Chapter 183: Day 399 (7) – The Red Meat of Power

Chapter 183: Day 399 (7) – The Red Meat of Power

I sat in my office, and it was my office. Not Clarissa’s office I was repurposing. It had a conference table, so it doubled as a meeting room. Clarissa was present along with the good doctor, Ben Katz. He had requested an emergency meeting, but didn’t say what the issue was.

There was silence, before I spoke up. “You wanted this meeting, Doctor Katz. I was thinking I was about to meet Elliott in discussing crystal types.”

“There is another issue that I hesitated bringing this to you. This is...disturbing,” Doctor Katz said. The fact he was so hesitant was really concerning. I waited to let him get his bearings, not wanting to rush him. He had done okay work, nothing groundbreaking so far. It appeared that had changed. He wasn’t one to waste my time, since he knew me personally.

“It began with looking at hybrids as a source of raw biological materials we normally would not have access to. Tests were done on this material. For the most part there was nothing unique. The hybrids are sterile, their organs resemble humans to some degree with the wolf hybrids.”

“Further testing with other hybrids showed that the transformation is a combination of a monster’s template and a human being in a weird mix. There was some speculation about using organs and parts, to investigate energy. But nothing has come of that,” the good doctor explained.

I looked at Clarissa. She shook her head slightly. Apparently, this research hadn’t been reported before since this was the first time either of us heard about it. I wasn’t happy about that, but was willing to hold judgement The good doctor kept speaking.

“Since I had to explore all avenues of research, leaving nothing uncovered. I fed pieces of hybrid flesh to a condemned prisoner. There was an interaction.” I sat up a bit more at that. “Champion Michael, I won’t ask for a promise, since I know you won’t give it. But this information, it is concerning.”

“For now, it will stay between the three of us. If I share or use the information, you will be consulted,” I said. I wanted the information. After that I could decide whatever I wanted. The good doctor knew I was bullshitting him, but he also knew he wasn’t going to get anything better.

“I wouldn’t even had done these tests or shared this, if the Ritualist wasn’t out there. But we need to know. Eating hybrid flesh caused a permanent ability boost. In addition, the person afterwards was able to sense energy and channel.” Channel, the ability to use active enchanted equipment. My mind was already racing at the possibilities.

“It was incredibly limited but appeared a flat increase across all stats. Possibly stats and abilities that we do not have access to yet. The increase is biggest with the first consumption and decreases after that. But the increases don’t stop.” A path to power outside the limitations of the System.

“How high stats did the test subject get and was their ability to purchase from the store impacted?” I asked the most critical questions in my mind. Hybrids could no longer access the store and the amount of stat increase was critical.

“This is where it gets complicated. The person could use the store, but the cost of regeneration was around 40,000 points after already having a regeneration and not being injured. Their stats reached around 40, across the board. I don’t think it is coincidence. I had them use a regeneration. The stat boost mostly went away, but there was still around 20 stat points left,” Doctor Katz explained.

“After that they could gain more stats through consumption. I repeated the process. They went up to 30 stat points, then another regeneration for 30,000 points. They were left with 25 stat points. It didn’t impact the store purchases, but it is an addition modifier.”

“I will make the arrangements,” she said.

“Anything else Doctor Katz?” I asked.

“That was the extent of my findings,” he said. I could tell he wanted to ask me a question on what I was going to do with the information. Unfortunately, I had no idea.

“What about monster type?” I asked to give me more time to think.

“I didn’t test that, but my hypothesis that certain stats would be boosted more than others. Especially with the higher level monsters. There is a greater imbalance in stats at the higher levels from what I have observed and heard,” the good doctor explained.

I didn’t know what to do. For the first time in a very long time it felt like, I was unsure about what to do. Set up a secret restaurant for elites, that consumed other people. That made feel sick. Ban the process and idea, but it was only a matter of time and would put me and the city behind. I also wouldn’t find out the long term effects.

If I authorized anything like this, it would create unrest. But if I didn’t authorize this type of decision, it would undermine the foundation of Purgatory’s strength and build resentment from people who wanted this path to power.

Just eat a human being that has been hybridized, to save millions of points and gain loads of stat points. “How many people at level 1 to get 100 stat points and level 2?” I asked.

“It appears to follow other processes in the Systemic Lands. A factor of ten, but with diminishing returns. After ten people, the returns are incredibly marginal,” Doctor Katz explained.

“So, 20 people for 600 stat points in all stats. That is at least 4,800 stat points, but probably 6,000 or more stat points with hidden stats. That is probably around 150,000,000 points for me with my current stats.” I did the math out loud. It was even more depressing. Consumption would be a quick path to power.

That made me believe there was a hidden a trap in the process. Without the safety net provided by the Almighty System, it seemed too good to be true. Like a trap, which was waiting for a person to step on the path and to the end. Once tempted on, there would be no easy way off. They would rush faster and faster, until it was too late, and they self-destructed.

I felt confident about that self-destruction, hence the regeneration costs. The problem was all the power they had before that happened. I had no idea how long the path was either. There was only one good option, a third option. If I didn’t dare tread down this path myself, but I also needed to counter the Ritualist. The operation to purge Truth would now serve a secondary purpose.

Meat was going back on the menu.