//THE OSSUARY’S ARCHIVES: UNIQUE CORES THAT HAVE MET THEIR FINAL END.

//SUBJECT: DANDAY WILTLOAM, STAURA CHOSEN OF ENDURANCE.

//CORE: LOOMING DREAD

//WHAT FOLLOWS IS ARCHIVIST’S ANALYSIS.

//CORE FUNCTION: BASE.

//Looming Dread is a core that may not be considered ‘unique’ by the simple definition of a single existence, as there have been previous examples of this core within the Ossuary’s Archives. However, they are all perfect duplicates of each other. No individual’s efforts, choices, or inclinations will alter how Looming Dread grows. While the bearer supplies the core with battery, it will emit a sort of aura that forces all those who encounter it to have what is described by humans as a ‘fight or flight’ reaction. One where the affected parties truly believe they are close to the end of their lives, with an intensity depending on the bearer’s core mastery. In addition, the bearer can denote who will be immune to the aura.

//ALTERNATE FUNCTION: CONTROL.

//This core can be controlled by the being who bestows it upon their chosen; Endra of Endurance. In addition, the core acts as a sort of incubator for parasites that hatch into the host’s body if Endra so pleases. These parasites differ from those that destroyed Matria Persephonia by leagues of magnitude, but there is not enough information on those that transformed into Endra’s physical manifestation for a complete analysis.

//FIRST EVOLUTION: DRINK DESPAIR

//When this core evolves, it gains a simple effect; those under the effect of its aura lose a percentage of their stats every time they give in to the thoughts planted in their minds by the core. The bearer gains stats equal to one-half of the stats lost.

//Appearance: A simple white pearl that emits a sense of discomfort. Chittering sounds can be heard if listening closely. Analysis confirms that consuming the core causes no adverse effects.

//Other Notes: Though there are previous examples of this core in the archives, this is the first time we have ever thought to take a closer look at it. If Endra is able to create cores such as this, there is a great possibility that other seemingly common cores in our collection have the same quality. An inquiry has been opened for all cores, and if any new data is revealed, this passage will be edited to reflect said changes.

//Final Shape: Testing indicated that this core was at mastery thirty-six when it was removed. But echoes of the core’s memories indicate that it had previously risen to mastery level seventy-one. Stats upon death, and the contents of the core’s node network, are as usual completely inaccessible even to the Ossuary’s advanced technology. Further research is currently underway.

A note for Sebastian: If Endra has the ability to remove core mastery from her chosen, she has the ability to move it somewhere else. That I can guarantee. Take extreme caution when dealing with any of Endra’s chosen, as they may have gained what Danday lost.

–Archivist

Archivist’s analysis came so much quicker than I’d been expecting. I’d barely just flopped down on the ground and splayed out in exhaustion as my armor worked to repair all the damage Danday had done to me. Jun and Mortician were busy emptying out their inventories with all the junk they’d taken off of Danday, all the while I scanned over the trinkets I’d taken from him for anything useful. That obviously stopped for a minute while I read Archivist’s notes, and when I was done, I almost felt worse than before.

“Is it that bad?” Jun asked in response to my heavy sigh. “Is it an Endra egg?”

“N… actually… sort of.” I said. I swiped to the screen with the Archives on it and went to turn it around for Jun, but she was already leaning over Mortician’s shoulder to read the exact same thing. “Oh, right. I forgot they have access too.”

Mortician nodded with a tinge of pride. “Not to the level that you do, though. There is still a fair amount that we attempt to access that is met with a warning and swift removal from that section.”

I had barely tried browsing the archives, so I didn’t actually know how much higher my clearance went than Mortician’s. I made yet another note to take a look and see what might be useful for us, but it was quickly buried under the pile of shit I already had to do.

Jun nodded and gestured to Mortician that she’d finished reading. “Thank you. It’s somehow… not as bad as I was expecting? It’s still beyond horrible, but I guess I thought Danday was one step away from becoming another Nia.”

“Yeah, he was still pretty far from that. But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t suffering horribly.” I sighed with as much sympathy I could show for the bastard. Which wasn’t much, but still probably more than he deserved. “You saw it said he had core mastery seventy-one at one point, right? Did either of you find anything that high level in his stuff?”

“Only three things.” Jun said as she bent over and sifted through a small pile of materials and trinkets. Most of which Danday couldn’t have been able to equip thanks to his slot limit. She found what she was looking for with a nod to herself, then gently tossed it to me. “That, a consumable you’ll probably put into endless, and a dagger that I’m going to keep for myself. It’s already heavily modified, so it might not even be worth corrupting.”

She tapped a beautiful knife against her armor as I opened my hand to see what I’d reactively caught. A simple red-gold ring, just a little too big for my fingers, inlaid with a single gleaming white symbol that I didn’t need anyone to tell me what it meant. Three parallel vertical lines, with two deep gouges between the lines. Like two eyes staring out from behind bars.

//(Common, Professional) Bonding Band: Endra.

//Core Mastery requirement: adaptive.

Current requirement: 71.

//Increases all bonuses granted by Endra of Endurance by (Core Mastery)%.

//For each chosen of Endra within a five-mile radius of the wearer, their stats are increased by 1. If no others are present, instead increase their stats by (Core Mastery/2)%.

“Stand together with overwhelming numbers or stand alone.” I muttered, twisting the ring between my fingers with disdain. “It’s a damn good thing Danday couldn’t use this.”

“And a horrible vision of things to come if we end up fighting a lot of these drowned monsters.” Jun said with grave seriousness. “If a hundred of them get together, a level one would be stronger than we are. If a thousand of them got together… well… I don't know if anyone could stand against them.”

I shook my head. “We don’t know how the ‘adaptive’ part works. Or if there’s an unwritten upper limit. I refuse to believe the system would just put something in that says ‘get ten thousand chosen and you have an army of literal gods’.”

“I hope you’re right.” Jun said reluctantly. “Because if you aren’t, we’re in a lot of trouble. On a lighter note; see what it’d cost to corrupt this. And if it’s better than what it already is.”

She tossed me the knife she’d taken from Danday. I caught it with a little more caution than the ring, and felt the sharp denial of an item that I couldn’t equip. Whatever stats or bonuses it granted were inaccessible to me, but I could still see them just fine.

//(Scarce, Masterpiece) Dreadsilver Accomplice.

//Core Mastery Requirement: 67.

//+67 Speed.(+1 per 5 item mastery of other equipped weapon)(+1 per 5 item mastery)

//+33 Power. (+1 per 10 item mastery of other equipped weapon)(+1 per 10 item mastery)

//While equipped alongside another one-handed weapon, that weapon is 50% stronger and this weapon gains a bonus effect based on that weapon’s type.

It didn’t say what the bonus effect was, but just making Jun’s other weapon 50% stronger was probably worth the equipment slot. And the fact that the stat upgrades triple-dipped from her core… yeah, it was almost like this thing was made for her. I highly doubted I’d be able to make anything better, but I activated peer-ahead anyway just to check.

//REITERATION (CORRUPTED,Masterpiece).

//Core Mastery Requirement: 73

//Current Item Mastery: 1.

//ONCE-MORE: Copies any trinket or one-handed weapon the user owns.

//Upgrades at item mastery [1]/18/27/38/???

Maybe in the endgame’s endgame, that would be better than the Dreadsilver Accomplice. But that also depended on what the ‘bonus effect’ was. And there was also the fact that I could just make Jun another gun instead of wasting a knife that was almost a corrupted item in its own right. I tossed it back to her with a nod, and she tucked it away in her inventory for later. Much later.

“And finally, we have the consumable.” Mortician said excitedly as they raised what looked like an old hourglass filled with a dark pink liquid. Tiny turquoise gemstones bobbed up and down through the opaque liquid, somehow visible through it even though nothing else was. “It has serious downsides if consumed while below a specific core mastery, though we assume you do not have to consume it to place it within endless. Once you have enough high-grade consumables, it would be prescient to do so.”

“Prescient?” I mused as Mortician gently placed the hourglass in my hand. “I don’t think that means what you think it means.”

Mortician tilted their head to the side, then blushed a deep gold. “We meant to say prudent.”

“Of course you did.” I said with a smile. “Of course you did.”

//Mind-Shear Reprieve (Depleted, Mythical)

//When consumed by someone with core mastery 70 or less, they become unable to move for the duration of this consumable.

//Accelerates all of the user’s beneficial processes by 500% for 5 minutes.

“That’s a lot of acceleration.” I whistled. “And, honestly, that downside isn’t that terrible. It makes it completely unusable in combat, sure, but it gives me thirty minutes worth of rest in five minutes. That has to count for something.”

Jun nodded in agreement. “With all the stuff for later out of the way, we still have everything Danday hoarded with us. His ‘good’ armor only needs core mastery fifty-three to equip, which isn’t that far away, and he’s got a few trinkets we only need two or three more levels to make use of. How should we decide who gets what?”

“Is the armor worth keeping on its own?” I asked.

“...Probably?” Jun shrugged. “It gives a good amount of stats, and each piece has a simple function that makes a barrier, just like Danday used but stronger. I could make good use of it.”

“Then keep it.” I decided. “Mortician, is there anything you think you could use?”

They looked up from the pile of materials with a guilty look on their face. “We have many ideas for how Okeria could improve our armor. Most of which begin with utilizing these materials Danday left behind. Unless you wish to use them for corruption, we think it would be beneficial to let Okeria look through this pile before we make any further decisions.”

I pushed myself to my feet and joined Mortician and Jun at the table. The ‘materials’ were a bunch of strange metals, some gemstones, and samples of things I couldn’t even describe housed within little glass vials. I highly doubted Danday carried this stuff around all the time, which meant he must’ve stolen it with the intent to screw Endra over just a little more.

“There’s no harm in showing it to Okeria first.” I said as I swept my hand over the pile, moving a third of it to my inventory. “If you don’t have enough room in your inventory, Jun and I can carry more than our share.”

“Oh, we have next to nothing inside of ours.” Mortician informed me as they took their third. “If the two of you are overloaded with weight, we would be more than pleased to aid you.”

Jun smiled and crossed her arms. “Thanks for the offer, but I think we’ll be fine.”

I found myself agreeing with her. I had more space in my inventory than I knew what to do with, and it was definitely because I wasn’t carrying around rations or camping supplies like I had in my last life. But if Endra took over Rainbow Basin, I might have to go right back to that sort of living.

“Let’s check out the trinkets, then get moving.” I said with a shake of my head to clear my thoughts. There was no point thinking like that until we knew exactly what we were dealing with.