Ahead, the grain of the rock switched texture for about three feet. The regular grooves of the Drone Diggers morphed to a rougher finish. Choo’s inner glow, neon purple, diffused dim light in the dusty corridor. Plenty enough for Enoch’s Night Vision.

He pushed to his max Speed, the crippled version, activated Sprint then Dash. His one good foot pushed for a jump. His peg-leg hit the wall at an angle, stayed there through adherence and momentum. He leaned on it until his good foot landed further on the wall. His own body at an uncomfortable angle, Enoch swiftly completed his Wall Jump.

***

The commentator couldn’t believe her eyes. The proof undeniable, stuck on her face, wired into her brain. She should have watched more of his replays. She had missed his style. The chat had cheered as she roasted him. An ignorant fool who ran around at random. Alone.

Everyone knew groups were better in this game. She had spammed her stream everywhere, flaunted her savant idiot of a player.

“Come see a solo runner stuck in the Continental Final, he’s already missing a leg.”

He couldn’t talk to an NPC to save his life. He didn’t collect a single resource. Her old group would have a fortified castle by now, with some NPC servants and an alliance or two, maybe a trade route and a safe dungeon. No, the simpleton had run straight down to a hard biome. Who in their right mind would go into a Drones tunnel at level 7? Not to mention aggroing a whole army of mutants.

Look at him. Another averted trap. Two days of intense scouting in the abandoned tunnels. He barely made any XP in that forsaken place. Both the major and Andrej compensated him with the same quest. Scout and scout again. One day of work, two rewards.

It didn’t made sense. Such weird plays, yet he did just fine. Even his peg leg barely held him back. What should have been a public humiliation had turned against her.

“So when does he die horribly to a trap again?”

“Came here to laugh at the guy. Nothing wrong with him”

“Art Delvers are already on their third boss. They’ll eat him alive when they find him.”

“The Fourth Wave have lost so much time on him. You should check their rogue. He’s freaking out in the chat, all butthurt.”

***

Only two levels in two days. Level 9 now. Enoch picked +1 Agility, +1 Martial and danced around two +1 Speed on the Mobility branch. The attribute was useless for him. Too many synergies already enhanced it. It would cap at Speed 11 by itself. Any nodes spent was wasted.

He picked Sprint 2 and Dash 2 instead. Now he needed more Stamina. It would have to wait for level 10, his Luck 1 had revealed a second hidden option after the +1 Martial node. One of Enoch’s favorite Skill. Blitz. He had to take it no matter what.

The chat hive mind had its own identity crisis about Blitz.

“The commentator hasn’t said a thing yet. lol.” Tip | 22$

‘’Brag all you want. The odds weren’t in his favor.”

‘’Everyone picked on him nonstop for daring the Luck 1 build. Looked what it got him.’

Agility 2 | Attribute | Rarity 1

Multiplier x3 | Dodge 2 | Speed 0

Martial 1 | Attribute | Rarity 3

10% improved Damage

Damage 1 | Parry 1 | Stance 1

Dash 2 | Skill | Rarity 2

10x Speed for a short burst.

Duration 3 seconds | Refresh 9 seconds

Cost | 15 Stamina

Sprint 2 | Skill | Rarity 1

2x Speed for a decent stretch.

Duration 20 seconds | Refresh 1 minute

Cost | 30 Stamina

Blitz 1 | Skill | Rarity 7

Grants invulnerability while the caster rush to the target at 10x Speed.

Knockback 7 | Duration 2 seconds | Refresh 10 minute

Cost | 40 Stamina

Mobility 4 | Attribute | Rarity 3

40% improved Speed

Speed 4 | Jump 4 | Climb 4 | Swim 4

His choices had been simple for Choo Choo, Intellect 2 because the core needed the Mana and Telekinesis 2. Enoch didn’t like the Spell so far, but it was required to reach the next level of Totem Golem.

Intellect 2 | Attribute | Rarity 1

Multiplier 3 | Mana +20 | Reroll 4%

Telekinesis 2 | Spell | Rarity 2

Targeted object will move as an extension of the caster’s will.

Duration 8 seconds | Refresh 2 seconds

Cost 20 Mana | Range 2 | Capacity 20 pounds x1

***

The bubble of purple light morphed, absorbed by the large dimension of the room. Dry and dusty like the rest. No apparent traps. No sign of recent life. Three tiny tunnels went out of the room, uneven, dug by creatures long gone. The whole maze was ancient. Diverse habitants had come and gone, leaving their own mark. All paled in the face of the original makers. The Drones.

Enoch drank a gulp of light beer and ran, keeping to the main path. The villagers needed large roads for their wagons.

***

Two hours of heavy running. A dozen of avoided traps. The amount didn’t made sense. Too many, too old yet functional. Gameplay imperative.

Enoch turned a straight corner, made a few strides an stopped abruptly. He clicked his tongue and hit the top of his head with his index.

Choo followed the command and shifted his outer layer to block all light.

A repulsive musk assaulted him. The pungent sent of Mutants. Unavoidable for Enoch’s high Perception.

Not good. They were already chasing the caravan from the original Shaft. Now they were in front of it.

Enoch took a mental note of the path. Went back to his allies. He would update his crude map later.

A piece of broken rock hit Enoch’s back. No reaction. The constant flickering of his jolly core had lost its charms long ago. Enjoy it for now, Choo. Telekinesis would be banned next game, and all the ones after it.