Chapter 3: Dead Skill
So... what? What the hell is a mutation point and a skill point? And how the hell did I level up?! It takes months of training for someone to even reach level one, but according to you, I'm level two now!
Also, what the hell?
How did I just eat three whole humans and not have exploded? I don't even feel any heavier. I thought you were the Zombie System, not the Kirby System.
[You must be very confused, Mars. You're not very intelligent after all, you poor thing.]
I massaged my forehead, suppressing my anger.
"Please carry on with your explanation, Gamm-ass."
[That wasn't very nice of you, Mars, but I'm proud of you for thinking of such a good insult all by yourself! Fortunately for you, I'm obligated to give you an explanation regardless of how good of a person you are. Well, not really a person. You're more like a gross monster, Mars.]
I once again glared into the nothingness of my previously white, yet now stained red with blood, apartment walls.
[Skill points are gained after leveling up and after completing certain tasks. They are extremely valuable, as they allow you to unlock and wield powerful skills. Mutation points, on the other hand, are granted to you after you consume a sufficient amount of human flesh. They can be used to mutate and alter your body to make you more powerful and increase your capabilities. The levels that the system assigns you are different than the levels that humans assign themselves. While the humans are ranking their abilities, the system is ranking you as a whole. You level up after earning enough Experience, which can be gained from killing and eating, as well as completing various tasks.]
[Finally, your metabolism has increased to a frightening rate, and all of the energy you gain from consuming human flesh, instead of being converted to fat, is converted to raw energy which flows throughout you. This is Mana, and the excess energy is simply stored to keep you from going hungry and used to increase your capabilities. Does this explanation suffice?]
Yeah, it suffices, Gamma. You may have a horrible personality, but at least you're useful. So, wanna tell me how I use these points?
[I'm glad you asked. I've added two new tabs to your status menu.]
I checked my status menu, and sure enough, two little tabs at the top had appeared. I opened the first one. It read "Mutations". I scrolled through the list of mutations, the ones that I couldn't afford or was too low of a level to buy being grayed out with a little icon of a lock over them.
There were 5 I could currently purchase.
[Enhanced Eyesight: Increases the precision of bearer's eyesight, as well as increasing the distance bearer can see.] (1 Mutation Point)
[Hunting Claws: Allows the bearer to grow retractable claws, replacing its nails. 1.5 inches long. 0.1 mm wide edges. (2 Mutation Points)]
[Thick Skull: Increases strength of skull, offering greater protection to bearers brain. (2 Mutation Points)]
[Condensed Muscles: +3 Strength. Causes bearers muscles to remain more compact while becoming stronger. Makes muscle training much easier. (2 Mutation Points)]
[Opposable Jaw: Allows bearer to dislocate his jaw, increasing the width of his bite. (2 Mutation Points)]
I decided to purchase Hunting Claws and Condensed Muscles since I didn't really have any offensive capabilities. While my healing factor would allow me to tank attacks pretty much infinitely, it didn't grant me any combat abilities.
As soon as I hit "Accept" on Hunting Claws, my fingers started to tingle before feeling my bones shift and my flesh split. It was an unpleasant sensation, and it hurt pretty bad, but with my new zombie pain tolerance I was able to bear it.
After about 30 seconds, it was over, and I felt new instincts connecting in my mind. I tried out my new mutation, my nails being ripped off and bone-white claws shooting out from under where they used to be. Badass. I tossed an apple in the air and sliced through it, content with my purchase. I retracted them back into my fingers. Like this, just looked like pointy nails.
Second was condensed muscles. This was far worse. I could feel every muscle in my body contracting and restricting. It sent me into seizure-like spasms for about a minute before relenting. I got up, feeling stronger and more lean.
Next, I opened the "Skills" tab. This was far more fascinating. Although many of them were locked, they were still more than worth looking at. Many of them were knowledge-based skills that would directly download information into my mind.
This was particularly interesting because quite a few of them were about the fundamentals of magic. Magic is an ancient art, lost to calamities that befell mankind. Humanity's magicians disappeared, and their powerful texts were lost with them. The texts that remained were left behind by the magicians, but they were only scraps of knowledge.
They described techniques used to move mana throughout one's body, mutating their cells and granting them a powerful ability. This ability could be trained, but only one could be learned. Regardless, even weak abilities were expensive, and I could never afford one.
Society was practically built on these abilities. People would pay anything to get their kid a strong ability and into a good academy. Unfortunately for me, my parents were dead, and I was left nada, nothing, zilch.
I'd been living on the terms of the government my whole life, and although they put me in a relatively prestigious government-run school, and would admit me into a military academy tomorrow, I had no ability, and thus, no status. The weak were bullied, the strong reigned, and all of them found me to be the perfect target to release some stress.
[Wow. You were REALLY pathetic. Your weakness has exceeded my expectations, Mars.]
Shut up, Gamma.
But this was strange. These weren't abilities, but texts on the formation of mana, how to craft spells, and so on. Dangerous and powerful abilities that had been forgotten for ages, only being lightly touched on in history class.
This could potentially make me far more powerful than any ability would. They were locked for now, though, and for the time being I would have to work with the other Skills.
There was a pretty long list, but in the end I went with another offensive ability:
[Charged Fingers (LVL 1): Electricity will run between the bearers fingers, electrifying anything touched by them.]
I tested it out, and a little web of electricity circled throughout all five of my fingers, creating a ring of pure energy. I felt powerful.
While getting ready to leave for my orientation at the academy, I looked into the bathroom mirror, only to be met with someone I hardly recognized. My face was smoother and paler, and my lips were fuller.
My eyes were now a deep seaglass green, and my muscles were toned and defined. The skinny loser from a couple hours ago had disappeared, and had been replaced with the guy of any girls dreams.
How the hell was I supposed to explain this? At least I was still recognizable, but still...
Well, whatever. No time to fret over being attractive! What a shame that I have a chance of getting a girlfriend, right? Hah!
[You're welcome. You really had no chance of getting one before, you know. I mean, in reality, I've already multiplied your chances of getting a girlfriend by 4.8 times. Unfortunately for you, I've done some calculations and discovered that 4.8 x 0 is still zero.]
Can it, machine. This is gonna be a good day! I've got power now! No more getting pushed around for Mars Valentine!
Mars' status menu:
[Name: Mars Valentine]
[Level: 2]
[Race: Zombie]
[Mutation Points: 0]
[Skill Points: 0]
[Skills:
Immortality (MAX):
*PASSIVE*
Bearer is effectively immortal so long as its brain remains intact. Bearer will not age and all injuries will be healed rapidly.
NOTE: If bearer does not consume human flesh regularly, the effects of {Immortality (MAX} will be diminished, reducing healing capabilities of the skill.
Pain Tolerance(LVL 1):
*PASSIVE*
Increases bearer's tolerance to pain.
Mana Drain (LVL 1):
*PASSIVE*
Through consuming human flesh, bearer can harvest the mana within it and increase his capabilities with mana-required skills as well as increase his physical capabilities.
Charged Fingers (LVL 1):
*ACTIVE*
Electricity will run between the bearers fingers, electrifying anything touched by them.]
[Mutations:
Hunting Claws: Allows the bearer to grow retractable claws, replacing its nails. 1.5 inches long. 0.1 mm wide edges.
Condensed Muscles: +3 Strength. Causes bearers muscles to remain more compact while becoming stronger. Makes muscle training much easier.]
[Ability: N/A]
[Curses:
Zombified:
Bearer has been affected by a strange and ancient pathogen. No longer requires sleep. Buffs to all stats. After going long enough without eating, bearer will turn into an insatiable killing machine, out to consume human flesh.
G.A.M.M.A.: The incredible and powerful system known as G.A.M.M.A. has granted pity on the pathetic bearer and granted him new life as a zombie. G.A.M.M.A. is amazing, beautiful, and all around the greatest creation the universe has produced.]
[Capabilities:
Strength: 12
Agility: 7
Endurance: 5
Intelligence: 8
Mana: 7
???: --
???: --]
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone