Chapter 6: Defeating the Mimic Gimmick
How To Properly Fight a Kaiju:
Step 1: Assess the Kaiju.
Example: The [Mimic Brood Queen] stands around 400 feet tall. Her skin is the town itself, dappled with wooden and brick buildings intertwined with cobblestone streets. From every open pore (which is to say windows, doors, sewer grates and any other openings), come smaller mimics by the hundreds, with no rhyme nor reason to their form. The [Mimic Brood Queen] herself lets out a screech; a horrid grainy siren that sounds like metal pipes dragging along granite. She has no clear weaknesses nor weapons, but everything is a weakness if you hit it hard enough, and everything is a weapon if it hits you hard enough.
Step 2: Level the Playing Field
Example: I am not an engineer or technician. I know about as much of the inner workings of machinery as the average chinchilla, but I sure as fuck know what a humanoid shape is. From the remainder of the town surrounding the giant pit from where the [Mimic Brood Queen] ascended, I use telekinesis to grab buildings, rocks, lampposts, and anything else I can wrap my mana around. The headache that pounds into my head is fierce, but the adrenaline and excitement easily drown it out as I form a massive humanoid shape from the rubble, placing myself in the head and leaving an opening in front of me to see my opponent.
Step 3: Say the Thing
Example: “HEY! WHY DON’T YOU PICK ON SOMETHING YOUR OWN SIZE!”
Step 4: Congratulate Yourself on Saying the Thing
Example: Nailed it. A+ Calvin. No notes.
Step 5: The First Clash
Example: With titanic booming steps, I place one foot of incredibly unsound random debris in front of the other, and swing a vaguely armshaped cylinder at the [Mimic Brood Queen]. Meeting my thuggish and inelegant attack with a swinging arm of their own, culminating in a hand that looks like it was once a tavern, an enormous crash rings out and pieces of both of our bodies go flying. My head pounds from pain, my brain screams from exertion, but my heart sings with joy.
Step 6: The Rising Action
Example: Crashing boom after crashing boom rings out through the town as my improvised mech suit and the massive mimic smash each other. We bang so hard that I actually see a few mimics on the ground get crushed by the falling debris. As we mutually crush on each other, I can feel my hold on my telekinesis begin to slip from the strain of keeping so many things afloat. But it’s ok, even if I get blown, it’s all part of the plan.
Step 7: Dramatic Defeat
Example: Finally, the pain gets to me, and just as another of the [Mimic Brood Queen]’s massive arms (of which there are now 6. When did that happen?) smashes into the ill formed body of my mech suit, I fall to the ground, the debris I was holding up following me. The [Mimic Brood Queen] lets out a triumphant screech, and moves to stomp me. As she does, I engage a little agility to really draw out the moment.
Step 8: Tragic Flashback
Example: I can see it clear as day. I was 9 years old in my living room, watching the movie Pacific Rim for the first time. My eyes were sparkling as I had finally decided upon my future career path. I turned to my mom, and said with excitement,
“Mommy! I’m gonna pilot a mech and fight kaiju when I grow up!”
My mom looked down at me with sad eyes.
“Oh honey, those things don’t exist I’m afraid. If they did, that’s what I’d be doing too. The harshest truth of life is that it has no obligation to be interesting. But you know what Cal?” She picks me up and plops me on her lap. “Life is what you make it, so no matter how boring things get, there’s always something interesting you can do to spice things up. Now, what are you thinking for dinner?”
“I want life to be cooler,” I say with annoyance.
“Honey, that isn’t a food.”
Step 9: Dramatic Resurgence
Example: Just before the foot of the [Mimic Brood Queen] lands on my head, my hand shoots up, and about a foot above it, I use telekinesis to catch it. In one swift motion, I look up to stare at the giant figure, narrowing my eyes for maximum drama. With a small smile, I whisper to myself. “Look at me now, mom.” I begin to rise into the air, carrying the entirety of the [Mimic Brood Queen] with me.
Step 10: Epic Final Blow
When we get about 500 feet above the ground I let the giant creature stop and rise above it, using one hand to conjure a massive fireball about the size of a school bus. Speaking in as low and gravelly of a voice as I can muster, I stare directly at the [Mimic Brood Queen], who at this point is growing random appendages and flailing around for a surface to stand on, and say, “Mimic this, bitch!” She falls to the ground with a massive boom and a rising plume of smoke that obscures my vision, but let’s face it, she’s pretty hard to miss. I launch the fireball, which is loaded with as much explosive payload as my still aching mind can muster, straight down into the smoke, and a gargantuan flaming sphere expands from its center, leaving ruin in its wake. As I descend through the smoke, I do a quick check to make sure I have the kill notification, and smile as I see it. Still, as soon as I spot it, I dismiss it, as well as all the other notifications. Still gotta beat the floor boss, then I’ll do a full checkup. I seem to have a habit of reducing floors to smoldering craters, but in my defense, both times were kinda awesome.
I fly around till I find the edge of the floor and then follow it until I find the large door that marks the way to the boss room. Flying feels much easier all of a sudden, but I will get back to my theory about why later. Where the first floor door was made of metal and the handle was the only part engraved, this door is made of what looks like wood, but upon closer inspection, is some sort of clay that has been intricately carved to look like wood. The handle is covered in beautiful red and pink flowers. I reach out to grasp the handle, and then immediately pull my hand back with a wince, as the flowers apparently all have some sort of hidden thorns. Rolling my eyes, I use a little mana to burn away the flowers and grasp the handle. Learning from the first floor, I engage significantly less of my strength, but enough to swing the door open in a quick and smooth movement. As soon as I get a look inside however, I pause. I blink, and look again. Nope, still the same flickering ceiling light, the same faded green wallpaper, the same familiar trophies lining the mantlepiece from her prolific highschool soccer career. The same cracked windows, from when we fought and I threw a mug. The same ripped yellow couch, with loose green threads from my several repairs that never seemed to stick. The same chair at the end of the room facing the window, the only piece of furniture in the apartment that was in good condition, the only place where either of us could find peace in those last few years, reading and watching the cars go by. Sitting in that seat, I can only see the back of her head, but I know immediately that it’s her. After all, for me, it’s only been a matter of days since I saw Lucy, and that I told her, while she was sitting in that very chair, that it was over.
All of my excitement and enthusiasm melts into a cold and indifferent shell that I curl into. Smoothly, with no unnecessary movements or dramatic flair, I step into the room. No system window describing the name and level of the boss pops up. I scowl.
“I don’t know who or what you are, but this is in poor taste.”
I hear the clap of the book being closed, and Not-Lucy stands and turns to look at me, a wry smile on her face.
“Babe, don’t be ridiculous, of course you know who I am. It’s me, Lucy. You just got back from work, are you feeling ok?”
My scowl grows deeper as I see a system window pop up.
“Really? You really think you can convince me that none of it was real? What could possibly convince you that would ever work?”
Her smile slips a little, and her eyes blink the wrong direction.
“Babe, I really don’t know what you’re talking about. Maybe we should take you to see the doctor. Just close your eyes and listen to my voice. It will all be ok.”
“I generally consider myself to be fairly chill, all things considered, but I, like everyone, have a snapping point. You are getting very fucking close to it. I am going to give you one chance: drop this mind control bullshit, and go out fighting like a normal person. If you do, I promise your end will be quick and painless.”
Her eyes grow wide with panic, as she snarls.
“This… this is impossible! It isn’t supposed to be like this! Maybe… maybe I just have the wrong pressure point.”
The apartment fades, and the white and sterile halls of a hospital come into view. On the bed is an abomination taking the form of my mother. Her eyes aren’t quite right, missing her signature sparkle, and her expression is all wrong, her nose crinkled in the wrong way, her eyes wide and brimming with tears, but somehow, in some cruel twist of fate, she got the smile perfectly. That wide and exuberant smile, even in the face of death, so filled with love, and always with a wicked slant at the left corner that fills her grin with mischief. A tear rolls down my cheek as I look at her.
“It’s me honey, it’s mommy. It’s all going to be ok.”
It is times like this that make me understand, truly understand, the difference between anger and rage. I am not angry. I do not want to yell and scream and make this creature repent or understand. My heartbeat is steady, my breathing is calm. There is no conflict in my mind. There is only rage. The creature in the bed goes stiff, as if the gravity around her increased by several fold. She shakes in the bed, as if trying to move, but can’t. She tries to look at me, tries to say something, but whatever holds her prevents her from speaking. Slowly, I raise my hand and step back.
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“Burn.”
Her body is engulfed in purple flame, her mana fueling the fire of her own demise. I am sure, if she could speak, she would be screaming. I know I was, when I felt what she is feeling. The hospital begins to shake and shimmer. I suppose her mana was maintaining the illusion, and as it burns away, I find myself in a plain metal chamber, in front of a burning body. Suddenly, I see her push her mana out of her body as fast as she can. The fire flashes hotter for a second but then goes out. She writhes on the floor, still alive. I see. She spent her remaining mana to deprive the fire of fuel. Smart. I look down at her, simply watching. A strange creature lies splayed out on the ground before me, shaking from the same invisible pressure. Her skin is white, her eyes are black, her mouth is a straight line, and she has no ears or nose. She is completely naked, but has nothing to hide. Her skin is entirely smooth, shoved into a strange mannequin-esque facsimile of humanoid structure. She struggles for a while, trying to break the hold of whatever it is keeping her down. Eventually, she stills. She looks at me, and I see acceptance in her eyes. I nod, and use telekinesis to crush her brain. The light in her eyes goes out.
Well that was unpleasant. I haven’t been that pissed in a very long time. Anyway, moving on! Let’s finally look at all the notifications that have been piling up all floor.
You Have Killed [Changeling Lvl. 5]
You Gain 28 exp
You Have Killed [Changeling Lvl. 5]
You Gain 28 exp
You Have Killed [Changeling Lvl. 5]
You Gain 28 exp
…
You Have Killed [Changeling Lvl. 5] x 71
You Gain 1988 exp
You Have Leveled Up!
You Are Now Level 12
You Have Killed [Mimic Lvl. 6]
You Gain 30 exp
You Have Killed [Mimic Lvl. 6]
You Gain 30 exp
You Have Killed [Mimic Lvl. 6]
You Gain 30 exp
…
You Have Killed [Mimic Lvl. 6] x 184
You Gain 5520 exp
Congratulations! You Have Killed the Floor 2 Hidden Boss: [Mimic Brood Queen Lvl. 11]
You Gain 180,000 exp
You Have Leveled Up!
You Are Now Level 13
You Have Leveled Up!
You Are Now Level 14
You Have Leveled Up!
You Are Now Level 15
…
You Have Leveled Up! x10
You Are Now Level 22
Your Skill: [Killing Intent] Has Leveled Up!
[Killing Intent] is Now Level 2
Your Skill: [Killing Intent] Has Leveled Up!
[Killing Intent] is Now Level 3
Your Skill: [Killing Intent] Has Leveled Up!
[Killing Intent] is Now Level 4
Congratulations! You Have Killed the Floor 2 Boss: [Myralia the Changeling Matriarch Lvl. 10]
You Gain 0 exp
Oh boy, lot’s to talk about here. I suppose we should start with the most pressing matter, which is that I got 0 exp from beating the floor boss, which is such a fucking scam. Obviously, it has to do with the level difference. I think I can make a fairly confident guess that each level below mine is 10% less exp gained, and therefore killing anything 10 or more levels below me nets 0 exp. Which makes it understandable. Still a scam, but an understandable one. The next thing to think about is the frankly insane amount of exp I got from the [Mimic Brood Queen]. Obviously, the 4x multiplier from my title helps, but it still feels like a lot. Though, and this brings me to my next point, I think it mostly has to do with the fact that it was above the level 10 threshold. You see, I’ve been thinking a lot about the huge jumps in my control, and I am pretty sure they coincide with me getting past each level that is a multiple of 10. Or at least, the two so far have. My thought process is that clearly, the exp requirements for leveling up get huge jumps at those levels (level 9-10 required 950 exp, and level 10-11 required 5000, with a similar jump of 9500 to 50000 at levels 19 and 20), and it would make sense for there to be a tangible reason for that. I think these 10 level thresholds all give a huge boost to a person or monster’s ability to use their skills, as well as their stats. I have definitely felt like recently I have had a lot more control over how much agility I engage any time that I do, and that the jumps in that control definitely coincide with getting past level 10 and 20. So, lots to look forward to with hitting more of those thresholds. Next thing to talk about is this new [Killing Intent] skill. I’m not sure I particularly enjoy the context of how I got it, or the fact that it leveled so much, but it is definitely a useful skill to have. It will definitely help with ending encounters peacefully and not having to dramatically display my power every time to get people or weaker monsters to back off. Out of curiosity, I check the skill description to see if anything has changed since it got to level 4, but nothing stands out to me. Well, I suppose that’s to be expected; after all, [Cultivation] only changed every 25 levels. Still, probably worth checking it once it hits level 10. I guess the final thing to talk about is the fairly considerable bumps to willpower and constitution, as well as smaller bumps to wisdom and agility. I assume the will and con bumps are due to me almost burning myself to death, the wisdom is from me pushing my mana control to the brink while controlling a giant mech suit of floating debris, and the agility is from… IDK, maybe the flying? Whatever, it isn’t like the bumps make much of a difference to my total, but I suppose every little bit counts. Alright, enough of this nerd shit. Floor 3, you’d best sharpen your swords and lube up your asses, cause Calvin is incoming!
