flow.
Fireball (Novice): The ability to conjure and launch a small, low intensity fire projectile.
Observe (Basic): A limited appraisal skill, providing superficial information about objects or entities.
To ensure continuity in Myne's perception, Markus delicately altered his memories, weaving a narrative wherein these modest abilities had always been his. The boy would awaken none the wiser, his past seamlessly rewritten.
With Myne's situation addressed, Markus shifted his focus to the priest responsible for skill registration. A pivotal figure who documented and reported the abilities bestowed upon the youth. Teleporting to the potential child predator if he was following the tradition from Vatican, Markus found the priest in his quarters, poring over ancient texts by candlelight. Employing subjugation, Markus delved into the priest's consciousness, erasing all recollections pertaining to Myne's original skills. To further fortify the deception, he implanted fabricated memories aligning with the newly assigned abilities.
Extending his reach, Markus systematically visited each individual privy to knowledge of Myne's former talents. Through precise application of subjugation, he expunged any traces of the boy's previous prowess from their minds, replacing them with congruent false memories.
As the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, Markus stood amidst the village square, the culmination of his meticulous endeavor complete. The collective consciousness of the community had been reshaped; the narrative of Myne possessing the formidable skills of Appraisal-Complete, Cut, and Paste was no more. Satisfied, Markus dissolved into the shadows, leaving behind a world subtly yet irrevocably altered.
Having meticulously erased all traces of boy's former abilities, Markus turned his attention to the broader expanse of this world. Activating his Omniscient Awareness, he conducted a comprehensive scan of all living creatures, cataloging their inherent skills and potential threats.
Among the myriad beings, an entity piqued his interest: the Orc King, a formidable creature possessing the skill Realize. This ability bore a striking resemblance to Markus's own Reality Domination, granting the power to manifest thoughts into reality. The existence of such a skill in a world of otherwise rudimentary capabilities was an anomaly that warranted immediate attention.
Without hesitation, Markus employed his Rule ability to extract Realize from the Orc King, deeming it imprudent for such a creature to wield such power. The skill merged seamlessly with his Reality Domination, enhancing its versatility without altering its inherent potency.
Encouraged by this augmentation, Markus systematically sought out other beings endowed with unique or potent abilities. Through a series of precise extractions, he assimilated various skills, each integration further refining his own capabilities.