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The hole it leaves behind is about 10 feet deep too. You lean over to see what might be inside and there's some sort of half melted suit and tie laying there.
Nicole, cheating as always, brings it back to the surface with her telekinesis. "Well! That thing was friendlier than I expected. You, uh, okay Maru? You got a weird look in your eyes."
"Yeah, I was about to say. It looked like you saw your life flash before you eyes." Lex rubs the side of his head. "Not like I'm doing much better."
"ARE you COMPROMISED?" Benedict can't hide his worry. "I am AWARE your mind may NOT Be-"
"I'm fine, I'm fine!" You smile. "I feel. I dunno. I feel better after that chat." You're certain the anomaly wasn't trying to be malicious there. It was hurt. It saw your hurt, the hurt you buried in your heart. And you opened up to it.
>-1 RESTRAINT to LEX, -2 RESTRAINT to NICOLE, your impressive success <span class="mu-b">NEGATES</span> any RESTRAINT damage!
Maybe that's all it needed to hear. To know that someone like you could still move on.
>+150% LATENT SPARK progress! +0.5% from passing the skill check, +21% from the previous two procs of STEADFAST RESOLVE, 128.5% from your talk with the anomaly!
>PROGRESS resets to 30.5/160! You'll gain a new ability soon! You're pretty sure your sword got upgraded too from that chat!
>LEX gains 26% from the damage he and Nicole took! He's at 96/200! You're able to sense how other SHIFTers improve too, like Nicole (presumably? You're not sure.)
The four of you examine the suit it left behind.
>FORGOTTEN BY TIME (PARADIGM ARMOR. Renders the user immune to ESOTERIC and MIXED damage but offers no protection otherwise. Best used for fighting abstract anomalies.)
"I'm taking that."
"I ain't gonna use it. Sure." Lex points at the red leather jacket (his own PARADIGM, you're sure) he's wearing.
"I AM FINE." "Sure. More power to you, Maru!"
You pocket the armor to equip later. You have a gut feeling whatever's in the next cell won't be dealing any weird esoteric damage; You're not sure why.
"We should dip!" "Aye aye!" You follow after Nicole; There really isn't a point staying here.
You exit out into the hallway you were in moments ago. Nothing has really changed aside from the distant sound of gunfire ringing out down the end of the hallway; Seems like the cowboy and his squad are having fun.
Benjamin and Max are waiting by your airlock with self-satisfied smirks.
Nicole is the first one to ask what's going on. "So. What's with those weird smirks? C'mon. Tell me."
"We got-" "An anomaly-" "That's going to work for us~!"
>BENJAMIN gains 31.5% (30% from the two anomalies he met so far) and MAX gains 5%! Ben is at 128.5/185, Max at 76%!
"Ah, I knew those uniforms would've helped!"
"I BELIEVE we have ONE MORE to check, correct?" "Indeed, Bene." Nicole claps her hands. "Let's get going!"
"Ha." You shake your head. "Maybe I'm being paranoid but I don't like my odds on this one."
"Nonsense!" Nicole dismisses your concerns. "It'll be fine."
