ã€ŠScion of Humanityã€‹


 Prologue - Humanityéˆ¥æªš Last Stand

    Lord Zeleck sneered contemptuously at the natives of the mostly conquered planet as he and his army approached the city wall. The so-called ¡®humans¡¯ which cowered before him were weak and undeserving of the gift which had been bestowed upon them. Why the benevolent Architect, undisputed ruler of the galaxy and its races, had deigned to integrate them into its clutch was beyond him.

    In the end, he supposed it did not matter.

    As a faction leader, he had gleefully accepted the directive from the benevolent Architect and would soon gain the gifts it offered for fulfilling the task. All that remained was to destroy the last major faction, and the human resistance would be crushed. Any survivors would become his faction¡¯s slaves.

    Perhaps they will excel at crafting?

    Lord Zeleck shook his head. He hoped their race held some redeemable aspect when enslaved, as their skill in combat was lacking. The all-knowing Architect had been benevolent and granted their species ten full years to grow strong before his faction was given the directive and were allowed to invade. They had obviously squandered this magnanimous gift, and subsequently proved they did not deserve to rule their planet.

    He laughed heartily at his ruminations as he strayed far in advance of his army.

    Even now, at the end, the pathetic humans refused to join forces against his own might. The minor factions cowered behind their pathetic fortifications rather than come to the aid of their fellow humans. Lord Zeleck could not comprehend their reasoning. They had to realize they would be targeted next. Once this last resistance was quashed, his armies would spread throughout the world and mop up the scraps.

    This battle, as pathetic as it was, was this species¡¯ last hope.

    ¡°Now!¡± the human commander yelled from atop the rampart.

    Lord Zeleck snorted as hundreds of spells collided with his protective barrier. As the strongest among the Koza, he stood at the vanguard of their forces. He ignored the weak attacks and continued to close the distance. The numerous spells were ineffectual, but even with their feeble power, they eventually overcame his shield.

    He remained unconcerned.

    Once his protection faltered, the humans¡¯ spells began to land against his high level armor. While the vast majority were completely resisted, a few spells intended to weaken him took partial effect. Abilities that did not directly injure the target were notoriously hard to resist, even against his profuse magic resistance.

    He continued forward, undaunted.

    Lord Zelek remained in front of his faction¡¯s combat force and soaked up the entirety of the enemy¡¯s attacks. His movement speed was slightly reduced, and his strength marginally decreased, yet he still remained strong enough to easily defeat the hundreds of weak humans arrayed against him.

    Entirely on his own.

    I don¡¯t need my army.

    With a rapid activation of his teleport ability, he suddenly stood among them, atop the wall. They had no time to react as his pike swept through their bodies like a scythe through wheat.

    With a few effortless swings, dozens of their strongest defenders were decimated. The sudden shift of his position took the humans by surprise, and he bellowed once more in laughter at how long it took the pathetic creatures to respond. Before they could restart their assault, he loosed a shockwave in their midst.

    Every remaining human within a hundred strides was stunned and blown backwards off their feet. They struggled to recover as he strutted among them and gleefully ended their lives. Their cries of anguish only served to fuel his ferocity as he continued to toy with them.

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    Suddenly, a flash of light enveloped the entire area. The healing ability did nothing to harm him, but his opponents instantly recovered from their incapacitation. With the aid of the spell, their bodies began to rapidly heal, they rose to their feet, and resumed their ineffective attacks.

    Do they actually have a will to fight?

    Despite their obvious weakness, he was surprised by this faction¡¯s resolve. In previous battles, the humans had fled at the first sign of their defeat. When their defenses crumbled, they turned and ran for their miserable lives. This was the first time a faction stood their ground against him.

    Interesting.

    Pain flared throughout his body and he momentarily froze. A quick check of his status showed that while the attack caused him incredible discomfort, it did no actual damage. He instinctively surged his recovery ability to negate the spell and whirled around to attack the tiny human who dared lay a hand on him.

    As Lord Zeleck spun through the air, the human¡¯s nano-enhanced gauntlet continued to grip his ankle. Yet, despite the force laid against it, the human refused to release its hold.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it, Blake!¡± a nearby human shouted.

    With a shake of its head, his attacker responded, ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice! It¡¯s the only way!¡±

    Lord Zeleck snorted.

    Suddenly, the human¡¯s armored body expanded to twice its original size. Its grip tightened, and for the first time, he felt a human challenge his strength. The human bounded from the ground with a roar and swept him off his feet.

    Admirable, yet foolish. You should have heeded your comrade.

    Lord Zeleck electrified his body, and locked the muscles of the enlarged human in place. With his back to the ground, he slashed his pike horizontally into his foe¡¯s armored legs. The nano-enhanced blade easily sliced through the human¡¯s weak armor, but he was amused when its edge refused to cut into the flesh beneath.

    Titanform is a strong skill. It¡¯s a shame it won¡¯t last long.

    As a faction leader who had fought within the system for his entire life, he recognized the ability. Titanform tripled physical power, stamina, and resistance. However, it came at great cost. For the short duration of the ability, all magical attributes were halved.

    If that were the only downside, it would still be a great trade-off, despite the risks. However, the reduction of magical attributes lasted hours, while the physical enhancements lasted but scant moments. Not only was this foolish ¡®Blake¡¯, now doubly susceptible to his deadly magic, but his ability to fight back on equal terms would soon be over.

    Lord Zeleck¡¯s electrification ability ended, and the human¡¯s jaw unclenched. It roared in pain, but refused to release his ankle. Before he could launch another magical attack against his foe, the human dove atop him and pinned him to the ground.

    ¡°DO IT NOW!¡± Blake screamed.

    ¡°But you¡¯ll be hit!¡± Another human responded in anguish.

    ¡°NOW!!!!!¡± It howled.

    The cooldown period of Lord Zeleck¡¯s protection bubble ended, so he quickly activated it again to shield himself from whatever spells the humans planned to utilize until his army reached him. A loud buzz crackled to his left and he whipped his head around to discern the source.

    To his surprise, he did not see a human mage activate an Architect-granted spell. Instead, some strange machinery built within the fortress wall began to glow.

    While distracted by the artifact, he was hit by a Temporal Slow. He was surprised the aether powered spell actually took effect, as it was pathetically common. Everything within the spell¡¯s bubble seemed to slow to a crawl, while everything outside moved at almost three times the normal speed.

    He growled in frustration, while the human atop him suddenly barked a laugh.

    ¡°I may die today, but I¡¯m taking your ugly ass with me!¡±

    Before Lord Zeleck could mock the human¡¯s assumption, the artifact flashed brightly. An unusual sensation suddenly washed over him. He felt as if his body was pulled and squeezed at the same time. His senses became chaotic, and he quickly checked his status to see what strange spell was cast on him.

    To his horror, it showed only a single line, repeated endlessly.

    Error¡­

    Error¡­

    Error¡­

    In all his many years within the Collective, Lord Zeleck had never seen the Architect fail to identify an attack. It was all-knowing and all-powerful. For the first time since he became faction head, he trembled in fear. The humans had been able to create something that could challenge the mighty Architect. As his thoughts became muddled and his senses failed, he screamed into infinity.

    What have they done?!

 Chapter 1 - Back in Time

    Blake blinked his eyes in confusion as a white light transitioned into vague shapes. His brain felt foggy, while his heart hammered within his chest. At first, all he could hear was thudding as the blood pulsed within his ears. However, as he sat frozen within a chair, the muffled sounds shifted to voices.

    What happened? I thought I was supposed to die.

    When some of the mental fog lifted, he swiftly jerked his head left and right to ensure he was safe from attack. To his confusion, he sat in a well-lit classroom full of students. The room contained at least thirty desks, filled with teenagers that gawked openly at him. At the front of the room stood a slightly overweight, middle-aged woman with her hands on her hips. She stared at him in exasperation.

    ¡°Mister Summers,¡± she barked with annoyance. ¡°If you continue to disrupt the class, you will spend the afternoon in the principal¡¯s office.¡±

    Am I dreaming?

    Years after graduating from high school, he had repeatedly awakened from a nightmare similar to the scenario before him, drenched in sweat. Each time, he dreamed that an assignment was due, but he had forgotten to complete it. Then, he would realize that he was in his underwear, and all of his classmates would point and laugh.

    ¡°Are you stoned?¡± the girl next to him giggled.

    Blake glanced down at himself to ensure he was fully clothed. When he saw the plain red t-shirt and blue jeans covering his body, he breathed a sigh of relief.

    At least I¡¯m wearing clothes this time.

    Still convinced he was within a dream, he extracted himself from the small desk. With every eye in the room on him, he walked to the front of the room towards the exit.

    ¡°Just where do you think you¡¯re going, Mister Summers?¡± the familiar looking teacher demanded.

    ¡°The bathroom,¡± he mumbled.

    With a huff, she berated him as she waved him out the door. ¡°Next time you need to use the facilities, raise your hand. Don¡¯t make a scene and distract the class from their lesson.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing,¡± he agreed absently as he pulled open the door and entered the empty hallway.

    Once the classroom door latched behind him, he sank to the ground in front of the dark red lockers and closed his eyes. As he tried to regain his bearings, visions of the last battle replayed within his mind. He relived the experience until the very end, where he clearly died.

    How can I tell if I¡¯m still dreaming?

    Blake pinched his arm, hard, until he drew blood.

    ¡°Ow!¡± he hissed.

    Okay¡­ not dreaming. Am I dead?

    As he thought about it, he realized that death seemed highly unlikely. He always imagined that heaven would be a wonderful place where he would be forever content.

    High school was the opposite.

    Could this be hell, then?

    Blake laughed to himself. That prospect seemed equally absurd. He had seen countless horrors over the last ten years. As bad as high school had been for him, it paled in comparison to the end of the world. He supposed that everything was relative, and misery and loss brought things into perspective.

    Status.

    To his complete surprise, nothing happened. For ages, he had used the simple mental command to bring up his information. He had done it so often, it became a reflex. When it failed to work after the second and then third time, he began to panic.

    Blake quickly climbed to his feet as his body flushed and began to sweat. As he strode down the deserted hallway with heavy breaths, he found the restroom and rushed inside.

    He quickly placed his cupped hands within the bowl of the sink, and the sensor released a stream of water. The water quickly collected and was splashed on his face. He repeated the measure until the cold liquid calmed his nerves and doused his hot skin. Finally, when his breathing came under control, he dried his face and opened his eyes.

    Blake froze as a scarecrow within the mirror stared back at him.

    At just under six feet tall, he looked emaciated. The clothes he wore hung off him and were at least three sizes too large. Two inch long, greasy, dark-brown hair covered his head while the beginnings of a beard framed his narrow jaw. Sunken brown eyes hidden in shadow were wide in shock as he observed his reflection. However, the most surprising aspect was his age.

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    He looked eighteen.

    This doesn¡¯t make any sense.

    The scars on his face were replaced with light acne, and he somehow had both of his ears intact. Blake absently fingered his left lobe and recalled the incident.

    Almost a decade ago, when he first entered a portal, he had a close call against a goblin. The small beast-like humanoid had gotten off a lucky swing and its rusty sword winged him. Ear cartilage was mangled and for almost ten long years, he carried the scar. It was a constant reminder that the Apocalypse was not a game, no matter how similar it seemed.

    Of course, like the console games he played as a kid, he eventually gained the option of healing the injury fully. Blake, however, decided not to do so. He wanted the constant reminder, in fact he needed it. It ensured that he remained cautious. He was almost certain that the change in perspective the wound gave him stood as one of the reasons he survived so long when so many others perished.

    And now it''s gone, like it never happened.

    A bell played over the speakers. Within moments, he heard doors open and a rush of footsteps clod along the concrete outside the narrow room. Voices of conversation began and distracted him from his observations.

    The bathroom door burst open and a group of boys entered the room. They paid him no mind as they rushed to the urinal and stalls. Still in a daze, he meandered out the door and into the packed hallway beyond. He stood still like a stone in a creek as kids streamed by him on both sides. They talked and joked as if everything was fine, as if the world was not being destroyed.

    It felt so surreal.

    Suddenly, Blake was shoved from behind. His small frame was thrown to the ground, where he deftly caught himself. Instincts from a decade of fighting for his life kicked in, and he shot to his feet, ready to attack. He was unarmed and without magic, yet he entered a battle stance with both arms raised and his left foot forward.

    ¡°Hah! Is little ¡®Blakey-Wakey¡¯ ACTUALLY going to fight back?¡± The large, muscular teenager snorted in disbelief. ¡°This¡¯ll be good. Show me what you got!¡±

    The stream of students paused as they witnessed the altercation. The confrontation distracted them from their phones, and they eagerly awaited the conflict. A few egged him on, while others began to record, hoping to boost their social media views and followers with an epic beat down.

    Unlike the numerous vaguely familiar-looking people he had seen so far, Blake immediately identified the teenager that had thrown him to the ground. It was his high school bully, Trent. The kid had caused him immense pain throughout school and had made his life miserable.

    At least, he thought it was miserable at the time.

    For the last ten years, Blake had stood up against hordes of enemies, and destroyed monsters the size of buildings. Of course, that was with the help of nanomachines.

    With his current body, he remained at a severe disadvantage. The weakness in his limbs, his slow speed, and the lack of any available magic felt like an anchor, slowing him down. Trent also weighed almost twice as much as Blake, and was heavily muscled. However, Blake ignored the disparity between his opponent and himself.

    Never let yourself be taken advantage of.

    Rather than verbally respond to the taunt, he immediately launched his left hand toward Trent¡¯s shoulder. The punch was slow and was easily blocked by a raised arm. Which is why the full strength jab at the bully¡¯s now exposed throat came as such a surprise.

    Blake heard the kid cough and begin to choke, but he did not relent. Before his target¡¯s legs could begin to buckle, he stepped forward and brought his knee up into Trent¡¯s groin.

    A warbling cry escaped from the bully¡¯s mouth as he collapsed to the ground, cradled his injuries, and gasped for air. On instinct, Blake moved forward to finish off his enemy. He kneeled next to the wailing teenager and raised his arm when, abruptly, he forced himself to stop.

    Around him, the onlookers were silent as their phones recorded the surprising scene. Their jaws dropped in disbelief at his decisive, unexpected victory. The only sounds in his ears were the rush of blood through his veins and the moaning child beneath him.

    I need to get away!

    The incident finally pulled him out of his stupor, and the press of the surrounding crowd made him feel claustrophobic. He was not used to being around so many people, especially those unfamiliar to him.

    Blake sprang to his feet and pushed through the crowd to escape. They parted before him and recorded his retreat. When he heard his old Vice Principal call his name, he began to sprint. He continued to dodge slow moving students while he threaded through the throng until he saw a double door to the outside ahead of him. Immediately, he changed direction until he forced himself through the metal exit and entered the frigid cold.

    Light snow covered the grassy field, and he took care with his footing as he sprinted across the open expanse. A chain-link fence stood as a barrier to his escape before the blacktop road, and barred his passage. With a grunt, he leapt into the air and used his hands and arms to vault over.

    Unfortunately, he misjudged his strength.

    The freezing metal bar at the top of the fence clipped his leg. With a grunt of surprise, his face quickly fell. He was barely able to raise his hands in time to catch himself, yet he still landed hard. However, Blake did not allow himself to recover, he could hear the Vice Principal closing the distance in the field behind him. He shot to his feet and ran across the empty road to the neighborhood beyond.

    After a half mile, he was out of breath and could no longer continue. His feet slammed on the sidewalk as he came to a stop, and he looked behind him for sign of his tail. Luckily, he had lost his pursuit. He leaned over with his hands on his knees and took deep breaths to recover near a copse of Juniper trees.

    The cold wind whipped against his face and brought clarity to his situation. As he slowly regained his stamina, he realized that ever since he had awakened in the classroom, just an hour before, he had done nothing but react. He steeled himself and focused on a lesson he had learned long ago - never react. He could only blame his cloudy thoughts on his failure to act true to form.

    Okay, first objective: Figure out what¡¯s going on.

    Blake decided there was no way he could be dreaming, and it was unlikely that he was dead. To his mind, that only left two options. Either, he had somehow gone back in time to before the world ended, or he was in the middle of a mental breakdown. Unfortunately, the latter seemed more likely.

    Focus Blake, focus!

    If he was in the midst of psychosis, of true insanity, then there was likely nothing that could be done. No matter what he did, his future would be a padded cell and a straight jacket. However, if the least likely possibility was actually true, and he had somehow either gained a vision of the future, or had reverted to his past with his memories intact, he needed proof. If he were to plan out his future, he could not continue to doubt his sanity at every turn.

    Blake began to shiver as his sweat cooled and adrenaline no longer fueled his body. The frigid cold distracted him, and he found it difficult to concentrate on his task. He needed a safe location to plan out his next steps. One that was warm and familiar.

    I need to go home.

 Chapter 2 - Crazytown

    Blake attempted to recall the route home, but came across a problem. He did not know the current date, and subsequently had no way to know where his family currently lived.

    My phone!

    It had been so long since he used the technological device, that he had momentarily forgotten that it existed. He patted his pockets and felt the hard shape under the fabric. With numb fingers, he withdrew the cheap plastic and pressed the button to activate the screen.

    January 27th.

    The month and day were displayed at the top of the screen, above the time and his numerous notifications, but it failed to list the year. He quickly swiped his thumb up to enter the home screen. Unfortunately, a passcode was required to leave the lock screen.

    Oh yeah, I can use my thumb.

    He was not sure if he held his digit differently from his past, or if the cold interfered, but it took three tries before his cheap phone recognized his thumbprint. When it unlocked, he located the calendar app and quickly opened it. He searched in frustration for a way to locate the year while he continued to shiver from the cold.

    Finally! 2025.

    It was his final year of high school. He turned eighteen a month prior, and only six months remained before the entire planet would become aware of the artificial intelligence known as the Architect. Then everything would fall apart.

    He quickly stowed his phone and started along the street at a jog. Now that he knew the year, he knew where to go, a crappy apartment a few blocks from the school.

    It was not where he grew up. That house was in Phoenix, a three-hour drive away. After the global pandemic, five years before, his mother began to work from home. With her recent promotion, she brought home enough money to support her husband and two sons on her income alone.

    When his parents, Peter and Donna, realized that they were no longer tied to Phoenix, they sold their house and moved to the mountains, where they had vacationed every year. Show Low, Lakeside, and Pinetop were three small towns in a row packed with tall evergreens and lakes, and had a much cooler climate than the unforgiving desert of his childhood. In the years since the move, he had grown to love the pine trees, despite his and his brother¡¯s complaints about switching schools and leaving friends.

    Shortly after the move, his father finally opened the restaurant of his dreams. He was not only the owner, but the head chef in the kitchen, which was his true passion. While it never broke even on their initial investment, things seemed promising.

    That was, until his mother was laid off.

    For months, his mom searched desperately for a remote job so they could continue to live in their dream home. For a time, unemployment insurance supplemented the small income from the restaurant, and they were able to eek by. However, when the checks ran out and his mother failed to procure a high paying job, they were forced to sell their expensive house and move into a small apartment.

    Blake huffed, out of breath, as he turned another corner and glanced at the older manufactured homes around him.

    His parents promised the housing situation was temporary. His mother, Donna, continued to look for remote work while she filled in at the restaurant, but after two years with no success she had given up hope. To make matters worse, shortly after they lost their health insurance, his older brother Oliver was diagnosed with Parkinson''s disease at twenty years old.

    The memories flooded back as Blake continued along the familiar street. After the horrific news, Oliver escaped into drugs and alcohol, much to his parent¡¯s dismay. His brother was fired from his job for showing up high, and any plans of saving up to attend college were discarded. The difficulties created rifts between family members, and it became a rare day that did not end with tempers high.

    At the time, Blake thought it was the worst year of his life.

    He passed the trailer park, turned the corner into the low-income apartment complex, and continued to huff as he jogged past the first units. His body was out of shape and was completely unused to physical activity.

    I¡¯ll have to change that soon.

    He located the downstairs apartment they rented. When he saw that their front door was open, he tensed. Both his mother and his father worked all day, and his brother no longer lived at home. It was just past noon, and there should be no reason for the door to be ajar.

    I don¡¯t remember us getting robbed.

    While he did not recall a break-in, he would not put it past his neighbors. His memory was littered with windows broken by rocks; casual vandalism was all too common, and management did not care.

    He paused to catch his breath and then snuck inside. The entrance led to the living room which, to his surprise, still contained their television. He padded quietly across the thin beige carpet to the hallway beyond.

    A sudden noise on his left stopped him. He whirled and was startled when he saw someone in their kitchen. Their arms were full of boxes and bags, which covered their face.

    ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± he demanded, ready to attack if the intruder dropped the booty and reached for a weapon.

    ¡°Blake?¡± a voice asked in surprise. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in school?¡±

    His brother carefully placed the stolen goods on the counter with shaky hands and turned to confront him. He was completely taken by surprise when Blake ran forward and embraced him.

    ¡°Oof!¡± Oliver grunted from the impact. ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on, bro?¡±

    Blake continued to hold his brother tight and mumbled, ¡°I missed you so much, Ollie.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ you just saw me like two days ago.¡± When he maintained the embrace, Oliver asked in annoyance, ¡°Can you let go now? You¡¯re being weird.¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Blake squeezed tighter.

    The memory of Oliver¡¯s overdose overwhelmed his mind. It had been nine years since the fateful news. That disaster put the final nail in the coffin of their family¡¯s happiness. He could hear the echoes of his mother¡¯s wailing cry as the officer suggested she sit before he spoke. Blake sniffed and wiped a tear from his eye.

    Oliver detached himself from the embrace and stepped back. He eyed Blake nervously. ¡°You never answered the question, bro. Why aren¡¯t you in school?¡±

    Blake shrugged and regained his composure. ¡°I got in a fight.¡±

    Oliver frowned and scrutinized his face overtly. ¡°I don¡¯t see any black eyes or bruises. So¡­ who kicked your ass?¡±

    He snorted. ¡°Funny. A kid knocked me to the ground, so I made sure he wouldn¡¯t do it again.¡±

    ¡°Did they send you home early?¡±

    ¡°No, I just split.¡±

    Oliver¡¯s brows rose. ¡°Mom ain¡¯t gonna be happy about that.¡±

    Blake hesitated to tell him his tale. However, when he recalled how close he was with his older brother prior to the invasion, he disregarded caution. ¡°Whatever, I¡¯ve got MUCH bigger news anyway.¡±

    ¡°Bigger than winning your first fight?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I know this is going to sound crazy, but I think I got sent back in time. Or, my memories did, at least. Or, I got a vision of the next ten years. Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He waved his hands dismissively and ignored his brother¡¯s snickering. ¡°What matters is that Earth is going to be invaded soon by monsters, then aliens, and we have to figure out a way to stop it before they kill everyone.¡±

    With a wry grin, Oliver noted, ¡°And you just happen to be the ¡®Chosen One¡¯ to do it, eh?¡± When Blake nodded with no trace of humor present, he snorted. ¡°Did you get hit in the head a bit too hard? I¡¯m the one with a damaged brain, remember?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll prove it to you by healing you.¡± Blake promised earnestly.

    Suddenly, Oliver no longer found his brother¡¯s story humorous. He pushed Blake away and snarled, ¡°Screw you.¡± He turned, snatched his pilfered containers of food, and stomped out of the apartment.

    Blake sighed and rubbed his temples. Without an alchemist, his promise was empty.

    That didn¡¯t go well.

    As he closed the door behind his brother¡¯s retreat, he did not imagine his story would go over any better with his parents, either. Most likely, when he insisted he was telling the truth, they would ground him, especially when they learned of the fight. Unless he had undeniable proof, no one would believe him.

    Hell, I¡¯m not even sure I believe me. What if I¡¯m actually just crazy?

    For his own peace of mind, he needed to know if he was actually sent back in time, or if he was imagining it all. While he stood alone in the dark apartment, he considered his options.

    Let¡¯s see¡­ it''s only January and Invasion day isn¡¯t until the end of June. But¡­ the portals might be open already.

    In Blake¡¯s original timeline, he was unaware of the Architect¡¯s presence until the spatial realms broke open and released monsters into the world. At that same time, every single human on the planet received the nanomachines required to initiate their augmented reality system.

    That day, June 29th, was forever known as Invasion day.

    Words appeared over everyone¡¯s vision, and a voice sounded in their heads. People woke from their sleep, drivers crashed into each other, and every plane plummeted to the ground.

    The Architect welcomed humanity into its ¡®Collective¡¯, and gave them a bare-bones introduction to their new life as cyborgs.

    It was a very memorable day.

    If all of the above were not enough to score the event deep into his memory, the ¡®speech¡¯ given by the ¡®Scion of Humanity¡¯ ensured it, due to its cringeworthness. After the Architect¡¯s message confused everyone, a hologram of Earth, viewed from afar, appeared before each person. The incredibly detailed image began to zoom towards the planet¡¯s surface until the Asian continent could be recognized. Earth continued to expand over China until a major city became visible. Faster and faster the camera moved until a twenty-something Chinese man suddenly appeared before everyone¡¯s vision.

    The Architect translated every word of the speech into the viewer¡¯s native language in real time, so the entire world could hear the profound words of their Scion.

    Uh¡­ Hello? I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m supposed to say¡­ Do I have to say something?

    Abruptly, the transmission ended.

    Blake did not learn until much later that the ¡®Scion of Humanity¡¯ was a title awarded to the first human to be accepted into the ¡®Collective¡¯. The original owner of the title was never heard from again, but the honorific was passed down from one human to the next as its owner died, always to the next person who joined the Collective before Invasion day.

    The titleholders were killed as the greedy hoped to inherit it themselves. After all, it came with an extremely powerful bonus within the system. However, their attempts to steal the title were futile. It was always transferred to the human who had been in the collective the longest, as opposed to the one who killed the titleholder.

    Blake and his group mates had mused for hours about what they would do if granted the title.

    However, there was one thing they all held in common. Every single holder of the ¡®Scion of Humanity¡¯ title had gained their nanomachines before Invasion day. Months before the entire world became aware, tens of thousands of spatial distortions appeared across the Earth. They were invisible to the eye and were almost always located in rarely trafficked locations.

    Those distortions were what Blake focused on.

    In rare occurrences, a person would unknowingly walk through the portal and appear inside, surrounded by monsters. If they were able to survive, they would be accepted into the Collective and gain the benefits that the nanomachines offered.

    The problem was, Blake did not know when those portals would appear. For all he knew, they formed years ago, maybe even decades. Or, alternatively, they might not form until a month before Invasion day.

    It doesn¡¯t matter.

    He had to see if he could join the Collective before Invasion day. It was the only way to prove to himself and his family that he was not crazy. It was also the only way to cure his brother. Luckily, he knew the location of every nearby portal by heart. The closest was just under three miles away near Show Low Regional Airport.

    I need to bring supplies in case it''s real.

    Once you entered a portal, you could not exit until the scenario¡¯s objective was completed. Since the gateways were impossible to detect, the only way he could join the Collective and prove he was not crazy was to enter the portal and kill the goblins within. To do that, he needed a weapon.

    Unfortunately, as he searched through the small apartment, the only useful items he could find were a baseball bat, a pocket knife, and the kitchen cutlery. He slipped the knife into his jeans, and then donned his extra jacket. He assumed his newer coat remained back at school, in the classroom with his backpack, and Blake had no urge to return for his belongings. If he was right, he would never go to school ever again. However, if he was wrong, he would likely be placed in a mental institution. Either way, his backpack and coat were gone.

    He stuffed the snacks Oliver left within the pantry into his jacket pockets, buckled on his bicycle helmet, and then grabbed his bike. In just a few short minutes, he was out the door and riding through frigid air along the sidewalks.

    His ride was uneventful.

    Fifteen minutes later, he dropped off the blacktop shoulder of the highway and stopped in front of a barbed wire fence just north of airport property. He tossed his bat over the wire, then his bike, before carefully climbing over the top himself. The short fence was more of a nuisance to cross rather than an impenetrable barrier.

    Once he successfully trespassed onto the property, he retrieved his bat and hid his bike under a nearby Juniper bush. With his grip tight on the bat, he slowly navigated between the thick shrubs and cacti until he faced a rock outcropping. Blake carefully climbed to the top and stood while he surveyed his surroundings.

    He felt strangely comforted by the familiar outcropping. The stone ledge he now stood upon granted him a view over the Juniper trees and occasional prickly pear and into the field beyond. In the distance, a small plane began to ferry along the runway before it took off into the air. A light breeze buffed him, and he heard a chipmunk chitter at him in anger for daring to enter its land.

    Blake turned to banter with his group mates and then remembered he was alone. He took a deep breath and bent his knees. After only a brief pause, he leapt off the outcropping and into the open air.

    Please don¡¯t be crazy¡­ Please don¡¯t be crazy¡­

 Chapter 3 - Resolve

    Blake¡¯s stomach felt as if it were trying to escape his body as he plummeted toward the ground. His adrenaline spiked, and the world seemed to slow around him. He knew that the fall would not kill him, but if the portal was not there, it would hurt.

    Immensely.

    As he fell, he realized how brash he was to test out this particular spatial disturbance. If he was wrong, it would likely leave him injured for weeks. To make matters worse, it was possible that he was not crazy, but the portal had just not appeared yet.

    What the hell was I thinking? I should¡¯ve just biked to the portal in Pinetop!

    Before he could further berate himself, he felt a familiar pulling on his limbs. His feet and then legs were suddenly yanked downward and pulled the rest of his body along with. Rather than frighten him, the sensation was a comfort. He knew the feeling well.

    Thank God!

    After his entire body finally sank into the invisible portal, his vision and hearing disappeared. He was surrounded by a void. Inside the emptiness, time seemed to stretch on for hours. However, from vast experience and testing, Blake knew the transition happened almost instantaneously.

    Suddenly, a circle of bright light manifested beneath him. He accelerated toward the opening until his entire body transitioned through. The leaf covered ground approached at great speed, and he braced his legs for the landing.

    ¡°Oof!¡±

    Unfortunately, his weak body was not up to the task. His joints gave way, and he landed hard on his side. Luckily, he landed on soil rather than tree roots or a rock. It also helped that gravity was slightly lower on this planet than his own.

    At least I didn''t vomit this time.

    Almost everyone became nauseated on their first trip through a portal. He himself had not grown used to the sensation until he completed almost a dozen combat scenarios.

    Blake groaned quietly as he rose to a sitting position, and then turned to check on his companions. Once again, he was reminded that he was alone. With a shake of his head, he observed his environment.

    It was nighttime on the goblin planet, and he was surrounded by thick trees. Through the light of their two moons, he could barely see ten feet ahead of him. Blake held his breath and strained his ears for the sound of crunching needles and branches. The thick humidity made his skin sticky, a stark contrast to the arid region he just left. After a long period of tense anticipation, he let out a sigh of relief.

    For the moment, he was safe.

    He swiped the wet dirt off his face and brushed the pine needles out of his hair with his fingers. His eyes began to adjust to the darkness, and he searched the nearby ground for his bat. Once his hand felt the polished wooden weapon, he grasped it tightly in his hand and cradled it close.

    Well, the good news is I¡¯m not crazy. The bad news is the world is going to end and everyone¡¯s going to die. Now, how the hell did I get sent back in time?

    Being in a scenario without any backup was an unusual feeling, and he shifted uneasily. Blake refocused and replayed his memories as he simultaneously searched the forest around him for enemies. He remembered the powerful aliens that invaded through a new portal and began to systematically destroy faction after faction. They were an intelligent race of aliens called the Koza who volunteered for the invasion¡¯s directive.

    The faction Blake had been a member of for over five years was one of the larger organizations on the planet and had taken great pains to prepare itself against a possible attack from other factions. It had a huge research and development department with numerous pre-invasion physicists who began to develop some type of weapon. Blake did not know the specifics of their project, as it was classified. However, they had claimed that it was ready for the battle, and they only needed the leader to remain stationary long enough for it to impact him.

    Unfortunately, the enemy commander was far stronger than they imagined. Every one of their ambushes failed as he toyed with them. When Blake realized they were doomed to failure, he did the only thing he could think of. Despite his friend Montgomery''s objections, he used his ultimate ability, Titanform, and held tightly on to his enemy. Once the weapon activated, he expected to die.

    Which is why he was so surprised that, instead, he traveled back in time. Blake paused his search, the forest silent around him.

    At least, I think I traveled back in time. Can I somehow stop it ALL from happening?

    He paused in his musings to adjust his trajectory. He wanted to take advantage of a copse of trees for cover.

    In six months, everyone on the planet would receive their nanomachines and be forced to join the collective. He shook his head, there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop that. Tens of thousands of portals to other worlds would become visible and people would begin to enter them.

    Almost all of them would die.

    That¡¯s something I can fix.

    While he could not save everyone, he could at least provide the world necessary information which the Architect withheld. Forearmed with knowledge of how to navigate the ¡®combat scenarios¡¯, as the AI called them, far more would survive.

    Hopefully enough to fight off the next stage.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    A few days after Invasion day, monsters began to portal into the world. Nowhere was safe, and swarms of enemies swept over humanity.

    Blake shook his head.

    The saddest part of it all, however, was how the majority of humanity eventually died. Not from monsters, not from the system, but from starvation. On Invasion day, all electricity and electrical devices ceased working. That included lightning. Blake had not seen a thunderstorm since he was a kid.

    The lack of refrigeration led to massive food spoilage. But, that was not the only factor in humanity¡¯s demise. Every modern vehicle used electricity. Even old automobiles used a spark to light the fumes of gasoline in the carburetor. Without a method of transporting food from farms to grocery stores, the cities starved.

    Eight billion people on Earth relied on supply chains to exist. Unfortunately, the vast majority would starve to death or be killed for the contents of their pantry long before alternative means could be created.

    That¡¯s something else I can¡¯t stop.

    A wave of anger washed over him as he crossed a small stream. Any warning he could provide would be ignored. Even if he showcased magic to the world, the authorities would assume it was a trick. That, of course, assumed the government did not capture him for study. While the nanomachines of the Collective would make him strong, he would not yet be strong enough to fight off machine guns and tanks.

    So, I can¡¯t stop the invasion or the collapse of society. I suppose that leaves only one option. I need to get strong enough and create a faction large enough to defeat the Koza that finished the job the Architect started.

    Blake suddenly felt overwhelmed.

    There was an immense amount of work to be done, and even with his six-month head start, there was not nearly enough time to prepare. It did not help that he was a poor high schooler whom no one would believe. His brother¡¯s reaction proved that already.

    It doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯ll figure out a way. But first I have to finish this.

    He was comforted in the fact that his first step was to defeat the ¡®combat scenario¡¯ he had entered. Once he did, he would join the Collective and the portal back to Earth would reopen. Thankfully, he got lucky with the environment he ended up in. Not only would the night hide his movement, but the trees would aid him as well.

    The portal at Show Low¡¯s airport always led to the goblin¡¯s planet. However, he knew that the entire goblin world was not an evergreen forest like the one he currently stalked through. It contained grasslands, mountains, caves, deserts, and glaciers similar to Earth. Every time you entered that particular portal, it spat you out in a random location somewhere on their world.

    The size of the scenario varied, depending on the environment and the tier, but it was always cordoned off by an invisible sphere. If you ever left the combat area, you received a warning. Ten seconds later, the nanomachines inside you caused pain, which quickly escalated to agony. Finally, if you stayed outside the bounds for too long, you died.

    The barrier was like a macabre invisible fence, with nanomachines as the shock collar. Montgomery had called it, ¡®The Leash¡¯.

    It unnerved Blake to be on another planet without his nanomachines. He was not yet part of the Collective, so he had no idea how difficult the scenario would be, or even what it entailed. Normally, within the void, he was informed of the difficulty and was given an objective to complete. Once he completed the assignment, he would be rewarded and the portal back to Earth would be reopened.

    Without the augmented reality display in his vision that the nanomachines provided, he was blind to the risk. Without his group mates, he had no backup. The only reason he entered the portal in the first place was because he knew it was possible to survive and join the collective before Invasion day.

    Well, that and to prove I¡¯m not insane.

    Blake continued to quietly stalk through the dark woods with his baseball bat in hand. In order to remain undetected, he was forced to move very slowly as he carefully placed his feet to avoid snapped branches and crunching leaves. The snail-like pace was monotonous, but he had long ago become used to the rhythm of it.

    This was not the first time he attempted to complete a scenario by stealth. It was, unfortunately, the first time he tackled one without the aid of nano or his friends.

    If those idiots can do it, I can too.

    Rajesh, his former group mate, had mocked the ¡®Scion of Humanity¡¯ titleholders ruthlessly. They garnered no respect from him or his friends. Despite the massive benefit the title gave, the holders themselves held very little combat skill and died easily. Blake and his friends, by contrast, were forced to hone their skills and survived through pure grit.

    In his original timeline, he did not begin to gain power until long after his family died. When the monsters were let loose upon the world, he fought with rage. Rage at the Architect, and rage at his fellow humans, who were shown to be just as monstrous as the creatures the AI released upon Earth. When he finally fought back, he did not have a plan or a calculated path to power. He purchased a class when he gained enough nano and was forced to overcome his poor affinity with chi.

    It was not until later, when he learned more regarding the system, that he came to regret his decisions. Of course, all expenditures of nano were permanent and could not be altered. It was too late to fix his mistakes.

    Until now.

    Blake wolfishly grinned as he imagined the possibilities. This time, he would avoid the pitfalls and correct his previous missteps. He would not fall into the traps that everyone else did.

    How many times had Montgomery and I had this exact conversation on where we went wrong?

    Suddenly, he heard a grunt in the distance, and he ducked behind a large tree trunk. As he strained his ears, he made out an answering response before complete silence returned to the forest.

    There¡¯s at least two goblins ahead. Should I try and get closer or hope they come my way?

    With his weak body, Blake needed to attack from ambush. He would not risk dying from overconfidence. While goblins were, on average, weaker than humans, they would be enhanced by nanomachines, while he had none.

    Blake waited patiently for ten minutes at his current location behind a tree, and carefully studied the terrain before he decided to risk an approach. Once decided, he knelt onto the soil below and slowly crept forward, pausing every few feet to ensure he remained hidden. Faintly, he heard a mutter and then a snort.

    Another fifteen minutes passed before the goblins came into view. As he neared, a familiar putrid smell overwhelmed his senses. Stale sweat and a nearby latrine wafted his direction. Three small forms sat around an extinguished fire, while five more lay on the bare ground, asleep.

    Too many.

    He felt he could eliminate the three guards with just a bit of difficulty. Unfortunately, during that scuffle, the camp would wake and swarm him. He needed to assassinate them while they slept. Of course, with the way the guards faced, that was not an option. It would be impossible to sneak up and slit their fellow¡¯s throats while remaining undetected.

    I could really use Rajesh and his aether spells right now. Looks like I get to wait and hope something changes.

    Blake rocked back and tried to get comfortable while he waited for an opportunity. As they were not the most intelligent creatures, he knew it was only a matter of time before they presented an opening. He just needed to be patient enough to exploit it.

 Chapter 4 - The Collective

    Blake observed his enemies from forty feet away, concealed behind a large pine trunk. A young guard¡¯s head began to lean forward as it struggled to remain awake through its watch. As it nodded off, the equally juvenile goblin across from it reached out and slapped it with its hand.

    ¡°Ahh!¡± the sleepy guard complained. ¡°What do that for?¡± It hissed.

    ¡°You stay awake.¡±

    After it rubbed its face, it stood and began to unsteadily walk in Blake¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Where you go?¡±

    ¡°Poop. You want come?¡± it groused.

    A grunt was the only response.

    Okay, this is my chance.

    After waiting for thirty minutes, his patience had worn thin, yet he tempered himself. The goblins had the strength of a twelve-year-old, and he could not help but look down on them. They seemed incredibly young and inexperienced from his observations. He doubted that any of these goblins had gained enough nano to enhance their attributes.

    That¡¯s one blessing.

    The sleepy guard stumbled through the woods until it was twenty feet from Blake¡¯s vantage point. It then dropped its loincloth and squatted awkwardly over the ground.

    Blake wrinkled his nose at the smell as he stalked closer to the vulnerable being. As he neared, he proceeded with greater caution. Luckily, the young goblin seemed to focus exclusively on its defecation.

    Rather than brain the pitiful being with his bat, Blake quietly sat the weapon down, and withdrew his pocket knife. He slowly extended the blade as he leaned forward toward the exposed goblin¡¯s neck.

    With its back turned to him, it had no idea death approached. With a single motion, Blake muffled its mouth and nose, hugged the goblin to his side and slid his blade across its throat.

    I wish this blade was sharper.

    The small humanoid loosed a muffled scream into his hand as it struggled. Blood squirted from its exposed artery, and its movements slowed. It slumped forward, and Blake allowed the body to crumple to the ground.

    He took a few deep breaths and listened intently for any sign that his deed was discovered.

    That¡¯s one down.

    He stepped gingerly around the pile of goblin excrement. Blake felt no sympathy for the young goblin he had just killed, he had long ago grown accustomed to murdering intelligent beings for their nanomachines. Thanks to the Architect, it was the only way to survive. That was the true target of his anger, the all powerful AI which destroyed his planet and forced them to kill to survive.

    He knelt to inspect the body.

    Did it really not bring its weapon with it?

    Blake shook his head in disgust when he found nothing of use after searching the corpse. Going anywhere unarmed was a sure way to an early grave.

    He moved away from the corpse and leaned against the nearby tree in the dark as he waited for another goblin to investigate. A few minutes later, his patience paid off as the goblin which slapped its sleepy comrade called out, ¡°Where you be?¡±

    When no response came, it abruptly stood and pulled its chipped short sword.

    Blake grinned.

    At least this one will have a weapon I can use.

    It angrily stomped through its camp and muttered to itself in Blake''s direction. When it saw the slumped form of its fellow guard on the ground, it hissed and kicked the prone form.

    ¡°You wake up!¡±

    When the corpse refused to respond, the goblin kicked the body harder. While it was preoccupied, Blake slipped around the tree and approached the angry humanoid from behind. Just as before, he reached forward and muffled the goblin¡¯s mouth, drew it in close, and slit its throat with his inadequate knife.

    Soon, its struggles ceased, and two dead bodies littered the ground. Blake froze against a dark tree and waited to see if the last guard would respond.

    After a full minute, when it continued to stare off into the dark forest blankly, Blake shook his head and lifted the sword from the corpse.

    I can¡¯t believe how inept these guys are.

    It had been a long time since he faced such weak and foolish enemies. He found that it was not just attributes and abilities that made someone deadly, it was also their sense of self-preservation. Only the most cautious and wily creatures survived long enough to become strong.

    When the remaining guard refused to leave the smoldering campfire and investigate, Blake was forced to go to it.

    Slowly and methodically, he crept along the ground with the stolen chipped short sword in hand. He circled the camp until he was behind the absent-minded goblin.

    Blake planned to slit its throat with his pocket knife as he had before, but if it were alerted to his presence, the sword would be a far more capable weapon. After closing the distance, he quietly sat the sword down onto the dew filled soil so it was ready, and extracted his knife once again.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    He held his breath.

    With a burst of movement, he grasped the dazed goblin¡¯s mouth from behind and ran his knife along the skinny neck with all his teenage strength. It struggled far more than its comrades, and Blake was forced to lift it into the air with pure adrenaline to keep its feet from slamming into the ground and waking its fellows.

    When the goblin finally stilled, he carefully set it on the ground and waited motionless. Soft snores filled the night and proved that the young goblins slept like logs. Blake shook his head. Sleeping lightly was one of the first things he learned to do when monsters invaded Earth.

    For the next ten minutes, he meticulously executed the sleeping goblins. There was no glorious battle, and no fight to the death, just a grim deed to be completed. He took no joy in dispatching the sleeping forms, but it had to be done.

    When the last goblin died, he searched the bodies for anything of use. Unfortunately, their armor was stained loin cloth that smelled similar to a latrine, and their weapons were equally chipped and dull as his pocket knife. He searched through his new collection of knives, clubs, and blades until he found the sharpest sword, and left the rest behind.

    He sighed at the waste, and silently left the encampment to find the next gathering of goblins. Blake could use any weapons or armor he found within the combat scenario, but the only loot he could bring back through the portal was the final reward. That, and any resources a non-combatant was able to harvest. Unfortunately, there was no faction full of crafters and laborers waiting to exploit this land after he completed the scenario. There was only Blake, and he was not even part of the Collective yet.

    The amount of enemies he needed to face varied, but there would definitely be more than the eight he had killed so far. Blake stalked through the murky woods, and paused every so often as he strained to hear any sign of his foe.

    His vision suddenly lit up with bright text, and he let out a gasp of surprise. He was so surprised, he almost dropped his blade. Blake quickly hid his body under a bush for cover and focused on the text.

    Welcome to the Collective!

    The message startled him, as he had not expected to be inducted until after he completed the scenario. Although, it was just an assumption on his part as he had never met anyone who received nano before Invasion day, and had not known the specific details of how it was achieved.

    Blake quickly dimmed the bright letters until they were less jarring to his vision. He was quite familiar with the augmented reality interface the Collective provided. It was completely customizable and responded to his thoughts. There was no need for a settings menu when you could focus on the elements you wished to change and force it to adapt to your will.

    After the change was completed, he absentmindedly dismissed the welcome message and a short introduction replaced it.

    Your species has been chosen by the Architect to join countless others on a path to power. As a member of the Collective, you will use nano to enhance your body, gain access to combat classifications, and harness power previously unknown. This will be necessary to overcome the challenges your planet will face in the future. You will be given directives to follow to show you the path. However, it is up to you to decide how you achieve it. Always remember, the greater the risk, the greater the reward.

    As the first of your species to join the Collective, it is your duty to spread this message and prepare others for what is to come. You may induct others into the Collective early by transferring nanomachines to them.

    The first paragraph was exactly as he remembered it from Invasion day. It revealed almost no information and massively understated the future danger they would face in the coming years. Nowhere did it mention that it would somehow disable all electricity, which would kill billions of people. It also left out the fact that tides of monsters would be loosed upon the Earth, which would wipe out most survivors.

    Instead, he focused on the last statement.

    That¡¯s new.

    As far as he was aware, no one had known about the invasion before it happened. Either the thousands of people who survived entering a portal had refused to inform others, or no one believed them. Blake was pretty sure it was the latter.

    Am I remembering it wrong, or did something change? Why is it different?

    He paused as a thought struck him.

    Maybe it was suppressed.

    He dismissed the welcome message and a notification replaced it.

    As the first of your species to join the Collective, you have gained a title. - [Scion of Humanity]

    Blake could not help but grin. This was exactly what he hoped to achieve by entering the portal as early as he did. Just to ensure the title¡¯s benefit was the same as he remembered, he focused, and a description was displayed.

    The [Scion of Humanity] title doubles all nano gained. Titles are always visible to others within the Collective and can not be hidden.

    His grin broadened. The title would allow him to gain power at twice the normal speed. It changed what he considered possible and would remove some of the detriments of multi-classing. The numerous new possibilities it opened flooded his mind, yet he pushed down his elation.

    Focus Blake, you can celebrate later.

    He needed to get through the rest of his notifications and then check his status and logs. The only downside he could imagine, was his inability to remove the title¡¯s display. It would mark him for death.

    As the first of your species to kill a nano-enhanced being, you have been awarded an achievement. - [First Kill]

    The [First Kill] achievement awards you two of every attribute.

    Blake¡¯s jaw dropped in shock.

    How did the first Scion die with these kinds of benefits?

    He shook his head at how ridiculous of an advantage the achievement was. There were six attributes total, and you could only increase them twelve times each time your combat class leveled. The achievement granted him an entire level, something that normally took months to gain, instantly.

    Achievement detected, Dual-classification unlocked.

    Blake dismissed the message. Once he received his first achievement, the ability to choose two classes simultaneously was enabled. He recalled that Tri-classing would be unlocked if he gained five achievements, and finally, Omni-classing at ten. No other notifications presented themselves, so he quickly opened his status page and eagerly reviewed his attributes.

    Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity

    Combat Classification - None

    Race - Tier I

    Attributes -

    Physical Power - 4 (2)

    Physical Stamina - 4 (2)

    Physical Resistance - 5 (2)

    Magic Power - 5 (2)

    Magic Stamina - 4 (2)

    Magic Resistance - 6 (2)

    Achievements -

    First Kill

    Nano - 120,703

    He allowed himself a moment of amusement regarding the title behind his name, and imagined how envious his old group would be.

    Except for the pending changes, his attributes were displayed exactly as he remembered them ten years before. They were pathetic. The average physical power for a human was five. If you were handicapped prior to Invasion day, it could go as low as one, and if you were an Olympic level athlete, it could be as high as nine.

    Blake was below average in half of his attributes, and was only above average in one, magic resistance. Next to each of his starting attributes was the number two. It denoted that nanomachines were currently working to enhance his body. They could take up to an hour or more to finish the job, and until they did, the added capability would only be shown in parentheses.

    Why couldn¡¯t I have been obsessed with working out?.

    While the nanomachines worked through his tissues, there was no pain nor uncomfortable feelings. Instead, he relaxed in the assurance that his body would slowly grow stronger and more resistant over the next hour or so until the process was complete. When it completed, his status sheet would reflect the increased capability, and he would gain full use of the added attributes.

    Before he moved to complete the combat scenario, Blake decided to remain where he was for the process to finish. It would be shortsighted to attack the goblins now, when in a scant hour he would be far stronger.

 Chapter 5 - Upgraded

    While he waited, still concealed from any eyes, for the nanomachines to finish enhancing his body, he passed the time with an examination of his logs.

    You have killed a young goblin. For your effort, you have received 202,371 nano.

    You have killed a young goblin. For your effort, you have received 210,579 nano.

    You have killed a young goblin. For your effort, you have received 202,207 nano.

    You have killed a young goblin. For your effort, you have received 102,799 nano.

    You have killed a young goblin. For your effort, you have received 104,002 nano.

    You have killed a young goblin. For your effort, you have received 99,442 nano.

    You have killed a young goblin. For your effort, you have received 97,801 nano.

    You have killed a young goblin. For your effort, you have received 101,502 nano.

    Holy shit!

    There could be only one explanation for such a large gain, the title, Scion of Humanity, worked retroactively.

    Do any of the other titles work the same?

    He could not recall any discussion of the phenomenon, so concluded it was unique to the coveted title.

    Normally, he would have to clear an entire scenario before he would be granted that amount of nano. Of course, in his past, it would be split four ways among his group members as there was no way he would attempt to solo clear a portal.

    Seriously, what was wrong with all those Scions? This is such a boost!

    Once a combat class was purchased, the scenario¡¯s difficulty increased. You began to face creatures who had access to the four types of magic with higher level attributes. In order to safely complete them, it was generally accepted that you needed access to all four magic types within your group. Without them, you would eventually encounter magic that you could not counter nor defeat.

    Almost everyone he knew had a single combat class, which gave access to a single type of magic. In what he was beginning to think of as his ¡®past life¡¯, Blake had chosen the Chi. As he focused on fighting, rather than healing or enhancement of others, he liked to think of himself as a Chi Warrior. However, the Collective simply listed his class as ¡®Chi User¡¯.

    The choice allowed him to use chi to enhance his body and affect others through touch. Each level, he was granted a single chi-based ability, which he could choose from a large list.

    Higher the risk, higher the reward.

    The opposite was also true. There was much less risk to a full group of four compared to fighting alone or with a single friend. It was also the reason the last five goblins he executed gave half the amount of nano that the first three did.

    Killing a sleeping enemy was easy. The risk was in doing it quietly enough to not wake the others. If he had used a gun to kill them, it would have given him even less credit.

    Firearms were one of the biggest reasons humanity progressed so slowly. They performed flawlessly for the first few levels. However, eventually, you ran across enemies that were either completely resistant to bullets or had ways of stopping them.

    The Architect punished those who used such crutches heavily by massively reducing any nano earned.

    As the nation with the highest amount of guns per capita, America was hindered the most by their use. With reduced nano rewards because of the low risk, it took years before most realized their error in their reliance on firearms. By then, it was too late.

    I wonder how much nano I needed to gain to join the collective?

    Before he bothered to review the math, he adjusted his interface so it divided all nano messages by a thousand and rounded the numbers. He knew that future purchases would require millions upon millions of nano. There was no reason to fill up his log with useless information. The adjusted numbers now ended in a ¡®k¡¯, which denoted a kilo-nano, or a thousand nanos. With far more streamlined reporting, he mentally added the gains together and subtracted what remained from the total.

    Looks like about a million nano to join the Collective. Is that how much it¡¯ll cost to share it with others? If so, that¡¯ll get expensive REAL quick. It¡¯ll be three million just for my family alone.

    Blake dismissed the status and log and requested his list of directives. He shifted uncomfortably within his hiding place as the display filled his vision.

    Directives -

    <ul>

    <li>Join or create a faction.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Complete a Combat Scenario.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Enhance an attribute.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Purchase a Combat Classification.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Learn a general skill.</li>

    </ul>

    Blake hoped to gain enough nano to enhance an attribute before he finished the scenario. If he successfully killed the inhabitants and was allowed to leave, he would complete the second directive as well. The first, fourth, and fifth directives, however, would require far more nano to achieve. It would most likely be months before he was able to complete them.

    If his memory served him, a combat class required about a hundred million nano to acquire. With his Scion of Humanity title, and the other achievements he would likely gain, multi-classifications would actually become doable. Unfortunately, they required far more nano than the singular classes the vast majority would gain

    In due time.

    General skills required five million nano to purchase and could provide non-magical benefits. Normally, he would advise someone to immediately learn a weapon skill as soon as they acquired enough nano. However, he was already highly proficient with almost all weapons. He no longer needed the basic knowledge the skill provided him.

    Time travel does have its benefits.

    A small sound from the forest pulled him from his thoughts. He peered through the branches of his hiding place until he sighted a tiny rodent rustling through the prior year¡¯s needles. He relaxed and returned to his planning.

    There were one or two skills he would purchase, but they would not be needed for quite some time. He also required a faction and momentarily indulged himself with a vision of himself as its leader. The benefits it¡¯s creation awarded him and his future faction members would be worth every nano. Even if it did require a billion of them.

    He turned to tell Montgomery about the faction, sure the mana user would laugh and bow to him in humor. Then he remembered he was alone.

    I need to find my friends.

    His mind became filled with future plans as he realized the many tasks he would need to complete in order to accomplish his goals. Once more, he checked them off in his brain. Blake not only needed to complete enough scenarios to grow stronger himself, but he needed to create a faction, invite his family and others to join it, and begin the creation of a town as well.

    He struggled to maintain his vigilance of the forest around him as he dreamed. Suddenly the entirety of the situation hit him.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Blake realized that he could save his entire family from their fates. His heart beat faster, and he smiled into the darkness. Not only would they be protected from the monsters unleashed upon the world, but once an alchemist was trained, his brother would be cured!

    This time he would not have to struggle alone to survive, his family would be with him.

    He immediately tempered his excitement. Unfortunately, the establishment of a faction city before Invasion day would require heavy financing. Society had yet to collapse, and he would have to place his new Collective sanctioned buildings somewhere.

    I don¡¯t just need money, I need a LOT of money.

    Blake was not sure how much acreage cost, as civilization collapsed long before he was in a position to purchase any. However, he knew it would be tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, and his family was currently broke. Momentarily sobered by the thought, he rotated to scan the forest behind him with a frown.

    I¡¯ll figure that out later, right now I need to focus on staying alive.

    The attributes he gained from the First Kill achievement went a long way toward ensuring that happened. Yet, he still needed to be cautious. A single mistake could kill him, he had no one to fall back on in these scenarios.

    Blake did not have Montgomery or Rajesh to support him with their assortment of spells, nor Jeff to step into the thick of things when he was overwhelmed.

    He reminded himself that tens of thousands of people must have wandered into the invisible portals before Invasion day, yet only a few hundred survived.

    However, unlike those first scenario survivors in his last life, he had his hard-earned fighting skills.

    Let¡¯s see how many are left.

    Blake focused on the Combat Scenario and more information appeared before him. The expanded details noted that the scenario matched his level of power and was thirty-one percent complete. He had killed eight goblins so far, which meant eighteen remained. Disappointed, he realized with so few goblins in the scenario, it was unlikely he would gain enough nano to upgrade an attribute.

    Blake opened the mapping feature included with the augmented reality system. The feature only functioned within a combat scenario and was extremely basic. It revealed a top-down view of the region, the boundary, and his current location.

    Most of the map remained unexplored and grayed out. A marker lay near the center and indicated his entry point. The areas he had traveled were displayed in a blurry splotch of color. However, as it was night, he could not see far, and a much smaller area was revealed to reflect that fact.

    He had traveled northwest, almost to the scenario boundary. From his experience, goblins separated themselves as far as possible, as they often quarreled. That meant that next he should travel southeast. While he examined the map, the collective notified him that his attribute enhancements were complete.

    Finally!

    Over the last hour, he had steadily felt stronger as the nanomachines upgraded his body. It was a gradual process, too slow to notice directly, but by the time it completed, he felt like a new man. Or, at least, closer to his old self.

    Blake rose to his feet slowly and stretched his newly enhanced body. He performed a few katas with his chipped sword and enjoyed his renewed flexibility and strength. After he completed the familiar exercise, he was barely out of breath and his muscles were only slightly sore.

    It¡¯ll have to do.

    Blake once again stalked through the dark forest as he searched for the next encampment of goblins. Unfortunately, despite the increased attributes, his progress slowed even further as he struggled to find his footing in the dim light. The two moons were no longer directly overhead, and without their copious illumination, he was forced to strain his eyes and test each step to ensure he did not trip or fall.

    I miss my night vision.

    One of the abilities he was granted through his old class was the capability to see in almost complete darkness. He could not count how many times he used that to his advantage. Of course, he mused, after he upgraded his race to the second tier at level twenty-five, it would become less useful. However, for years, it saved his and his group member¡¯s lives.

    For almost an hour, he crept along the forest floor, until he came upon the next grouping of enemies. In the distance, he sighted a small fire and angled himself toward it. When he approached the campfire, he found a band of five clustered around it. Three slept on the ground while two kept watch. Both green skinned goblins stared vacantly into the flames and listened raptly to the crackle and pop of the logs as they burned to cinder. Blake chuckled mentally at their error. The brightness of the flames would destroy their night vision.

    The breeze switched and blew the smoke in his direction. He was forced to cover his face with his jacket to filter out the fumes and keep himself from coughing. When the wind carried the pall away, he wiped the tears away from his irritated eyes and focused on the two guards, careful to not allow the fire to ruin his own night vision.

    My Physical Resistance still isn¡¯t high enough.

    Simple things like smoke from a fire and stubbing his toe would continue to plague him until he raised his body¡¯s resistance to over ten and became superhuman. Unless he focused entirely on physical resistance, it would be months before his body reached that level of toughness. That was especially true since he planned to siphon away large amounts of nano to form his own faction.

    I can take them.

    The two guards were completely blinded by the bright flames and seemed to be in a trance. Blake felt confident that he could kill both before the sleeping goblins could fully wake. He gently laid the baseball bat down and snuck forward with only his looted sword in hand. Unlike his last fight, he had no intention of assassinating the goblins as they slept. With his newly enhanced body, he should have no issues fighting three young goblins at once, especially now that he was armed with a sword.

    He positioned himself a few feet away from the closest guard and then lunged forward while he chopped his blade to the side. Despite the chips on its single edge, the blade sliced deep into the goblin¡¯s wiry neck. Blake followed through with the motion until he felt the resistance of its spine.  A blood-curdling scream assaulted his ears as the stricken goblin desperately clutched at its gaping wound. Blake ignored it. Instead, he raised his sword arm again and rushed the final, shocked guard. It panicked and raised its empty arms before itself, desperate to block his attack.

    His first swing cut the spindly, green skinned arms of the goblin. When it screamed in agony at the wound, he flowed behind it and spun his blade around toward the back of its neck. Blake grunted with effort as he put his full strength behind the maneuver. The metal lodged into its spine with a thump, and he was forced to tug hard on his weapon before it was released.

    With the two guards dying, he rounded to face the three goblins which remained. Awakened from their slumber, they scrambled for their nearby weapons in a panic. Before the nearest goblin could rise to its feet and mount a defense, Blake rushed forward.

    He slammed his sword¡¯s blade into the closest goblins face. Unfortunately, the attack destroyed Blake¡¯s weapon. The weak metal was already compromised, and the creature¡¯s skull proved hardier than the damaged blade.

    The fatally wounded goblin dropped its own spear as it wailed in agony and clutched at its face. With an injury so severe, Blake decided it was unlikely to remain in the fight, and he quickly snatched its abandoned weapon to use against his two last foes.

    Unlike his previous battles, these two were prepared for his attacks. The momentary loss of his weapon gave the goblins the time needed to steel themselves for battle.

    Blake thrust the spear forward at the goblin on his left to test its skill with the mace it brandished. As expected, the goblin swiftly parried his attack. He quickly retreated from the fire ring before the other was able to counter.

    He hoped they would follow his ruse and not flee for reinforcements. Luckily, they were inexperienced and followed. He was not sure if they were overconfident in their abilities, or just dumb. Either way, it worked to his advantage.

    The goblins yelled a battle cry and rushed forward as one. As they closed the distance, he leapt to the side and swept his spear across the closest goblins¡¯ legs. The impact as its shins rammed into the wooden pole jarred him, and Blake barely held on to his weapon.

    The sword wielding goblin fell forward onto its face, and Blake launched himself toward the lone defender. It frantically blocked another two thrusts, but backpedaled at his ferocity, tripped over a root, and fell to the ground.

    Blake¡¯s next attack met no resistance and pierced its eye. Confident that the goblin would soon be dead, he whirled around to his last enemy. The lone goblin regained its feet and cautiously approached him. Blake allowed the small humanoid to approach as he breathed deeply to catch his breath.

    It tentatively swung its sword at him, however, Blake¡¯s stamina had recovered and he easily blocked the attack. The sword bit into the wood of his spear and cut it in half. The surprised goblin faltered, and Blake grinned at his good luck. He discarded the wooden shaft and thrust the metal tipped end into the goblins¡¯ unarmored chest.

    The point easily pierced through the thin fabric of its shirt and slid between its ribs. It dropped its sword as it reeled from the mortal injury, and Blake exchanged his broken spear with the rusty weapon. He deftly grasped it in his hand and turned to finish off the final whimpering goblin.

 Chapter 6 - Divide and Conquer

    The defenseless goblin quickly died, and except for Blake¡¯s own gasping breath, the dark forest was silent once more.

    Despite the upgrade to his stamina, he bemoaned the fact that his body was still considered average compared to non-integrated humans. While he recovered from his exertion, he quickly checked his logs to ensure no goblins still lived, and was relieved when their deaths were confirmed.

    You have killed a young goblin. For your effort, you have received 199k nano.

    You have killed a young goblin. For your effort, you have received 195k nano.

    You have killed a young goblin. For your effort, you have received 198k nano.

    You have killed a young goblin. For your effort, you have received 220k nano.

    You have killed a young goblin. For your effort, you have received 221k nano.

    The nano displayed was divided by a thousand and rounded per his settings. His logs proved that all had died from their injuries, and after he reviewed his status page, he found that he now held almost one point two million nano.

    Another nine million and I can upgrade another attribute.

    He noticed another notification vying for his attention and focused on its message.

    For killing ten nano-enhanced creatures, you have been awarded an achievement. - [Slayer I]

    The [Slayer I] achievement increases all your attributes by 1%.

    Blake smiled at the familiar achievement. The reward was low, but it was only the first in its series. After he killed another eighty-seven creatures, he would increase his attributes by another one percent. The third stage of the achievement, on the other hand, increased attributes by five percent total and required a thousand kills.

    By the time he and his faction battled the Koza, he had acquired the fourth stage of the achievement with well over ten-thousand kills. It increased attributes by ten percent total and was far more noticeable. It took years to get to that point, and the long process had almost completely desensitized him to the slaughter.

    Let¡¯s see how many more are left.

    The directive informed him that the scenario was fifty percent completed. With this information, Blake deduced there were likely two more camps spaced evenly to the southwest, and one would likely contain a much tougher opponent. He opened his map and confirmed his current location. The blurry map was further revealed from the last time he checked, and displayed a marker for every single kill he had achieved.

    I bet the next camp is somewhere about here.

    He placed his own marker where it made sense for the next camp to be located, and closed the tool. He glanced down at the notched sword he looted from the last goblin camp, it was the best weapon he had seen so far, and he planned to continue to use it. However, unlike his baseball bat, he could not bring it back through the portal with him.

    Blake searched his memory for where he had dropped the bat but came up blank. He then proceeded to search the dark battlefield for the next ten minutes before he gave into defeat. The baseball bat was gone.

    Oh well, I haven¡¯t used it yet anyway.

    After a mental shrug, he once more used the map to orient himself to his new direction, and began to cautiously trail through the woods. As he traveled, he peeled off his blood-stained coat and tied it gingerly around his waist. His cotton t-shirt was soaked in sweat, and he was beginning to overheat in the thick humidity, despite the coolness of the night.

    Much better.

    The light wind began to cool him and his mind began to clear. By the time he neared the marker he placed upon the map, he began to shiver and was forced to slip into the stained jacket once more. His travel was far too slow to keep his body warm, and in the damp environment, his sweat refused to evaporate.

    When he reached his marker and failed to detect a nearby camp, he frowned.

    One of them should be around here. Where the hell are they?

    He continued on in the same direction for another ten minutes before he finally found signs of a camp. In the distance, he could see the glow of two small campfires only a few feet apart. He crept closer to the light until he had a full view of the camp.

    Shit.

    Instead of two smaller camps, as he had discovered earlier, all thirteen goblins had combined into a single, large group. Four of the guards were awake, and one of them wore a bone necklace. Its jewelry most likely signified that it was in charge of the band. The fact that every goblin faced away from the fire instead of into the bright flames meant he was far more intelligent than the others. They were also more alert and held their weapons close.

    How the hell am I going to take them all out by myself?

    Stolen story; please report.

    With his weak body, thirteen was far too many. His only hope was to separate them, as he did at the first camp. He backed away and cautiously circled around the grouping until he smelled a nearby latrine.

    After he located nearby cover away from the odor, he sat down and leaned back against a tree, careful to ensure he made no noise. It would be a long wait, and he wanted to get comfortable.

    <hr>

    A branch snapped and jolted him awake. Despite his vigilance, his teenage body had betrayed him, and he had fallen asleep. The forest had noticeably lightened, which meant he had been vulnerable for hours as he slept. He mentally cursed at himself for the lapse in discipline.

    The sound of water splattering against the ground focused his attention, and he was able to discern the backside of a small goblin, urinating. Propped against a nearby tree, was a quiver with crude arrows stored inside it, and a small bow.

    Quickly, before it could finish, Blake rose to his feet and stalked it from behind. The young goblin was alone, and if he wanted to take advantage of the situation, he did not have much time.

    Instead of using the pocket knife as he had before, he readied his sword. The stream of urine was beginning to falter, so he rushed forward, muffled the distracted goblin¡¯s mouth with his left hand, and dragged the edge of the foot long blade against its thin, green throat. It struggled for only a few moments before it dropped in his arms, lifeless. A sudden cry of alarm surprised him, and he spun to his left. Only ten feet away stood a frightened guard.

    Where the hell did he come from?

    ¡°Wake up!¡± It yelled, ¡°Enemy!¡±

    Before the guard could retreat and join its brothers, Blake dropped the light corpse and sprinted toward it. The young goblin slowly backed away and brandished its weapon. It was scared and not thinking clearly, as it never occurred to the dim creature to turn and run.

    Blake used his greater weight to his advantage. After his initial attack was blocked, he tackled the green-skinned humanoid. His weight knocked it breathless, and the creature gasped loudly as it was pinned beneath him.

    He never allowed it a chance to recover.

    Blake dealt a quick slash to its exposed neck. Once he was sure it would die, he rose to his feet and searched for the nearest enemy. To his dismay, the entire camp heard the cry, and the leader was shouting orders to get them organized.

    Time to get out of here.

    Blake turned and dashed into the cover of the woods. With the dim light of dawn to aid him, he was able to weave his way deftly through the trees and quickly distanced himself from the angry band of goblins. When he felt he had retreated far enough, he began to circle around and slowed his pace.

    He wanted to see how they responded, as their actions would determine his own. He reasoned, if all eleven goblins remained within the camp, alert, he would have no way to defeat them. However, if they split up to search for him, he may have a chance. He had not heard any goblins in the woods behind him as he ran, so he assumed they all remained within the camp.

    As he neared the clearing, his worst fears were confirmed.

    ¡°No!¡± the leader yelled at an angry goblin. ¡°You stay! We no know how many attack. Could be trap.¡±

    The chastised goblin nodded reluctantly and obeyed, but remained focused on his commander.

    ¡°Face trees, not me!¡± the boss shrieked.

    The group of goblins sheepishly turned in place and began to scan the surrounding woods for signs of their ambushers. Blake hid behind a thick tree and observed them for another few minutes as he formed an idea. Before the brightening day could spoil his stealth, he backed away from the camp and circled to the latrine, where he originally killed the two guards.

    When he arrived at the foul stench, he approached the first goblin he had killed, dropped the sword, and took its quiver. Once he threaded his arm through the basket of arrows, he bent down and retrieved the tiny recurve bow. He quickly pulled back the string to test its strength and was surprised at the draw weight. By his estimation, it required sixty pounds of force to fully extend the bow, which could easily kill an unarmored target.

    Blake slowly released the string, so as not to damage it. He retrieved a crude arrow from the quiver on his back, and nocked it on the thin groove in the center of the wood. With the weapon held sideways, the tip of the arrow stayed put, which allowed him to quickly draw and loose.

    Archery was not his specialty, but he had practiced with almost every type of weapon over his many years of battle. With the bow readied, he snuck closer to the camp until he could observe the entire group from behind a tree with an oversized shrub at its base. Two of the goblins had large shields and would be difficult to kill from range, but they were not his target.

    Instead, he quickly identified the leader by the necklace it wore. The rising sun limited his time and forced him to action. With a deep, calming breath, he pulled back on the string until the bow was fully drawn, stepped out from behind the tree and loosed the arrow.

    There were shouts of alarm as they spotted him, but it was too late. The projectile had flown true, and the stone tip pierced through the neck of the leader. Blake reached for another arrow. It gurgled a scream around the mortal injury and sank to the ground.

    He drew the bow to its full length, aimed at a gawking shield-laden goblin, and let loose. The arrow sank deep into its shoulder. Its shield fell to the ground along with the goblin as it shrieked in pain.

    Without a leader to hold them back, the remainder charged toward him. Blake whirled and sprinted through the forest. The goblins were in close pursuit, however, with his longer legs, he quickly outpaced them.

    After a ten-minute sprint, his heavy breathing grew louder in his ears than their distant yells of anger. When he was sure that he lost them, he slowed to a stop to recover, and ducked behind a grouping of boulders. Blake planned on circling around to pick off another goblin or two, but needed his breathing to slow in order to do so.

    Hopefully they¡¯re dumber without their leader.

    While he rested, he checked his logs and was pleasantly surprised at the gains. Killing the shield wielding goblin awarded him a little under two hundred thousand nano, but the boss gave almost twice that amount.

    It must have had higher attributes.

    The Architect used a plethora of factors to determine the amount of nano to grant the victor in battle. In the future, longstanding arguments were held on the exact formula it used to compute the final tally. His friend Rajesh attested that if he were able to discover all the variables, the answer would be made clear. However, to his knowledge, no one ever succeeded. One aspect always remained true and became his group¡¯s mantra.

    The greater the risk, the greater the reward.

    Since all the goblins in this scenario lacked a combat classification, the risk was low. He reasoned, the only explanation for the increased nano was attributes. It had most likely raised its attributes to the limit. Depending on how it distributed the enhancements, its body may have been more powerful than his own, despite its small frame.

    If the leader had ignored the magical attributes and focused entirely on the physical, it would have at least a seven if not eight in all three. That would make it a threat. As planned, his ambush had eliminated the toughest and smartest of the group.

    Now, all he needed was to use his new bow to whittle down his enemies one by one until only a few remained.

 Chapter 7 - First Clear

    When Blake¡¯s breathing returned to normal, he retrieved another arrow from the quiver and nocked it. He heard yells in the distance as the frightened goblins searched for him, and he used the noise to triangulate their positions.

    Perfect timing. Looks like they already split up.

    With the arrow¡¯s shaft resting on the spine of the bow, he began to carefully close the distance between them. As he approached the closest group, he found only three within it.

    Perfect.

    The small party of goblins stomped through the woods, making far more of a racket than was necessary. It was so embarrassing that he became convinced it was a trap and there would be an ambush somewhere. Just to be certain, he stalked them through the undergrowth while circling around behind them to search for stealthier units.

    After ten minutes of reconnoitering, he realized that he was giving them far too much credit. These goblins looked very young, and most likely had little to no enhancement. They had not had time to grow wise and learn from their mistakes. Likely, this was their first taste of actual combat. Their erratic movements stemmed from terror and not from guile.

    While he shadowed them, they had not once looked behind them. Their entire focus was on an arc ahead and to their sides. Blake also noted that they never looked up into the branches of trees, either. He was so used to fighting veterans on Earth and in the scenarios, that he had forgotten how inept the lower level creatures were.

    Well, I can¡¯t blame them, I was the same way when I started.

    With new confidence, Blake strode boldly, yet silently, through the woods and narrowed the distance between them. When the band of three bumbled into a small clearing in the trees, he paused, drew back the bow, and released his first arrow.

    Before his attack landed, he retrieved another arrow from his back and nocked it. Just as the first projectile pierced into the back of the bow wielding goblin, he loosed another into its companion. A scream erupted from the first, which jolted the two others. Their sudden movement caused his next arrow to fly wide, and it only winged his target¡¯s arm.

    Stupid slow body.

    With his weak physical power, retrieving a new arrow and shooting it took longer than he expected. As he nocked a replacement arrow, he estimated that with his old body, he could have loosed five arrows in the time it took him to launch only two. They would also have far more power behind them, as the bow would be enhanced and strengthened by the Architect and its nanomachines.

    And that was if it was a normal physical attack.

    In his past life, as a Chi Warrior, he was able to imbue each arrow with power that would enable his projectiles to pierce through armor and then explode. After the numerous skill upgrades it had received, the force it produced was enough to puncture through a pre-invasion tank and completely destroy it.

    Sadly, it was still not powerful enough to scratch the Koza leader, who attacked his faction. He had been forced to use his Titanform ability to even come close to matching its strength, and that lasted a scant thirty seconds.

    Focus on the fight.

    Blake loosed another arrow, which pierced through the lightly injured goblin¡¯s forearm and entered its throat. With its fellow goblins dead, the last creature froze momentarily, and then ran. It only made it ten feet before an arrow pierced through it from behind.

    He quickly checked his logs, confirmed their deaths, and attempted to retrieve the precious arrows. The projectile which winged the goblin was lost somewhere in the woods, but the others remained lodged within their frail bodies. He was able to save two, and he combined the six in the first goblins quiver to his own.

    Ten arrows, and eight goblins left.

    He felt pretty confident in his odds, yet he still bent down to retrieve a rusty knife from the last corpse. To Blake¡¯s relief, he was able to thread the thin blade through his belt loop and use it as a makeshift scabbard. It would not last long and would eventually cut through the thin fabric, but would suffice for the next two battles. He hoped.

    Faintly, he could still hear the calls of the remaining goblins as they hunted for him. They were so loud that they never heard the dying screams of their fellows. He focused on the group to the north and jogged through the woods to meet up with them.

    The sun crested the horizon and cast a purplish-orange hue on the evergreen trees. Through the thick forest and tall trees, he was unable to view it directly, but the beautiful star was familiar to him. He admired it almost every time he entered into a combat scenario that took place outside. Sunrise on this planet was especially breathtaking when viewed over the ocean.

    With ample light to navigate freely, he was able to sprint through the forest unobstructed and soon converged on a band of four goblins.

    He opted for a straightforward attack.

    Here we go.

    One of his targets had checked behind itself and immediately saw him. It quickly notified its brethren.

    They screamed a warcry and charged.

    Blake smirked as he paused and nocked an arrow. His first attack killed a goblin with a shield instantly as it railed through the center of its forehead. His next arrow missed the heart of a goblin and instead pierced its shoulder. The wound was not fatal, but took the small humanoid out of the fight, regardless.

    Two goblins remained, and cautiously approached. Blake swiftly fired one last arrow at the closest enemy. Whether through dumb luck, or incredible skill, it was able to raise its metal mace and deflected the projectile. He suspected the former.

    Blake did not pause to admire the move, he unsheathed the eight-inch knife from his belt loop. The mace wielding goblin continued to barrel toward him with its weapon raised high.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Before it could swing the heavy bludgeon at his head, Blake launched himself forward at a slight angle to the goblin¡¯s charge. His dagger pierced its throat, as its mortally wounded body continued on with momentum. As it clipped his shoulder, he was spun around, which forced him to catch himself with a hand on the ground.

    The last goblin took advantage of his position and swung his short sword. Blake deftly intercepted the attack with his blade, but staggered backwards from the weight of the blow. Despite the goblin¡¯s lower weight, it ran at its full speed and used the momentum to its advantage.

    I miss my old body.

    Blake rolled and quickly found his feet. When he regained sight of his attacker, he found that it too had trouble maintaining its footing. The goblin had not expected its attack to be blocked and had fallen face-first into the ground as a result.

    He rushed forward to press his advantage, knife in hand, and stabbed the blade deep into its back before it could rise. With his weight resting on the small figure, it was trapped beneath him. However, it still took four more thrusts before it finally lay still.

    Blake immediately checked for additional threats as he caught his breath. The goblin with the pierced shoulder still wailed on the ground, and he swiftly put it out of its misery. He may have felt no remorse from killing the pitiful creatures, but he did not want them to suffer.

    He surveyed the location of the scuffle and stifled a feeling of anger towards the AI. It was the Architect and the Koza who invaded his world at the end, which held his ire. These pitiful wretches had no choice and were but pawns of the AI. Just like humans were, and again would become.

    The last group must have heard the calls of its fellows, as they rushed toward him in the distance. He could hear their battle cries as they raced his way, and had just a short time to collect his bow before they arrived.

    Good, I don¡¯t have to chase you down.

    He scrambled forward with alacrity and retrieved the ranged weapon. However, when he reached behind his back to retrieve an arrow, he found that the quiver had spilled onto the ground during the scuffle. Blake only had time to lift a single dropped arrow from the dirt and fire it before he was forced to abandon the bow.

    That¡¯s annoying.

    Still, it pierced through the closest attacker¡¯s heart and reduced his opponents to only three. The last goblin¡¯s short sword was nearby, so he snatched the blade, and slipped the bloody dagger out of his belt loop with his offhand. Armed with two weapons, he waited patiently for the remainder of the small band to reach him.

    Blake easily blocked the first¡¯s heavy swing of a mace with his dagger, which shattered the tiny blade. However, it halted the attack, as he planned, and allowed him to skewer his enemy with his sword. It howled as Blake discarded his now useless dagger and stole the goblin¡¯s mace right from its hand before it could fall.

    He parried a spear thrust with the short sword as he absently kicked the goblin to the side. The green humanoid overextended itself. He took advantage of the mistake and dealt a quick chop to the side of its neck. The blade bounced off its spine, and he released his pressure so it did not become lodged in the bone.

    Only a single goblin remained. Blake backpedaled to momentarily to catch his breath. He had expended a large amount of energy to defeat the goblins, and his body did not yet have the stamina he was accustomed to.

    Stupid body.

    His muscles were sore from overuse, and his chest heaved to receive the oxygen it so desperately needed.

    The last goblin was now alone and extremely wary. It glanced nervously at the corpses of its fellows which surrounded it and seemed to come to a decision. It suddenly dropped its heavy staff, turned tail, and ran.

    Son of a bitch!

    Blake was already out of breath, but he had to follow, or he would be forced to search for days as the goblin hid in the dense woods. He rasped for air as he sprinted after the fleeing enemy, sword in hand. With his longer legs, he was able to quickly close on his prey, despite the lack of air in his lungs, and lunged forward with his blade.

    The sharp tip of his weapon bit into the goblin¡¯s back, which caused it to stumble and fall to the ground as it shrieked. Blake purposely fell on top of it and stabbed twice more before it was finally silenced.

    A Notification suddenly assaulted him, yet he ignored it while he collapsed to the ground, exhausted. For the next five minutes, he lay on the forest floor next to his fallen foe and gasped for breath as his body was slowly replenished.

    Finally, when his breath was under control, he opened the notification.

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    No.

    When he refused to make a choice, the window was minimized and replaced with another.

    As the first of your species to complete a combat scenario, you have been awarded an achievement. - [First Clear]

    The [First Clear] achievement increases your attributes by ten percent.

    ¡°Holy shit! Ten percent!¡± he gasped as he rolled over into a seated position and checked the surrounding forest out of habit.

    The reward was overwhelming. It had taken him years to kill over ten thousand nano-enhanced creatures and gain the fourth Slayer upgrade, which granted the same reward. By comparison, this was far easier to accomplish.

    It would take at least ten minutes before the nanomachines granted him the percentage increase. Now, every time he enhanced an attribute, it would take just a bit longer than normal, as the nanomachines had to raise it by an extra ten percent. He moved to rest next to a large stand of young trees to conceal himself as he reviewed the Collective¡¯s messages.

    I can¡¯t believe these crazy advantages were wasted!

    He was furious. In his previous life, it was likely the Scion of Humanity which gained the bonuses. The Chinese man had never been seen again after his awkward speech, and the achievements he gained were squandered. Blake could only assume he was either captured by the Chinese government, or died in another scenario when he bit off more than he could chew.

    He shook his head at the waste, and dismissed the notification.

    As the first of your species to complete a combat scenario by yourself, you have been awarded an achievement. - [First Solo Clear]

    The [First Solo Clear] achievement allows you to choose a non-combat companion from a list which will be bound to you for life. Would you like to choose your companion now?

    With further notifications waiting for him, he answered no and the alert minimized. He had met people with companions before and was disappointed with the reward. The bound creatures were not allowed to assist in combat by the Architect, yet could still be killed.

    In his opinion, they were a gimmick. He was not exactly thrilled at the reward, but would give it his attention in the future. The next alert, however, was very welcome.

    For clearing an equal level combat scenario by yourself, you have gained an achievement. - [Solo Warrior]

    The [Solo Warrior] achievement increases your attributes by ten percent.

    Blake smiled. He had known of this achievement. In his past life, it had taken years of work and planning to complete a scenario on his own. However, the reward had been worth it. Gaining it after his very first scenario was utterly ridiculous. With a grin, he dismissed the alert and requested the next.

    Five achievements detected, Tri-classification unlocked.

    He absently dismissed the message and moved on to the next.

    As the first of your species to complete a directive, you have been awarded an achievement. - [Directive Enthusiast]

    The [Directive Enthusiast] achievement doubles the rewards for completing all future directives.

    ¡°Yes!¡± he screamed in joy.

    Like the Scion of Humanity title, this would allow him to level much faster than those around him. He hoped it would also apply to town-based directives. If it did, it would allow him to expand his faction¡¯s city at an unprecedented rate.

    After he finished celebrating the windfall, he dismissed the notification and another replaced it.

    You have gained 5,000k nano for completing a directive.

    He quickly checked the math. Just as the Architect promised, the reward was doubled to five million nano. When added to his gains from killing the goblins, it brought his total to nine thousand two hundred kilo-nano. He was only eight hundred kilo-nano shy of being able to enhance an attribute.

    After he dismissed the latest alert, only his two pending notifications remained. Blake rubbed his hands together in excitement.

 Chapter 8 - Rewards

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    Yes!

    Three objects suddenly appeared before his eyes. They rotated slowly and each was labeled with a brief description. The first of his choices was a thin, bland gold necklace, which would increase his Physical Stamina by one. It was not a massive change, but he did not expect much as this was a reward for a single level zero scenario

    His second option was a nano-enhanced shield. The metal defensive item resembled a heater shield and was two feet wide by four tall. It was flat at the top, but the bottom came to a point. Despite its ruggedness, it weighed only five pounds. Reduced weight for the same durability was one of the benefits of using the Collective and its nanomachines to craft items.

    Besides being a decent shield, it held no other advantages. However, it did not need any, especially at this level. It would stand up to pretty much anything, and unlike the items he found within the scenario, he could bring it through the portal.

    The last item was a twenty-inch mace. The thin shaft was made of hardwood, while the head was made of a ball of metal in a polygon shape the size of his fist. Like the shield, it also held no additional special properties.

    By the time he finished the list, his enthusiasm waned. The rewards were solid level appropriate items, but for some reason he had expected something more. Especially after the insane achievements he gained.

    With a sigh, he selected the necklace and waited for it to assemble. A shimmer in the air appeared a foot away from where he rested on the ground. Slowly, over the next minute, the distortion became increasingly more defined until it finally resolved into the jewelry in question.

    The ability for nanomachines to construct a physical item from molecules alone had fascinated him ten years ago. However, over the years he had grown used to the sight, and now was only annoyed at the wait. Luckily, it was a very small item, otherwise he might have waited for an hour or more. It was another reason he chose the necklace rather than the shield. He had spent enough time inside the combat scenario and wanted to see his parents.

    Once fully formed, it fell to the ground. Blake retrieved the jewelry, clasped it around his neck, and then used the map feature to find where he entered this world. The return trip through the woods was peaceful, and the sun had finally risen to light the way.

    Soon, the swirling portal stood in the distance. Unlike the portals hidden on Earth, this distortion was visible. It resembled a rotating sphere which hovered three feet off the ground. The portal itself was four feet in diameter and roiled with energy. As he approached the phenomenon, the familiar smell of ozone filled his nostrils.

    Blake casually approached the churning ball of energy and placed a hand within. Immediately, the energy within grasped onto his body and pulled him upwards with a force that was impossible to resist. He felt no sensation of pain or even motion, and the only way he knew his body had moved was from his vision alone.

    Suddenly, his vision blackened and he hung motionless in a void. Without warning, his body rushed through another portal which appeared, and he was expelled. Light quickly returned, as did gravity.

    The sensation of falling to his death was a familiar feeling after completing the goblin scenario, as the portal was eight feet off the ground. It was only accessible by jumping from the rocky ledge above it, and would have never been found if it did not become visible in the future.

    Prepared for the drop, he cushioned his fall with bent knees and collapsed into a roll. His momentum was successfully transferred horizontally, and his tumble quickly came to a stop. He laid still to recover. Mercifully, he did not land in a cactus patch.

    Despite the effective landing, his body ached. With a physical resistance attribute of only seven, he was still weak. It was above average compared to the rest of humanity, but that meant very little when falling from a great height. Although, if he weighed more than his hundred and fifty pounds, it would have been far worse.

    Shit.

    The sky was completely dark.

    Blake had been within the combat scenario for hours. His pocket suddenly began to vibrate and alerts began to sound off in rapid fashion, confusing him. It had been ten years since electricity worked without the aid of the Architect, and he was not used to a phone.

    He quickly retrieved the still vibrating device and watched the lock screen as it added message after message to the notifications. According to the cheap smartphone, it was after eleven, and his parents were freaking. As he unlocked the screen with his thumb and began to scroll through the numerous texts, he began to feel guilty.

    At first, a simple message stated that his mother heard from the vice principal, and they would have a talk when he got to work. Then, a message from his father asked why he was late for his shift. As he read further, their communications transitioned from annoyed to worried.

    That became especially true when the police showed up at their restaurant and asked where he was. Evidently, the bully he had beaten was still in the hospital. According to his parents, the police had viewed the recording of the fight and planned to arrest him for assault.

    Annoyed, Blake shoved the phone back in his pocket and sighed as he rubbed his temples. He regretted the fight against the bully, and if he had been thinking clearly at the time, he would have just walked away from the altercation. Unfortunately, his mind had still been confused, and his instincts prevailed. He could only be thankful that he did not finish the punk off as he normally would.

    He groaned as he climbed to his feet, sore muscles protesting, and searched for his bike in the dark. The moon had risen in a cloudless sky, so he was able to navigate easier than he had on the goblin world. It took a moment to remember where he stashed his transportation, but eventually he successfully found his bicycle, and walked it to the road.

    His sore muscles strained as he lifted the bike over his head and tossed it across the barbed wire fence. Carefully, he crossed over the wire barrier himself. His jacket was ripped from a barb, but he was not concerned. The coat was already soiled and covered in blood.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Despite his aching legs, he traveled faster than expected as he pedaled along the shoulder of the highway. Due to the time of night, there were few cars on the out-of-the-way road, and he did not come across heavy traffic until he reached the main thoroughfare.

    Ten minutes later, he arrived at the low-income apartment complex where his family resided and stashed his bicycle behind a bush. He would normally never leave something so easy to steal outside, but his mind was completely consumed by the upcoming conflict.

    Blake hesitated at the door to his home, frozen, for over a minute. Despite the years of killing and the close calls he had experienced, he was more frightened than he could ever recall. He would rather face off against another planetary threat than enter the apartment.

    After a deep breath, he reached forward with his hand and grasped the doorknob.

    It was locked.

    Well crap.

    He searched his pockets, but found no key, only his phone, pocket knife, some food, a bottle of water, and his phone.

    Are my keys and wallet in my backpack at school?

    For a few minutes, he debated what to do, before he just decided to knock on the door. His hand rapped against the wood three times before he waited. Faintly, he could hear movement from within and his father¡¯s voice letting his mother know he would get the door.

    When the door opened and his father¡¯s face showed relief at the sight of his son, Blake broke down in tears and embraced the man in a hug. Sobs escaped him as he buried his face in his father¡¯s chest.

    Peter returned the affection with his son, while he yelled over his shoulder, ¡°Donna! Blake¡¯s home!¡±

    He heard feet slapping against the vinyl floor, and then suddenly his mother swapped places with his dad.

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re safe! I was so worried! We thought something happened to you!¡± As she held him, her relief at his return transitioned into anger at his lack of communication. She separated from the hug and pushed herself away from him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call? Where have you been? What¡¯s this business about a fight? When you didn¡¯t show up to work, we were a server short all evening! The wait was so bad that people didn¡¯t give tips. You know we need that money to¡­¡±

    ¡°Honey!¡± Peter interrupted and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. ¡°Give him time to answer.¡±

    Donna flashed a brief look of annoyance at her husband, but relented. Blake reluctantly stepped into the small foyer and closed the door behind him.

    He took a deep breath and said, ¡°It¡¯s a long story. You may want to sit down.¡±

    ¡°Take your jacket off first,¡± she told him. ¡°It''s filthy.¡± Then her voice shifted back to concern. ¡°Whose blood is that? Are you hurt?¡±

    Blake raised his hands. ¡°I¡¯m fine mom. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll tell you everything. Let me just get this off and we can sit down on the couch.¡±

    He extracted himself from the soiled clothing and then looked to his mother for guidance.

    ¡°Just drop it on the bench by the door, Blake.¡±

    After he left his ruined coat, he warily padded deeper into the apartment. They followed him into the small living room, and after he perched on a reclining chair, they sat on the love seat opposite him.

    He cleared his throat and explained, ¡°This is going to sound very strange and unbelievable, but I promise, nothing I¡¯m about to tell you is a lie, and I can prove it.¡± He took another deep breath when they frowned, but continued on. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen either of you for almost ten years. I¡¯m actually from the future, or at least my consciousness is¡­¡± he corrected.

    Their looks of confusion transitioned as he spoke. His mother¡¯s brow furrowed in concern, while his father¡¯s frown betrayed disbelief.

    Of course they think I¡¯m crazy or lying. I would too.

    ¡°I know it sounds made up or crazy, but like I said, I can prove it. In six months, all electricity will stop working and an artificial intelligence named The Architect will take over the world. Everyone¡¯s bodies will be flooded with nanomachines, and we¡¯ll all join what it calls, ¡®the Collective¡¯. Billions of people will die from starvation, and even more will follow when monsters start leaving the portals that appear. In the future, I was fighting against the incredibly strong alien leader. I held it still while my faction used some top secret weapon against it. Somehow, instead of dying like I thought I would, I woke up in a classroom ten years in the past.¡±

    He paused and anxiously waited for their initial response.

    His father snorted. ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll have to wait six months for this proof?¡±

    Donna gave Peter a sharp look. ¡°It¡¯s not funny, Peter. There¡¯s something wrong with our baby, and he needs our help.¡± She turned back to face Blake and said in a comforting voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Blake, we¡¯ll get whatever help you need. We¡¯ll find a way, despite the cost. We can clear this all up with the police too.¡±

    Blake was surprised. Based upon his memories, he assumed they would yell at him for inventing a story. Instead, his mother was concerned for his mental health, and while his father seemed to believe it was all a lie, he did not seem angry. Peter seemed amused at his imagination.

    Blake decided to ignore his mom and replied to his dad, when he realized he had access to the proof he needed. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to wait that long, I¡¯m going to show you right now. Just give me a few moments.¡± He then opened his last notification.

    The [First Solo Clear] achievement allows you to choose a non-combat companion from a list which will be bound to you for life. Would you like to choose your companion now?

    Yes.

    A long list of choices appeared before him, and he quickly began to scroll through them. Companions could not help in combat and were mostly prized for the information they contained. They acted as guides and helped their owner navigate the system with advice and insights.

    Blake, however, did not need a guide. He already knew how everything worked, which is why he was initially disappointed in the reward. Nevertheless, accepting the reward would show incontrovertible proof of his tale.

    The process was taking longer than he expected, and he realized his parents were staring at him with growing concern. While he focused on a display that only he could see, he held up a single finger to indicate his need for more time.

    Originally, he was just going to pick a companion, at random. After all, what did it matter which he chose? However, as he scrolled through them, one caught his eye. He silently read the description while his parents impatiently waited.

    Metallesapure - As a member of the Wraith species, this companion can turn invisible at will. In short bursts, it can even phase through reality. It also has incredible magical resistance. However, it is incredibly weak to physical damage, and can be difficult to keep alive when not phased.

    Now that¡¯s interesting, I¡¯ve never heard of a wraith companion. With its invisibility, I bet I can use it as a scout.

    Blake decided to take the chance and find out. He selected the wraith and accepted the contract. A moment after he dismissed his interface, a small portal suddenly appeared between him and his parents. Peter and Donna jolted backward in surprise with looks of shock on their face as the roiling ball of energy illuminated the room. Ozone irritated his nose, but he ignored it to calm his suddenly frightened family.

    He raised his hands in a placating gesture and quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I summoned a wraith companion. It was a gift from the Architect. It can¡¯t hurt you, and it''s under my command.¡±

    Suddenly, an apparition appeared beside the portal that floated a foot off the living room floor. It was naked, and its body was transparent. The companion stood four feet in height and was about a foot wide. It had no legs or hands, and only contained a vague representation of a head.

    Blake leaned forward to examine it. It was made up of some type of clear jelly-like substance, yet he could make out the outline of organs within it. The only thing not completely transparent was its two large, silver eyes.

 Chapter 9 - Proof

    In a surprisingly deep voice, the companion stated, ¡°My name is Metallesapure. I am here to serve, Master.¡±

    His mother screamed, while his father grabbed his wife and dragged her behind the couch. Once they reached the opposite side of the room, he froze with his arms encircling her and yelled, ¡°What the hell is that?!¡±

    Blake¡¯s new companion ignored his frightened parents and stared at him, waiting for its first order.

    Blake smirked at the situation. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear him? It¡¯s Metallesa¡­ Metelasap¡­ uh, Metal.¡± He had tried to be snarky, but his failure to pronounce the wraith¡¯s name left him as the one embarrassed.

    When the wraith continued to hover in stillness and made no threatening moves, his parents began to relax. They were still wary and stayed on the opposite side of the small room, but they no longer acted as if they were about to die.

    He turned to his new companion and said, ¡°Metal, can you tell them who and what you are?¡±

    ¡°Yes, master,¡± it responded, clearly annoyed at his inability to pronounce its name.

    When it continued to stare at him blankly, Blake sighed and muttered, ¡°It¡¯s acting like a freakin¡¯ two-year-old.¡± Louder, he announced, ¡°I¡¯m going to call you Metal from now on. Metal, tell my parents, the two other humans within the room, who and what you are.¡±

    Blake was far more careful with his phrasing this time. He was not sure if the companion was extremely literal or was trying to be difficult, but he knew that contracted companions could not disobey a direct order.

    The floating being rotated around until it faced Peter and Donna. ¡°My name is Metallesapure of the wraith species. My world failed the Architect¡¯s tests, and my entire species has subsequently been enslaved. Rather than submit myself to a lifetime of servitude, I instead volunteered for a companion contract where I serve my owner until their death, and then I am freed.¡±

    Blake frowned. He had never heard the exact conditions of the arrangement, and something bothered him greatly. ¡°If you become free once I die, isn¡¯t that a conflict of interest? Are you hoping I get killed quickly?¡±

    The companion turned around and faced Blake. Besides the silver eyes, he could not make out any facial features, but he imagined it gritted its teeth in frustration.

    ¡°...yes.¡±

    Note to self, be VERY careful how you phrase questions.

    ¡°Okay, fair enough, Metal. Let¡¯s see how useful you are to me. Turn invisible.¡± The transparent creature began to fade entirely from his vision, until he saw no sign of its presence. ¡°Stay there.¡±

    When Blake approached the center of the living room where the portal had spilled out his new companion, his mother warned, ¡°Blake! Be careful!¡±

    He nodded absently and reached out a hand blindly to feel for his companion. A moment later, his hand rubbed against spongy flesh, and he shuddered at the sensation.

    So weird.

    ¡°Metal, phase through my hand now without moving or harming me.¡±

    Suddenly, his hand fell through the soft rubbery flesh, and he waved his arms around the center of the room. With a laugh, he backed away and said, ¡°Okay, make yourself visible again.¡±

    He sunk into the reclining chair once again and searched his status sheet. Once he found the ability, Summon Companion within a new category called General Skills, he carefully read through the description and then focused on the ability to dismiss his companion. The moment he accomplished the mental command, a portal appeared around the wraith, and it was sucked inside. The spatial distortion faded away and his Summon Companion ability changed to unavailable. The text of the skill was grayed out, and a timer counted down beside it, which let him know he needed to wait another hour before he could resummon the wraith.

    ¡°It¡¯s gone now.¡± Blake said to his parents. ¡°You can have a seat and ask as many questions as you want now.¡±

    They hesitantly followed his advice. His mother avoided the section of the living room where the portal occupied as she returned to the couch. After they warily sank into the cushions of the love seat, his father posed a question. ¡°Son¡­¡± his voice trailed off, and then he seemed to change his question. ¡°You are our son, right?¡±

    His mother gripped her husband¡¯s hand tightly with wide eyes as she awaited his response.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m your son!¡± Blake said, exasperated, as he threw his hands into the air. He realized that would not be enough proof, so he gave an example of something only he would know, ¡°Fine. When I was five, I broke a lamp. I didn''t want to get in trouble and hid behind the couch. Mom couldn¡¯t find me because I would run from room to room as she looked. She called the police, and they finally found me under Oliver¡¯s bed.¡±

    Donna nodded and teared up at the reminder.

    Peter frowned. ¡°Just making sure, you said something about being from the future, and to be honest, I stopped really paying attention when I thought you were making everything up.¡±

    Blake groaned as his head sank into his hands.

    Well, at least they took my word that I¡¯m still their son.

    He rubbed his temples with his fingers in a circular pattern, took a deep breath, and then slowly repeated his earlier story.

    When he had finished, his mother asked, ¡°What happened earlier today at school?¡±

    Blake stared at her in disbelief.

    ¡°I tell you I¡¯m from the future and the world is going to end, and you care about school?¡±

    She became flustered and then stated defensively, ¡°It¡¯s important, Blake. I¡¯m not worried about the Vice Principal. The police showed up to the restaurant. They said you¡¯re wanted for questioning. What did you do to that poor kid that¡¯s in the hospital?¡±

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    That actually might become an issue.

    ¡°Sorry, you¡¯re right. But, he isn¡¯t some poor kid, he¡¯s a bully. I never told you about him before because, well, I was a teenager. I didn¡¯t want you to know I was being picked on all through school. Ten years ago, I just put up with it, but after years of fighting, I stopped taking crap from anyone. After he pushed me down and insulted me, I fought back. I¡¯ll admit, I was acting on instinct at the time, but when I left, he seemed fine, just in a lot of pain.¡±

    His father seemed to overlook his use of the past tense when he referred to his previous high school experience. ¡°If the end of the world is going to happen, why would you get into a situation like this?¡± Peter asked. ¡°Why not just ignore him and walk away?¡±

    ¡°When I first woke up,¡± Blake paused and then clarified. ¡°In the past, I wasn¡¯t thinking clearly. My brain was fuzzy and I just sort of acted on instinct,¡± he explained. ¡°He came at me before I had regained my bearings.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Donna said. ¡°If the boy pushed you first, then it was self-defense. Just go talk to the police and explain what happened. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Blake absently shook his head as he remembered the altercation. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to deal with that. Besides, lots of people recorded me attacking him, but I¡¯m sure no one got him pushing me down on camera. The footage will look like I attacked him out of nowhere.¡±

    ¡°But,¡± she protested. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to finish school until you fix this. When you go to class, they¡¯ll just call the police back in. They¡¯ll handcuff you and bring you back to the station. If you go there of your own volition, it¡¯ll look better.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to go back to school, mom. For the next six months, I¡¯m going to spend all day completing combat scenarios until I can afford to start a faction and choose a combat class.¡±

    ¡°Why six months?¡± his mother asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s when Invasion day is, mom.¡± Blake sighed as she wrung her hands, nervously.

    ¡°I assume you won¡¯t be able to show up to work then, either?¡± After Blake shook his head, his father asked, ¡°Just to be sure, this Architect is an AI?¡±

    Blake nodded in affirmation.

    His dad leaned forward. ¡°Okay, then what are these ¡®combat scenarios¡¯ you mentioned, they sound dangerous.¡±

    Blake chuckled. ¡°Of course they¡¯re dangerous, that¡¯s the point. The Architect rewards you when you take a risk. Matter of fact, my new companion was a reward for being the first person to complete a scenario.¡±

    ¡°Is that where you were all day?¡± his father asked.

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yeah, after I went back in time, I thought I might be crazy and had a mental break or something. I hadn¡¯t rejoined the Collective yet, and had no proof that my memories were real. So, to prove to myself that I wasn¡¯t crazy, I found the closest portal I remembered and entered it. Once inside, I couldn¡¯t leave until I completed it.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, you couldn¡¯t leave?¡± his mother asked.

    ¡°It portals you to another planet and the portal doesn¡¯t reopen until you complete the scenario objective,¡± he explained.

    ¡°What all is involved in this ¡®combat scenario¡¯,¡± Peter asked carefully.

    ¡°Each one is different,¡± he explained. ¡°The portal I entered always teleports you to the goblin¡¯s planet, but this scenario had me kill twenty-six goblins.¡±

    ¡°Goblins!¡± His mother¡¯s eyes opened wide, and she blurted, ¡°It forced you to kill to leave?¡±

    Blake nodded gravely. ¡°Killing is our future, mom. In six months, when it blocks all electricity on the planet and everyone joins the Collective, most people are going to die. When they run out of canned goods and begin to starve, they¡¯re going to become desperate. Desperate people do awful things.¡± He shook his head sadly. ¡°Just as many people are going to die from each other as they are from starvation.¡±

    After the morose statement, the room fell silent. They reflected on what he said and what it would mean for them. Finally, after a long pause, his father asked in a quiet voice, ¡°You said you hadn¡¯t seen us in ten years, is that what happened to us?¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°A week after Invasion day, Oliver died of an overdose.¡± His mother¡¯s breath caught at the statement, but he forced himself to continue. ¡°After that, things got worse. We holed up in the restaurant for a few months, until a small gang of people showed up wanting our stores of food. You refused and they started firing. When it was obvious that they were going to kill us all, you told me to run.¡± Bitterly, he added, ¡°Like a coward, I did.¡±

    By the end of his retelling, there were tears in his eyes.

    He had openly shared his greatest regret. He had been weak and unable to protect those he loved. After the admission, he expected to see disappointment in their eyes. Instead, his mother rushed forward to embrace him once again.

    ¡°Thank you for listening to us, honey,¡± his mother said as she wrapped him tight.

    Peter nodded. ¡°It was the smart thing to do. If you hadn¡¯t, you wouldn¡¯t be alive now, would you.¡± he stated reasonably. After Blake shook his head, his father asked, ¡°How did you survive on your own after that?¡±

    Once his mother returned to her seat beside his father, he said, ¡°I hid in empty houses and survived on any food I could find. I was forced to kill monsters around me to survive. Each time I did, I received nano. Eventually, I went on a rampage. I collected enough to start enhancing my body, and then gained a combat class. Once I did, a brand-new faction allowed me to join them. As time passed, they built energy-shielded walls around their compound, which prevented the portals from appearing within it. After that, things slowly progressed. Eventually, I joined a greater faction, which is where I was at the end.¡±

    Blake could see that his revelation of their futures concerned them.

    ¡°Are¡­ are we going to have to kill these monsters?¡± His mother asked.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m going to create my own faction. You¡¯ll be safe within its walls long before monsters begin to appear. You won¡¯t have to worry about people, either,¡± he added.

    ¡°How are you going to do this? How can we help with this... faction?¡± Peter asked as he stumbled over the word, and his mother nodded her agreement.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about helping. Eventually, I¡¯ll share my nano with you so you can join the Collective, but there¡¯s no point right now.¡±

    His mother¡¯s face soured at the thought of joining the Collective.

    Peter protested. ¡°I want to help you complete these ¡®scenarios¡¯ you mentioned. It¡¯ll be safer with the two of us.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°It actually won¡¯t be. Not only will I not get as much nano if you join me, but I¡¯ll have to spend the entire time trying to keep you safe.¡±

    His father frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about me. I¡¯ll buy a gun and plenty of ammo. I¡¯ll get you one as well.¡±

    ¡°Which will reduce our nano to almost zero. Guns are one of the reasons we almost all died. The Architect isn¡¯t stupid. With guns, you can slaughter low level creatures in droves with almost no risk. Because you aren¡¯t risking anything, you don¡¯t get much of a reward. It¡¯s going to keep everyone low level for far too long. Eventually, bullets will stop working against the monsters, and we¡¯ll be screwed.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ I want to help you, son.¡±

    ¡°You will,¡± he promised. ¡°So will mom. I¡¯ve been doing this for a long time now, and I¡¯m very good at it. Trust me.¡± Blake paused and could sense their frustration. ¡°There are plenty of non-combat classes that we will desperately need. Since I¡¯m going to start building our faction city before society collapses, I¡¯ll also need your help buying property and keeping the cops off our backs.¡±

    ¡°How much property are you talking about?¡± Donna asked. ¡°If you remember, money¡¯s tight right now and a bank won¡¯t give us another loan until we can show two quarters of positive cash flow from the restaurant.¡±

    ¡°Ideally, as much acreage as I can buy with as many trees as possible.¡± Then he added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money, though. In between fights, I had plenty of time to think, and I¡¯m pretty sure I found a solution.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± his dad asked, curious.

    ¡°See this necklace?¡± Blake pinched the thin chain between his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s my reward from the scenario, and it''s pure gold.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nice honey, but it can¡¯t be more than an ounce or so.¡± His mother informed him. ¡°You might get two thousand dollars for it, but we¡¯ll need a hundred times that amount to buy acres of land.¡±

    He grinned. ¡°Oh, the cash isn¡¯t for the land, it''s for gambling.¡±

    ¡°Gambling?¡± Peter asked, confused.

    ¡°The Mega-bowl is coming up in just a week or so, right?¡±

    His father nodded absently.

    ¡°Well, I just happen to remember the exact final score.¡±

 Chapter 10 - The Plan

    Sudden comprehension flooded his father¡¯s face and his eyes began to light up. ¡°You¡¯re right, you know the future! You can bet on every game and make a ton of money! Then, we can invest it in stocks and become rich!¡±

    While he was happy that his father approved of his scheme, he had to dissuade him from a few misconceptions. ¡°I don¡¯t remember any other sports games, and I definitely don¡¯t know anything about stocks. Remember, it¡¯s been ten years for me, and I was a teenager at the time. The only reason I even knew the final score was because it was the last Mega-bowl before Invasion day, and it was such an upset. Without any other entertainment, people talked about it for years.¡±

    ¡°But you ARE a teenager,¡± his mother protested.

    Blake sighed. ¡°Maybe physically, but not mentally.¡±

    ¡°Upset?¡± his father interrupted. ¡°Does that mean Cincinnati finally won a Mega-bowl?¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yeah, Miami was ahead for almost the entire game. Then, at the end of the fourth quarter, after Cincinnati scored a touchdown, they intercepted a pass and scored another. They were able to tie Miami, and the game went into overtime. At the end of overtime, the score was still tied, and they had to start another. But, Cincinnati was able to make a field goal and won the game.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a great game.¡± Peter admitted. ¡°But now you ruined it for me.¡±

    Blake agreed. ¡°It probably was. I only saw a bit of it while I waited tables. You were back in the kitchen.¡±

    Peter sighed. ¡°Of course I was. Did we do good business that night at least?¡±

    ¡°Stop getting distracted, honey.¡± His mother admonished her husband. She then turned back to Blake. ¡°Now, how are you planning on placing a bet?¡±

    ¡°I remember there used to be online betting websites, right? Aren¡¯t they legal?¡± he asked with a yawn.

    Peter nodded. ¡°Yeah, although I don¡¯t know the rules.¡±

    ¡°Neither do I,¡± he admitted. ¡°I was going to look them up tomorrow after I got some sleep.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± his mother added. ¡°It¡¯s already after midnight. Take a shower and go to bed. We can continue this conversation in the morning.¡±

    He could see by their glances to each other, they still had questions but was glad they were going to give him time to rest.

    Blake nodded. ¡°What time do you have to leave in the morning? I don¡¯t remember.¡±

    ¡°We open at eleven, so I usually get there thirty minutes before.¡±

    Blake stood and stretched. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll talk to you two again at breakfast. A hot shower sounds amazing right now.¡±

    After another round of hugs, he took a long, luxurious shower to relax his sore muscles. Afterward, he collapsed into bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

    <hr>

    The smell of bacon woke him from his slumber. For a moment he was unsure of where he was and sat up panicked, but then the events of the last day flooded into his brain, he calmed himself.

    Blake rubbed his eyes and then stretched before he put on a new set of clothes. He stumbled downstairs to the kitchen, where he met his father behind the stove.

    ¡°Mornin¡¯ sleepyhead.¡± Peter said, chipper.

    Blake grunted and lifted the pot of fresh brewed coffee.

    ¡°You drink coffee now?¡± his dad asked. When Blake added nothing extra to the mug, his father observed. ¡°AND you take it black.¡±

    He only nodded his head once more, cradled the steaming cup in his hands, and stumbled to the nearby table. Blake took a hesitant sip and grimaced after he burned his lips. He enjoyed it regardless.

    Real fresh coffee! My friends would have killed for this!

    He glanced around the brightly lit kitchen. It remained as he remembered it, the round table pushed to the windowed corner, the creaky chair that Oliver broke, and the stained coffee carafe. His father insisted the stain added flavor to the brew.

    ¡°So,¡± His father interrupted his memories. ¡°I couldn¡¯t wait, so I looked up the rules online for betting. It looks like the max payout in Arizona for football is $1 million. No matter how many bets you make, you can¡¯t receive more than that, and the payout varies wildly depending on the final score. What was it, by the way?¡±

    ¡°24-21¡± Blake mumbled.

    Peter picked up his phone and noted the score. ¡°Your mother and I talked. First, we want to assure you that we believe you. And we want to chip in as well. We have a couple thousand in the bank, and while it¡¯s not much, it¡¯ll help us reach that million dollar payout. Also, it takes a bit to transfer money from the bank to the website and get the account set up. Since you aren¡¯t twenty-one, I¡¯ll handle it.¡±

    Blake nodded gratefully.

    ¡°But I guess you actually ARE older than twenty-one.¡± His father shook his head at the thought and continued. ¡°Your mother will sell the chain for you as well. They require ID and with the police wanting you for questioning, we don¡¯t think it''s a good idea for you to show up there.¡±

    He snorted. ¡°They¡¯ll probably think I stole it.¡±

    ¡°Who will think you¡¯re a thief?¡± Donna asked as she walked into the room after missing the beginning of the conversation.

    ¡°Everybody.¡± Peter said sardonically.

    Blake smiled. ¡°Thanks for helping me out with all this stuff. Honestly, I was afraid I was going to have to handle everything myself. It really takes away a lot of stress now that I can just focus on completing scenarios.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re happy to help, son.¡± His father said as he flipped the bacon.

    ¡°I¡¯m actually kind of surprised you two believed me so quickly.¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s that¡­ creature¡­ you summoned last night,¡± His mother explained. ¡°But also¡­ you carry yourself differently. It¡¯s not just that, either. You talk differently and even sound different. You have far more confidence than I can ever remember, and your eyes¡­ Well, you¡¯ve obviously seen some things.¡± His mother gave him a hug. ¡°Just¡­ be careful, Blake. What you¡¯re doing sounds dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it''s very dangerous,¡± he agreed. ¡°But, I¡¯ve been doing it for ten years now, although I always had help. You don¡¯t live that long if you aren¡¯t careful.¡±

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    Peter turned off the burner and carried the last of the food to the table, where he joined them to eat. After his father wolfed down some bacon, he asked, ¡°These ¡®goblins¡¯ you¡¯re killing, are they like machines, or a simulation the AI makes, like a computer game?¡±

    Blake shook his head. After he finished chewing his food and swallowed it, he replied, ¡°No, they¡¯re real. The portals actually teleport you to another planet, as I mentioned last night.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re real?!¡± His mother blurted. ¡°With how nonchalant you sounded about killing them, I just assumed the AI created them somehow. Are they evil or something?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about evil, but when they come to Earth, they have no qualms with killing us.¡±

    Donna¡¯s eyes widened at the idea of goblins in the street, hunting people.

    ¡°That may be so, Blake, but that doesn¡¯t make it right,¡± she said with a frown.

    ¡°Of course it isn¡¯t right,¡± he agreed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing good or right about any of this. But, unless you want the entire human race to just die out or become slaves, it''s the only choice we have. We have to grow strong enough to protect ourselves, and completing the scenarios is the only way to do that.¡±

    ¡°Are the goblins intelligent?¡± Peter asked.

    ¡°On average, they¡¯re about as smart as a six-year-old. But, when you go against the higher level goblins, they can be pretty clever. They¡¯re smart enough to lay traps or even try to distract you with diplomacy while they flank you.¡±

    ¡°Wait, they can talk!?¡± his mother exclaimed. ¡°Like in English?¡±

    Blake nodded as he chewed his eggs.

    ¡°How is that possible?¡± she asked as she pushed more eggs onto his plate.

    He shrugged and swallowed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how the AI does half of what it does, but it translates all speech in real-time. I think it even alters our vision so it looks like they¡¯re pronouncing English rather than whatever language they¡¯re actually speaking.¡±

    ¡°Do you have to go fight goblins? Are there any portals to non-intelligent creatures? Didn¡¯t you say monsters are going to invade?¡±

    ¡°Mom, I call anyone who tries to kill me a monster. Is the gang that killed you two any less monstrous because they looked like us?¡± She absently shook her head. ¡°I know what you¡¯re saying though, I went through it as well in the beginning. Almost everyone did. But, I had to get over the moral implications of the situation, or I would¡¯ve died from the very creature I was unwilling to kill.¡±

    ¡°Self-defense is different,¡± his father pointed out.

    ¡°Okay, how about this then? Let¡¯s say you go through a portal to their world and stand in the middle of a field peacefully. If they attack you, is it self-defense to fight back?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± he nodded.

    ¡°But, you knowingly went to their world, when you could¡¯ve stayed on Earth and never been in that situation. Once you enter the portal, it becomes either you or them. Neither side can leave the area until the other dies. You went there knowing you would HAVE to fight, because there was no other option.¡±

    Peter frowned. ¡°Okay, then I guess it wouldn¡¯t be self-defense. Can¡¯t you wait until they show up on Earth and kill them here, then?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s what most people did. Unfortunately, because they waited, they were too weak and died. The only ones who lived were either lucky or had someone who WAS willing to kill protecting them.¡±

    Silence fell on the table as they digested his reasoning. As in most important things, there was no easy or perfect solution. Donna suddenly stood and insisted he have toast with his breakfast. She busied herself with the bread.

    After a bit, he decided to throw them a bone. ¡°If it makes you feel any better, the two other portals nearby have dumb monsters which can¡¯t speak.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you fight them then?¡± His father asked.

    ¡°Because goblins are small, weak, and have weapons I can use. On the other hand, the Ursa are huge, hard to kill, and have six-inch claws.¡± He then added, ¡°The Manders aren¡¯t much better, and their caves suck.¡±

    ¡°Ursa aren¡¯t bears, are they?¡± his mother murmured as she returned with hot crispy bread for his plate.

    ¡°Kind of. I¡¯d say they¡¯re bear-adjacent¡±, he explained, and then smiled as he saw his mother remembered how much he loved strawberry jelly on his toast.

    ¡°So, in the future, does everyone just fight the goblins and ignore the others?¡± his father interrupted.

    Blake shook his head as he finished the first triangle of bread. ¡°No. Once you increase your attributes and gain a class, the monsters actually become easier to kill than the goblins.¡±

    Donna asked, ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Those with singular classes gain one spell per level. A beginning spell usually has a cooldown of a few seconds to a few minutes. If you can dodge a goblin¡¯s spell or block it, they become almost defenseless. But, when you¡¯re fighting an entire group of goblins, it¡¯s almost impossible to avoid taking damage. When you fight an Ursa though, it¡¯s against a single monster. They¡¯re stronger and deadlier, but only have a single ability. It¡¯s much easier to avoid or wait out a single spell than ten or fifteen.¡±

    ¡°How long until you get a class?¡± his father asked, he finished his coffee and stood to brew another pot.

    ¡°Not for a long while,¡± Blake said solemnly. ¡°I¡¯m going to omni-class.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    Blake took a deep breath. While he was glad for their attention, he felt as if he was explaining elementary concepts to them. ¡°To explain that, I have to go into a bit more detail. So, there are four types of magic, or energy if you prefer, that a class can give you access to. Chi is one of them, it¡¯s what I used before. It allows you to alter your body, or through touch, someone else''s.¡±

    ¡°Alter?¡± His mother interrupted. ¡°In what way?¡±

    ¡°All kinds of ways. With chi, you can heal yourself or someone else, you can make yourself stronger or your enemy weaker. You can destroy their body, or harden your skin and bones so they become almost invulnerable.¡±

    ¡°That sounds pretty strong.¡± His father admitted.

    ¡°It is, but that¡¯s just one of the four magic types. There¡¯s also mana, which allows you to control the world around you. You can throw fireballs, strike with lightning, create a shield of hardened air, or turn the ground into quicksand. Unlike chi, it allows you to attack from a distance.¡±

    ¡°That sounds a lot safer.¡± Donna stated.

    ¡°It can be, but once your magic is expended, or interrupted, you''re helpless.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be the same for chi?¡± Peter asked.

    Once again, the aroma of fresh coffee filled the kitchen. Blake took a moment to breathe deeply, comforted by the familiar smell.

    ¡°Not really. People with chi almost always upgrade their physical attributes. They¡¯re always stronger, faster, and harder to kill. Mana users, with some exceptions, generally focus on making their magic stronger. If they don¡¯t, their spells aren¡¯t potent enough to kill outright.¡±

    Peter frowned. ¡°Couldn¡¯t a chi user just protect the mana user, so you have the best of both worlds?¡±

    Blake smiled. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what happens. My job as a chi warrior was to protect my group while they attacked or disabled the enemy. Usually by putting myself between them and our target. I could hurt the enemy as well, but not nearly as fast as they could.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to choose that again?¡± his mother asked, he could tell she was not happy when he mentioned the close combat.

    ¡°No, I want access to all four types of magic.¡± Before they could interrupt again, he raised his hand to stop them. ¡°Let me finish first before you ask more questions. Chi and mana are the most popular forms of magic, but there¡¯s two more: psionic energy and the aether. Psionic energy, or psi for short, allows you to affect your enemy mentally. You can stun them, control them, and confuse them. You can also move things with your mind, scout with remote viewing, and communicate with people telepathically.¡±

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t that more popular?¡± Peter interrupted.

    Blake ignored the question and continued. ¡°The aether, on the other hand, allows you to control space and time. With it, you can teleport across the planet, control gravity, create force fields, illusions, or turn yourself and your group invisible.¡±

    ¡°That sounds incredibly powerful,¡± his father interrupted again. ¡°Way more powerful than chi or mana.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± Blake disagreed. ¡°If you notice, I didn¡¯t mention a single aether spell that would directly damage your enemy. Aether users are all about disrupting the battlefield and providing utility to your group. Every party wants one, but not many people want to go through a fight where they don¡¯t directly contribute. For whatever reason, people who are willing to fight and kill don¡¯t like filling a support position.¡±

    ¡°You said you want a class that can use all four energy types, right? Why doesn¡¯t everyone just do that?¡± his mother asked.

    ¡°A few people do, but they¡¯re always weaker than those who choose a class with access to only one.¡±

    His father¡¯s brows wrinkled as he poured himself a fresh cup of coffee and offered Blake and his wife some. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense. You have all four types¡­¡±

    Blake smiled but declined the drink. ¡°Not just all four types, you also get four spells per level as well, not just one. But¡­ there''s a catch. It takes eight times longer to level.¡±

 Chapter 11 - Back to the Grind

    Peter scratched his head as he sat back at the table. He handed his wife her mug. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m officially confused. Why does it take eight times longer to level a class with four energy types?¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°I have no clue, that¡¯s just the way it is. A single class costs a hundred million nano to buy the first level, dual-class cost two hundred million nano, tri-class is four hundred million, and omni-class is eight hundred million. Each step up adds another magic type and gives you another spell per level of that new type.¡±

    ¡°But the more classes you gain, the more it takes to level, so you¡¯re always behind everyone else. Is that right?¡± his father verified.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make you actually weaker?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Then why the hell do you plan to do that?¡± Peter asked in exasperation. ¡°I thought you said you needed to get as strong as you possibly could.¡±

    ¡°I plan to.¡± Blake agreed. ¡°But I also gained a title and a few achievements that will make what I want to do possible. Because I¡¯m the first human to join the Collective, I get twice the nano as everyone else. I get more nano for completing directives, and my attributes are increased as well.¡±

    His mother finally interrupted. ¡°Last I checked, twice the nano isn¡¯t eight times.¡±

    ¡°It is if you solo the scenarios.¡± He explained. ¡°Almost everyone with a single class fights in scenarios with four people. I always did. Any more people in your group and it¡¯s too inefficient, any less and it¡¯s too dangerous. But, the nano is split four ways. Now, I¡¯ve seen a few parties that contain two dual-classes, and they can work as well, but it''s still riskier. The more people you have with you, the safer it is.¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you do that, then?¡± Donna asked as she collected the plates now empty on the table.

    ¡°Because we tried that before, and we were too weak. The alien leader that attacked was an omni-classer. It had all four types of magic and was higher level than us. There was nothing we could do to stop it, even with hundreds of us attacking.¡±

    ¡°And you think, getting an omni-class yourself will allow you to stand up to it?¡± Peter asked between sips of his coffee. He leaned forward, eager to hear his answer.

    Blake nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the plan. Like the Architect says, the higher the risk, the higher the reward.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of pressure to put on one person.¡± His mother noted, her voice laced with concern, as she filled the dishwasher with their breakfast plates.

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t plan on doing everything myself. I¡¯m hoping you two can help me as well. And Oliver, eventually.¡±

    ¡°Of course we¡¯ll help in any way we can.¡± Donna agreed as she returned to the table. ¡°You¡¯ll always have a place to stay, food to eat, and whatever else help you need.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for that,¡± Blake nodded. ¡°But I was actually talking about the faction I¡¯m going to create. We¡¯re going to have thousands of people joining us. They all need to be managed and coordinated, planning needs to be done, and a city has to be built for it.¡±

    His parents exchanged a glance. ¡°Uh¡­ son,¡± his father said. ¡°We don¡¯t know how to do any of that. Are you sure you don¡¯t want someone else to fill that job?¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t mom a project manager? That¡¯s pretty much what they do, right? And, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you and answer any questions you have. I¡¯d try to do it on my own, but that wouldn¡¯t leave me with any time to level. But, the most important thing to me is trust. You wouldn¡¯t believe how many factions were destroyed from within by assassinations, mutinies, and lack of trust between the leaders. If you two are in charge while I¡¯m gone, I don¡¯t have to worry about a knife in the back when I sleep.¡± Blake suddenly grinned. ¡°At least, I hope I don¡¯t have to.¡±

    When his father snorted in amusement, Donna gave her husband a sharp look. She turned back to her son and said, ¡°THAT, at least, I can promise you. What about Oliver? He needs to be part of this as well.¡±

    ¡°If he ever comes home again¡­¡± Peter mumbled.

    ¡°Actually, I saw him yesterday. He showed up to grab some food from the pantry and I ran into him.¡±

    Donna leaned forward. ¡°How is he? Does he look healthy?¡±

    ¡°He seemed fine, at least, maybe a little pale? Well, he was fine before I told him my plan, anyway. He thought me being from the future was hilarious. After I said I¡¯d heal him though, he got pissed and left.¡±

    His father nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯d piss him off, alright. Every time we bring up a new medication to try, we don¡¯t see him again for a week or more.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s no cure for Parkinson¡¯s disease.¡± Donna said sadly. ¡°The medicine only treats the symptoms and has side effects of their own. We think he wants to forget all about it and just party. Every time we remind him that he¡¯s sick, he gets angry.¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a cure for it now.¡± Blake stated evenly.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Peter blurted. ¡°He can choose chi and heal himself!¡±

    Blake winced. ¡°That¡¯s probably not a good idea. Low level spells won¡¯t fix his issues, and it would take years to get them to a high enough level to cure him. It would be better if I get an alchemist to make him a healing potion. It won¡¯t take as long, and in the meantime, he won¡¯t die in a scenario when his hands shake too much to hold his sword steady.¡±

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    ¡°That DOES sound better,¡± his mother agreed, a light seemed to return to her eyes as Blake spoke of healing her oldest son. ¡°Where do we get an alchemist?¡±

    ¡°First, I have to create a faction. Then, we have to level it up high enough to build an alchemist workshop. Only then can we appoint someone an alchemist. After that, I don¡¯t know how, but they level up their non-combat class in some way and eventually unlock the ability to craft the potion Oliver needs.¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡± his father said, just as excited as before. ¡°If a potion can heal anything, we can make millions. We won¡¯t even have to worry about betting on the mega-bowl.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s faster, but it''s not THAT much faster.¡± Blake corrected him. ¡°I doubt an alchemist will be high enough level to make one before Invasion day.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± his father deflated. ¡°That means Oliver is gonna be sick for a while then.¡±

    Blake nodded.

    ¡°Well, that just means we need to create this faction as soon as possible.¡± His mother said. ¡°How much longer until you can do that?¡±

    ¡°Well, it costs a billion nano, so it¡¯s going to be a while¡­¡±

    Donna frowned. ¡°Well, a billion is a big number, but that doesn¡¯t really tell me anything.¡±

    ¡°Well, I gained almost ten million nano for the scenario I did yesterday.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Peter said. ¡°That means you just need to complete a hundred of them, and we¡¯re good.¡±

    ¡°More than that. First, I need to upgrade my attributes. If I¡¯m stronger, I can take on the scenarios faster and safer.¡±

    His father nodded along. ¡°How much does that cost?¡±

    ¡°Well, I plan on maxing them out first. You can only raise twelve attributes per level, and each time I do, it costs ten million nano before I get my class. So, that¡¯s a hundred and twenty million nano there, and more later on.¡±

    ¡°Would getting your class first make it easier?¡± Peter asked.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°The opposite, actually. Once I get my class, I have to fight monsters with access to magic as well. It¡¯s safer right now.¡±

    ¡°But, you¡¯ll have magic too, and more of it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but right now, the monsters are predictable. There are thousands of different spells. If they cast one that I¡¯m not ready for¡­¡± he shrugged.

    ¡°It sounds like it will take months.¡± Donna said.

    Blake nodded. ¡°It will, which is why I need to start now.¡±

    His father looked at the microwave clock and suddenly shot to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m going to be late! We¡¯re supposed to open in five minutes!¡± He glanced back at Blake. ¡°Sorry son, but until we make that money from the Mega-bowl, the restaurant pays the bills.¡±

    ¡°I understand, I need to get going too.¡± Blake said and then stretched.

    ¡°Wait!¡± His mother stopped him. ¡°How are we going to check on you when you¡¯re doing these ¡®scenario¡¯ things?¡±

    ¡°I promise to text you every time I get back.¡± Blake assured her. ¡°But my phone won¡¯t work inside the portal.¡±

    Donna frowned but nodded.

    After he hugged his parents goodbye and handed his gold chain to his mother, he wrapped himself in the bloody jacket and ensured he had his standard supplies. Without a baseball bat for a weapon, he rifled through the kitchen and decided to bring a thin butcher knife. The blade was only eight inches, but it had a longer reach than the pocket knife, and beggars could not be choosers. Unfortunately, it did not have a sheath, so he was forced to wrap it in thick fabric before he stuffed it into his jacket pocket.

    Hopefully the next scenario rewards me with a better weapon.

    Once he was ready, he hopped on his bike and began to pedal down the road. It had snowed overnight, but the roads were already clear. In the shade, small drifts of powder remained, but it was hard for piles to last long in the cloudless sky.

    Despite the stiff breeze fighting him as he turned North on the main road, he quickly reached the airport. He hopped the fence, hid his bike, and climbed the rocks once again. The portal remained invisible to his senses, but with far more confidence than before, he leapt off the ledge.

    Blake fell for a moment before his body was sucked in. His vision blackened and words appeared before him.

    You have re-entered a combat scenario you have already completed. Would you like to increase the difficulty?

    No.

    If he raised the difficulty, he would be forced to fight against goblins with magic. While not every goblin would contain a combat class, enough would that he would likely die. He would stay with classless scenarios as long as he could get away with it.

    Defeat the goblins to complete the combat scenario.

    Good, another elimination scenario.

    The kill objectives were by far the simplest. You either killed them, or they killed you. However, there were plenty of other objectives the AI could assign. The type he hated the most were the protection missions. They varied between carrying a crying infant through enemy territory to a stronghold, or defending non-combatant villagers from attack.

    If the attackers decided to wait two days before they made their move, you were stuck twiddling your thumbs. Goblins were poor conversationalists, and their food tasted awful. Worse, if enough villagers died, you failed the mission and were not allowed back through the portal to Earth.

    At least he had his group mates for entertainment in the past. He dreaded the idea of a solo protection mission.

    The text disappeared and the void of blackness was replaced by bright light. His body fell to the ground, where he was able to catch himself with only a small amount of difficulty. The already sore muscles of his legs protested from the rough treatment, but he ignored them as he observed his surroundings and searched for any threats.

    Well shit¡­

    Directly before him was a cave. Blake stood in front of a cliff face that rose forty feet or more. Behind him was an open plain of grassland that stretched into the horizon. The gently sloping hills looked comforting and peaceful under the cloudy sky.

    Unfortunately, once he looked at his map to confirm his hunch, he found that the plains were unavailable to him. Just a few feet behind him was the scenario boundary. If he walked only a short distance from the cave entrance, the AI would give him a warning. If he stayed outside the bounds, he would be punished, and if he was obstinate enough, he would be killed.

    The only path forward was through the dark cave.

    Cave missions were far more difficult than open forests, because they did not allow him to run and maneuver. The goblins tunneled in small warrens where he was forced to duck under low ceilings, and grasp out his hands blindly as he navigated the darkness. There were almost always torches spread throughout, but there would be large areas where he would be unable to see. Unfortunately, flashlights and his cell phone were useless. The Architect always disabled all forms of electricity on the planets it conquered.

    The only advantage this environment gave him was the narrow corridors themselves. As long as he chose his choke points wisely, he would only need to face a single goblin at a time. With no spells to worry about, he could take advantage of their lack of even rudimentary tactics and defeat them soundly.

    Blake withdrew his covered butcher knife and unwrapped the blade. As before, he wished his friends were there to assist him. He then took a deep breath before he stepped into the darkness.

    Hopefully the first goblin has a spear.

 Chapter 12 - The Chokepoint

    The first goblin did not have a spear.

    Blake crawled blindly through the tunnels for about fifty feet before he began to see the light of a torch ahead. Smoke from the fire had gathered along the ceiling, and he was forced to crouch low if he wanted to breathe.

    As he cautiously neared the lit area, he saw two goblin guards with the backs to the torch. Both held short swords and wisely faced away from the light to preserve their night vision. There would be no ambushing these vigilant sentries.

    Blake would attempt it, regardless.

    He was able to crawl another ten feet before the guards were finally alerted. When he noticed the eyes of the nearest widen, he rushed forward to attack. The speed in which he charged them surprised the guards, and they hesitated for just a moment too long.

    They shied away from him, backpedaling, until the goblin on his left tripped. Blake ruthlessly took advantage of the mistake and slashed at the only guard still standing.

    The goblin weakly blocked his attack with its sword, but stumbled at the force of the blow. Before it could raise its blade once again, Blake nimbly slashed and sliced open its arm. The resulting scream assaulted his ears, and he quickly followed up the attack with a thrust to its neck.

    Meanwhile, the second goblin scrambled away and called out. ¡°Enemy! Enemy!¡±

    Blake darted forward and buried his blade into its back as it tried to flee. After the last guard was killed, he paused to listen. He faintly heard the sound of alarm deeper within.

    Damn¡­ This is going to suck.

    Blake discarded his butcher knife and retrieved one of the goblin¡¯s short swords. The weapon was not as sharp as the kitchen utensil, but the blade was over twice as long. With a shake of his head at the condition of the blade, he slipped into the shadows of the nearest narrowing of the tunnel and waited with his weapon ready.

    At least they¡¯re coming to me.

    He had hoped for a spear so he would have greater reach, and a shield would have been an amazing addition. Unfortunately, he could not control what weapons his enemies held. Once again, he was thankful that he trained with almost every available weapon, years ago.

    It was another ten minutes before the goblins slowly approached. They were not quiet, and he was able to track their progress. As they rounded the corner, the vanguard of the patrol froze with wide eyes as they took in his much larger form within the shadows. While he was skinny for a human, he was a veritable giant among the goblins.

    This time, Blake did not rush forward. Instead, he wanted them to come to him, and just a moment later, they did. The lead goblin gathered its courage and let out a war cry as it threw itself forward, spear in hand.

    Blake smiled.

    There¡¯s my spear.

    The goblin¡¯s weapon thrust forward, intending to pierce through his stomach. Blake used his left hand to slap the strike to the side, and buried the short sword in the goblin¡¯s neck. It dropped the spear in panic, and its hands tried in vain to hold its blood inside.

    While it stumbled away in shock, blood coated the narrow cave wall, and Blake dropped his sword to retrieve the discarded spear.

    It¡¯ll have to do.

    The weapon was shorter than he hoped, at only three feet. Regardless, out of all the weapons goblins usually carried, it had the longest reach. It did have one advantage, however. In the narrow confines, it would be easier to maneuver than if it were six feet long.

    Finally, another goblin shoved its injured comrade to the side and rushed past it. Before it could strike, the green-skinned humanoid impaled itself on Blake¡¯s new weapon. While his spearhead lodged between its ribs, Blake used his greater strength to heave the injured body backward, freeing his spear in the process.

    For what seemed like hours, goblins threw themselves at him. One by one, they came forward, eager to attack. With Blake using the environment to his advantage by constricting their movement, they were unable to coordinate an attack.

    Shortly into his massacre, the bodies began to pile up. Initially, it was to his advantage as it slowed the goblin¡¯s footwork. However, eventually, even Blake was forced to lose ground so he could attack without tripping over the dead.

    This body is so weak.

    By the time the last goblin attacked, Blake could barely lift his spear. The shield he had stolen was dropped long before in an effort to conserve energy, and only the knowledge that he would die if he rested kept him going.

    It was rare for goblins to attack so single-mindedly. Normally, if he killed enough of them, they would flee, even if it meant their deaths. Low level goblins were not veterans of combat like himself, and made foolish decisions during battle. They hesitated, peed themselves, and generally proved inept. These, however, had not hesitated once to throw away their lives, no matter how many he killed.

    Is this somehow the Architect¡¯s doing?

    After the final goblin died, Blake collapsed to the ground, exhausted. He remained alert for more arrivals, but was fairly certain he was safe. At least for the moment.

    When he recovered enough to think clearly after the extensive battle, he reached inside his jacket pocket and retrieved the bottle of water. He drank deeply from the cool liquid reserve and drained the thin plastic dry. As he lay on the stone floor resting, he checked the status of the combat scenario he was in.

    Goblins eliminated: 76.4%

    Blake groaned.

    He had hoped that there was only a single enemy left alive, hiding in a recess of the cavern. Instead, a quarter of the monsters remained.

    Let¡¯s see how many I killed.

    He opened his combat logs and counted the list of kills. When he reached the bottom, the final tally was fifty-five dead goblins.

    No wonder my arms are sore. Would¡¯ve been nice to have some help there.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    After completing a simple calculation that took far longer than it should have due to his exhaustion, he found that seventeen enemies remained. However, when he opened his status, he was shocked to see that he had collected over twenty million nano.

    That¡¯s¡­ insane!

    Blake had enough nano to enhance two attributes, from only two scenarios, and his current one was not even finished. Originally, he would be forced to partner with three others for safety. Without his Scion of Humanity title, and with the reward split four ways, it had taken almost two weeks to gather this amount in his past life.

    He grinned.

    My past life, such an odd thought. The question now is, what do I upgrade?

    The magical attributes were currently superfluous. He did not have access to any energy pools, and held no spells which could be boosted.

    He gathered his strength to lean against the cool cave wall as he considered his options. Magical resistance would be important when he faced those level one and above, and he would need to invest at least a point or two in it. However, he could use his last two enhancements to do so, as it did nothing for him against the low level goblin enemies.

    With how exhausted he currently felt, he was tempted to throw them both in physical stamina. It would allow him to attack for longer and recover quicker. But, he felt that would be a mistake. He knew how rare it was to fight against so many goblins in a row, and he was unlikely to face a similar swarm in the future.

    Physical power, on the other hand, would allow him to use his enhanced speed and strength to his advantage. It would turn him into a powerhouse that could not be stopped. That is, unless he made a mistake.

    At this point, his body was still human and healed at an incredibly slow rate. If he was injured, depending on the severity of the wound, he could be forced to stop completing scenarios. It would be too dangerous if he did not have full use of his body.

    He shook his head.

    In his first life, he had learned that lesson the hard way. Originally, he only enhanced his physical power, before he joined his faction. It made him far faster and stronger than he would have been with a more rounded build. The advantage worked flawlessly for days.

    However, eventually he failed to dodge an attack. For the next two months, he was forced to flee from every monster which spawned, as he moved from house to house looking for safety.

    Eventually, his arm healed, and he began to fight back once again. The next time he accumulated enough nano to enhance an attribute, he chose physical resistance. Then he did so again.

    But should I do that now?

    Blake was more adept at fighting than in the past. He had expertise with every type of weapon and knew how to avoid injury. His biggest problem now was that his body was weak and could not keep up with his engrained responses. He knew what was possible, but his body was incapable of performing. He also had no backup.

    No reward without risk.

    He silently debated in the darkness, as his breath returned to normal. Eventually, he came to the conclusion that he was behaving too cautiously. He HAD to be strong enough to defend humanity against incursions, and the time to be bold was now.

    Before he second guessed himself, he spent the twenty million nano and enhanced his physical power twice. Immediately, a notification popped up before him. He focused on the alert and new text appeared before his eyes.

    You have gained 3,000k nano for completing a directive.

    Blake laughed.

    With all of his rewards from directives doubled, he was almost halfway to his next attribute point enhancement. He had completed two directives already, and both had been replaced with the next in their line.

    Directives -

    <ul>

    <li>Join or create a faction.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Complete 10 Combat Scenarios.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Enhance 12 attributes.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Purchase a Combat Classification.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Learn a general skill.</li>

    </ul>

    Finally, he glanced at his stat sheet.

    Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity

    Combat Classification - None

    Race - Tier I

    Attributes - Increased by 21%

    Physical Power - 7.3(2.4)

    Physical Stamina - 7.3

    Physical Resistance - 8.5

    Magic Power - 8.5

    Magic Stamina - 7.3

    Magic Resistance - 9.7

    Achievements -

    First Kill

    First Clear

    First Solo Clear

    Directive Enthusiast

    Solo Warrior

    Slayer

    General Skills -

    Summon Companion

    Nano - 3,520k

    The two points he added to his physical power would put him on the same level as powerlifters and professional athletes, especially with his twenty-one percent increase. He only lacked their endurance.

    Blake pulled a granola bar from his pocket to recover some energy while he waited for the nanomachines to complete their enhancement. His muscles felt like lead from overuse, and it required far more effort than it should have to open his eyes. As he rested, he added up his resources and went over his future plans.

    Wait a minute!

    He immediately summoned his new non-combat companion. He had gone ten years without a contracted servant and since it could not be used in a fight, the reward had slipped his mind entirely. However, now he could test out a few theories he had.

    ¡°How shall I serve master?¡± the wraith asked solemnly after it slipped out of the portal, which promptly disappeared.

    Good, I can summon it in a scenario. I wonder if I can talk to it remotely.

    Blake concentrated on his companion and projected his thoughts toward it.

    Can you hear me?

    ¡°Yes,¡± it replied in a deep bass.

    Are you able to reply mentally as well?

    Yes.

    ¡°Awesome!¡± he grinned. ¡°I¡¯d like you to go invisible and scout the rest of the tunnels. Look for traps and ambushes, and inform me of everything you find.¡± He carefully phrased his order. Metal had already revealed that it would be free when he died, and he did not want that to happen for a long, long while.

    After it disappeared, he added, Oh, and come back in an hour, even if you haven¡¯t finished exploring yet.

    Blake opened the map available within his scenario. He sat less than two hundred feet from the entrance, and almost the entire map was grayed out. However, before his very eyes, details began to emerge as his companion explored the tunnels. He watched in fascination as the gray blur was replaced with clarity. When a red notation appeared and informed him of a trap, he became ecstatic.

    Metal, why doesn¡¯t everyone use their companion like this? This is amazing!

    Most do not wish their slaves to die.

    What? How would you die? You¡¯re invisible and can phase through reality!

    There are many spells and species which can detect my camouflage, and I am only able to pass through physical matter for a short time.

    Can goblins see you while you¡¯re invisible?

    No.

    Then you¡¯re perfectly safe! No one here can cast a spell yet.

    Using Metal as a scout seemed like a cheat or exploit. He was actually surprised that he had never heard of a companion used in this way before. Of course, most companions could not turn invisible or become invulnerable either. In his past, everyone used them as sources of information or as parlor tricks. Since companions could not attack or defend themselves, no one wanted to risk them in battle.

    A little over forty-five minutes later, his map was fully visible. Every side tunnel was explored, and every trap labeled. There were eighteen marks which denoted the goblins¡¯ locations, and their placement in the tunnels revealed that there was no ambush prepared.

    Eighteen? Was my math wrong?

    What really confused him, however, was a location labeled with a question mark.

    Metal, what¡¯s with the question mark on the map?

    That is a hidden treasure, master. I am unable to determine the reward as it has yet to be unearthed.

    Holy shit! You can find secret treasures?!

 Chapter 13 - Treasure

    Yes. You ordered me to inform you of everything I found, so I marked it on the map.

    Oh my God! This is incredible!

    Blake suspected a secret treasure was hidden in every scenario, and his group mates agreed. However, they were so well camouflaged, it was almost never worth trying to find them. It took far too long to scour every foot within the boundary, and in that time, your group could complete another scenario entirely. And every treasure they discovered, while nice, was never greater than the reward for completing the scenario itself.

    Metal, watch for movement, and alert me if you see any.

    Yes, Master.

    According to the map, the treasure was not far ahead, past the first trap. He was so excited to find out what it could be, that he rose to his feet, despite his body¡¯s protests. With spear in hand, he stalked carefully through the dark with only the faint light from the torch behind him as a source of light.

    Once he rounded a corner, he was forced to use the spear like a blind man¡¯s cane. Luckily, the map over his vision informed him when the tunnel split or turned. He avoided the trap easily thanks to Metal¡¯s reconnaissance. A few minutes later, he stood directly on top of the question mark on his map in near darkness.

    Besides the gravel beneath his feet, there was nowhere else the treasure could be located. The low ceiling above, which forced him to duck, was solid stone. He ran his hands over its surface, but there were no crevasses where an item could be hidden. He sat his spear to the side, knelt down, and began to dig through the scree.

    When he moved a few inches of rock and dirt to the side, his fingers traced along something smooth. He quickly pried the object from the ground and tried to determine what it was from its shape. However, before he could even hazard a guess, multiple notifications appeared in his interface.

    You have found a secret treasure! You have gained a nano-enhanced dagger with sheath.

    Sure enough, he was able to wrap his hand around the handle and extract the short blade from its leather container. It was difficult to make out the shape of the weapon in the low light, but he carefully traced its length with his fingers. Unlike the goblin¡¯s weapons, the eight-inch blade was honed to a sharp edge, and he had to handle it with care.

    While the metal blade was not as wide as his butcher knife, it was longer. The sheath seemed sturdy. Since it was a treasure, he would also be able to bring it with him when he left the portal. It was not the weapon he desired, but it was far superior to his small pocket knife or cutlery.

    The next notification came as a complete surprise to him.

    As the first of your species to find a secret treasure, you have been awarded an achievement. - [Scavenger Prime]

    The [Scavenger Prime] achievement grants you a fourth reward option when you complete a scenario.

    Wow.

    Blake had never heard of the achievement, but was very satisfied with the bonus it gave him. The scenario completion rewards were random, and he could not count the number of times he was presented with items he did not need. It was nice to have a fourth option.

    Luckily, unwanted items could be sold to others for nano. However, haggling with people over the worth of an item he could not use was a pain. Especially when they tried to guilt him into giving it away for free. Sure, the item itself was useless to him, but the nano it could be exchanged for might save his life.

    Blake stowed the knife, hefted the spear, and continued through the complex until he encountered another torch. With enough light to finally see by, he paused to examine his new dagger. The sheath was made of the same leather which wrapped the handle.

    When he gripped the knife tightly, he noted that the guard extended just past his fingers. The metal would protect his hand if he used the blade to block or parry another blade. There were two cuts in the sheath where he could thread it through a belt. Unfortunately, he was not currently wearing one and was forced to stash the weapon back in his deep jacket pockets.

    Time to finish this. I need a nap.

    His excitement from gaining the secret treasure had momentarily given him a burst of energy, but it was now spent, and he once again struggled to keep his eyes open.

    Do I need to sleep here and have Metal watch my back?

    The idea appealed to him, mostly because it would allow him to give up his current struggle to remain awake and finally relax. But, he could not shake the feeling that it was a bad idea. He knew his companion would benefit from his death and would use any loophole it found in his orders to ensure it.

    Too risky.

    He scanned his interface¡¯s updated map and traced the path he would take through the tunnels to complete the scenario. Every single goblin left alive was within a large cavern. There were two traps between himself and the group, but he assumed he could easily avoid them as they were clearly marked.

    With a sigh, he mentally focused on his interface to adjust it and wished for coffee. The map suddenly shrunk in size until it obscured only half his vision, then it turned mostly transparent. Now, he could follow along without having to open it up and close it constantly.

    Using the guide, he shuffled away from the light that the flickering torch provided and followed the eastern passage when the tunnel split. The western path held three traps and continued deep into the mountain, but there were no goblins in that direction. A half mile down that track, the map appeared gray where the scenario boundary cut Metal off from further exploration.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    He easily stepped over the first trap, a crude trip wire placed before jagged stones along the floor. Even without the knowledge that it was there, he was unlikely to have been heavily injured in the darkness. A few bruises and cuts would have marred his hands when he caught himself, but that would not have prevented him from continuing.

    The next trap, however, was much more dangerous. It also used a trip wire, but would have been far more effective. The snare was placed in complete darkness directly before a deeply dug pit. Punji sticks were sunken into the bottom floor of the cavity, and from the smell, seemed to be coated in feces.

    Was the first trap designed to give a false sense of security? Are they actually smart enough for that?

    Blake dismissed the errant thought and hugged the right wall as he bypassed the pit. Once he passed it, he had only another fifty feet and two turns before he finally reached the cavernous opening where the goblins resided.

    As he neared the well-lit room, he slowed his pace further. If possible, he hoped to take them by surprise. According to Metal, there were eighteen enemies remaining, and he could barely lift his spear.

    What he saw, when he peeked around the corner, horrified him.

    I hate the Architect.

    There was no band of goblin fighters ready to attack. Instead, he found frightened mothers protecting their young. He had already killed the fathers when they attacked him with their all-out assault.

    No wonder they didn¡¯t run away. They were protecting their families.

    Blake backpedaled, and clenched his fist in anger. He would have no choice but to eliminate them, no matter his wishes. If he did not, he would be stuck here in this cave within the Architect¡¯s boundaries until he died of dehydration. Earth would be conquered, and his parents and brother killed.

    Why does it make us do these horrible things?

    No matter how confident he sounded to his parents when they discussed the morals of killing intelligent beings, he hated to do so. These goblins were not armed fighters who would likely spread out to kill their fellows in an effort to expand their control. Instead, they were huddled in fear, protecting their young from an invader.

    Him.

    Resigned to get the unpleasant deed over with, he strode forward and entered the cavern after he tasked his companion with guard duty. As he rounded the corner, the remaining green-skinned humanoids shrank back in fear. Their whines increased as he approached, yet they did not surge forward to attack.

    He tried to think of something else, anything else, to distract him from the grisly burden. By the time he finished the filthy deed, tears wetted his cheeks. Blake felt like a monster.

    I AM a monster.

    The architect had long ago turned him into one. He felt bile reach his throat at the thought of what he had done. Even worse, the entire time he accomplished his task, an infant in a crude crib screamed for its mother. The mother that he had killed. It continued to scream as a new notification appeared in his interface.

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. An optional Combat Scenario is now available. Do you wish to see more information?

    Blake was sorely tempted to say no and flee the dungeon. He was tired, sore, and felt like garbage for what he had done. Regardless, it would cost him nothing to check out the details.

    Yes.

    To complete the optional Combat Scenario, deliver the goblin infant to a nearby tribe. Do you wish to start the Optional Combat Scenario or choose your reward and leave?

    Is this a sick joke?

    Blake had followed the bidding of the malicious Architect and slaughtered many families in his past. Now, for some reason, it wanted him to save a helpless infant.

    Start the optional scenario.

    At this point, he did not even care about the reward. If he wanted to retain his sanity, he needed to see the baby to safety. The semi-transparent map began to update and expand before his eyes. Where before, the boundary prevented Metal from further exploring the western fork, now it seemed that was his next direction. A large red X was placed on the map, deep into the unexplored mountain.

    He shuffled his broken body over to the wailing goblin and carefully lifted it in his arms. It continued to cry as he asked his companion to explore. The last thing he wanted was to die from a simple trap when it could easily be avoided.

    Blake slowly trod through the cave tunnels and avoided the traps his companion had discovered while the baby was cradled in his arms. As he traveled, more of the map was slowly revealed to him as Metal explored ahead. The wraith proved to be an invaluable resource. It pointed out additional traps and labeled clear ambushes by bestial predators.

    He did his best to avoid the lizard-like beasts which awaited him. Despite his wish to avoid further fights, he was forced to kill two concealed animals along his way. He received nano for their deaths, but could not find it in himself to care.

    That remained true, even when a notification informed him that his achievement had upgraded to the second rank for killing one hundred nano-enhanced creatures.

    Slayer II increased his attributes by another one percent to two total and should have been an exciting milestone. Yet, all he wanted to do was deliver the baby to safety, go home, take a hot shower, and go to bed.

    Finally.

    Blake was not yet done with his mission, but Metal had explored far enough ahead to reveal his final goal. The tribe he was to deliver his blubbering package to was already there. According to Metal¡¯s labels, five goblins waited for him at the mark on his map. It was still a mile away, but there were no more enemies between him and his objective.

    The smooth floored tunnel remained in darkness, and he was forced to use his spear one-handed to ensure he did not hit his head. Eventually, however, the pitch black environment was lit by the torches the waiting goblins carried.

    He cautiously approached the five guards, who seemed far more powerful than the weak tribe he had eliminated. Without the general skill, Identify, he could not be sure, but if he had to guess, they were at least level five. Blake could not survive a battle against the goblins if they wished to attack him, but he doubted they would. The Architect had most likely given them a mission to complete of their own, and they would be punished if they deviated from it.

    When he approached the five guards, one stepped forward and held out its arms. He handed off the sobbing infant and quickly stepped away. After the transaction was complete, the leader of the small band nodded once to him, they all turned, and strode away. Not a word was exchanged.

    You have successfully completed the Optional Combat Scenario and have earned an additional reward. Would you like to choose your rewards now?

    Yes.

    His Scavenger Prime achievement kicked in, and he was faced with four options to choose from. To his relief, a double-edged longsword was the first option. He had hoped he would be rewarded with a weapon that he could take with him out of the scenario. The blade reached almost three feet in length and came with its own leather scabbard. It had a wide metal crossguard to protect his hands and a spike pommel he could use to bash an enemy.

    The weapon was exactly what he wanted. However, before he immediately selected the reward, he first reviewed the other options. The next object was another weapon, a small hatchet with a foot-long handle and a three-inch blade. It weighed five pounds and was, in Blake¡¯s opinion, worthless.

    His next option was a set of two leather bracers. They were reinforced by nanomachines, and would make his forearms almost invulnerable to the weak goblins he currently fought against. It was a good choice, although not nearly as useful as the longsword.

    The last item was the largest, and would protect his entire lower body. It was a pair of black leather trousers. Unlike leather pants he could buy on Earth, these were enhanced by the Architect¡¯s technology. They were thin and light-weight, yet incredibly durable. They would also not restrict his movement.

    I choose the longsword and the trousers.

 Chapter 14 - Sharing

    Blake almost fell asleep three times while he waited for his reward to appear. It took two hours for the nanomachines to assemble his new weapon and armor, and then he had to backtrack to the portal at the cave entrance so he could leave the scenario. The entire time, he kept Metal on guard so he would not be taken by surprise, and only dismissed the companion when he traveled back to Earth.

    The new leather pants fit like a glove, and included a belt which he threaded through the sword and dagger¡¯s sheaths. When he walked, the weapons swung freely, with the longsword just a few inches off the ground as he exited the portal.

    Unfortunately, when he hopped on his bicycle, he quickly found that the tip of the sword dragged the ground. He was forced to unbind his sheath and ride home with the cumbersome weapon perched across his handlebars.

    Unlike the last time he arrived back on Earth, there was no cascade of text messages and voicemails which awaited him. Instead, the ride back home was boring and cold as he faced the setting sun.

    That changed when he entered the low-income apartment complex where he and his parents lived. Outside their unit was a patrol car. In the distance, he saw a uniformed police woman talking to his neighbor. Caution temporarily overrode his exhaustion.

    Are they still looking for me, or is this unrelated?

    Blake was legally an adult, and his assault on the bully was caught on camera.

    He argued with himself for a moment. Normally, a fight between high schoolers would be considered a misdemeanor and was not a big deal. However, Trent had been sent to the emergency for the severity of his injuries. According to the conversation he had with his parents earlier, it elevated the charge to a felony, and they were looking to arrest him.

    This is just what I freakin¡¯ need. I try to save the world, and they arrest me for standing up for myself.

    He erred on the side of caution and quickly changed direction to approach his apartment from the rear. He stashed his bike under a juniper bush a few feet away from his back door and then unlocked the sliding door with his key. However, when he tried to slide it open, it was stuck. After he examined the glass pane more closely, he saw that a wooden dowel had been placed in the track to prevent it from being opened.

    Oh yeah. I forgot about that.

    Theft was a major issue in the complex, and his parents installed the pole to prevent criminals from breaking in while they were gone. It would not prevent someone from throwing a brick through the glass door, but he supposed it was better than nothing.

    Instead of breaking in himself, he stalked around to the front of the house and waited in the shrubbery until the squad car drove away. After it passed, he swiftly unlocked the front door and darted into the small two-bedroom apartment. He shrugged out of his bloody jacket, sat down his new weapons, and fell into the living room couch.

    Within moments, he was fast asleep, haunted with restless dreams of crying babies.

    <hr>

    A hand pressed against his shoulder, shaking it to wake him.

    ¡°Blake,¡± Came his mother¡¯s concerned voice that seemed to float above him. ¡°Are you okay? Wait, is that a sword?¡±

    He grunted and then wiped his tired eyes. After a moment, his brain kicked into gear, and he asked, ¡°Yeah. What time is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s eleven at night. Your father and I got home about an hour ago from work, and didn¡¯t want to wake you. But, after we talked, we realized we needed to let you know about the police.¡±

    ¡°I saw them next door when I got home earlier.¡± he offered.

    ¡°You have to be careful when you come back here.¡± His father informed him. ¡°They came by the restaurant again and asked if we¡¯d seen you. We said no, of course, but no one would believe that. I bet they talked to the neighbors and asked if they saw you around the apartment.¡±

    ¡°I waited until the cop left before I snuck inside.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully, no one saw you,¡± his father said.

    ¡°Does it matter if they do? Don¡¯t they need a warrant or something to check inside the house?¡±

    Peter shook his head. ¡°Not if they have probable cause.¡±

    Blake snorted and rolled over, reluctant to sit up from the couch. ¡°And I thought society didn¡¯t turn tyrannical until AFTER the invasion.¡±

    Donna frowned. ¡°How bad does the government get?¡±

    Blake sighed and sat up slowly. ¡°They don¡¯t really last long enough to get that bad. They declared martial law immediately when electricity stopped working, and tried to keep things in order. Even tried to keep people away from the portals. But a few months later, when they ran out of food, they just kind of disintegrated.¡± He shrugged. ¡°No one wanted to work for a government that couldn¡¯t keep them fed, I guess.¡±

    ¡°How much food are we going to have to stockpile?¡± His father asked.

    ¡°As much as we can. But, canned goods aren¡¯t the problem. With the AI¡¯s nanomachines, farmers can grow crops ten times faster than before, and in a much smaller area.¡±

    ¡°Are they safe to eat?¡±

    Peter snorted. ¡°Probably safer than the GMO crap we buy at the grocery store.¡±

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    ¡°I never saw anyone have an issue with the Architect¡¯s food. But, when you¡¯re starving to death, you don¡¯t really care about stuff like that. But, food isn¡¯t the biggest stockpile we need. That would be toiletries.¡±

    ¡°Always comes down to toilet paper.¡± Peter muttered.

    ¡°Oh! I¡¯ll need plenty of pads! And toothpaste, tampons, soap, and I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll need lots of deodorant.¡±

    ¡°Are people able to make all that stuff in the future?¡± his father asked.

    Blake shook his head.

    ¡°How long before it runs out?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t. In a year, over ninety percent of humans will be dead. A year after that, another half will die.¡± He sighed. ¡°By the time I died, or went back in time, or whatever, I bet there were only a hundred thousand people left alive. Most of that stuff doesn¡¯t go bad, and they made enough for billions.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s so common, why should we stockpile it?¡± His mother asked.

    ¡°Because I hope to save most of the people in Show Low and Pinetop if I can.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s over twenty-thousand people!¡± Donna exclaimed. ¡°How will we feed them, let alone provide them with toilet paper?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, we can¡¯t keep enough supplies to provide everyone with TP and other stuff. But, if we have enough, we can use it for a reward. We¡¯ll provide everyone with food that needs it, of course, but TP is a luxury item. We can hold that back and only hand it out as an incentive.¡±

    ¡°Incentive for what?¡± Peter asked.

    ¡°For whatever we need done, I know people who would kill for some soap. And, we¡¯ll need a lot of workers if we want to grow the faction quickly. We¡¯ll have to set up an entirely new industry and economy. Build enough housing for tens of thousands of people, and then, when we get big enough, do it again in Payson, Eager, Snowflake and all the other towns scattered around here.¡± He gestured widely as he noted the small towns near their home.

    ¡°People have houses already. Why would we need to build more?¡± his mother asked, confused.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Those houses aren¡¯t approved by the Architect. We¡¯ll have to tear everything not built with its assistance down and use the remains for raw materials.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± she continued.

    ¡°Yeah, that doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Peter agreed.

    Blake waved his hand through the air. ¡°There are all kinds of requirements and other stuff. You¡¯ll see once we get the faction formed. Don¡¯t worry about it right now.¡±

    ¡°Okaaaay¡­¡± Donna trailed off.

    ¡°Were you able to cash in the gold chain?¡± Blake changed the subject.

    She nodded. ¡°Yes, and then I stopped by the bank and deposited it in our account.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll set up an account and transfer the money to it tonight.¡± Pete informed him. ¡°That way, we can place the bet in a few days. There¡¯s not much time left before the Mega-Bowl.¡±

    ¡°Great! Once we get paid, we can buy some land, hire some people, and buy plenty of stuff to give us a head start.¡±

    After a moment, his mother said, ¡°It¡¯s so strange to think that everything will be so different in a few months. Should we close down the restaurant after we get the money?¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to form the faction for a few months still, but there¡¯s too much stuff to take care of for you two to spend all day at work.¡± After a yawn, he added, ¡°Speaking of that, I need to get something to eat and then finish another scenario.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the night!¡± Donna protested.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°I already slept for a few hours. I¡¯m good to go again.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you take a bigger break?¡± His father asked. ¡°If you overwork yourself, you¡¯ll make a mistake and get hurt.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to take breaks. I don¡¯t think you understand how many scenarios I¡¯m going to have to complete if I want to create a faction and level myself up.¡±

    ¡°I wish there was some way we could help you.¡± Donna said.

    Blake was about to inform her that there was nothing she could do when he suddenly had an idea. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something you can do that¡¯ll be a big help.¡±

    ¡°Whatever you need!¡± she readily agreed.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m spending too much time right now riding my bike back and forth from the airport to here to eat and sleep. And like you said before, eventually someone will see me enter the house and call the cops on me. If I had a tent and some supplies, I could set up a camp right outside the portal at the airport.¡±

    Peter¡¯s brows rose. ¡°On airport property? Is that where the portal is? They¡¯ll arrest you for trespassing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s in the trees north of it, not actually on it. I doubt anyone will see the tent unless it¡¯s bright orange or something anyway.¡±

    ¡°Well, we got rid of the tent when we moved, we didn¡¯t have space for it anymore.¡± Peter scratched his chin. ¡°I suppose we could buy another tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Tonight.¡± Blake corrected.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost midnight,¡± his father reminded him.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Dall-mart open twenty-four-seven?¡± Blake asked, rhetorically.

    ¡°Blake, if you move out of the house tonight, we¡¯ll never see you again!¡± His mother protested.

    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Blake smiled. ¡°If you two join the Collective, we can chat anytime you want. Unlike cell phones, you get signal everywhere, even on the goblin planet.¡±

    ¡°Uh, I thought you didn¡¯t want us to fight.¡± his father said, confused.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to fight to join. I can share my nano right now. Here, hold out your hand.¡±

    Blake extended his own hand and waited. His parents froze in shock and eyed him warily.

    He laughed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt. You won¡¯t know I even did anything until a few minutes later when you get a message.¡±

    Donna took a deep breath and glanced at her husband. After he nodded, she reached out her own hand and clasped her son¡¯s.

    I want to invite her into the Collective.

    Are you sure? This will transfer one million nano to the target.

    Yes.

    After he accepted the prompt, nothing notable changed. He checked his status, and saw that he now held only six million nano rather than the seven he had before. Once he realized that nano had already been transferred, he let go of his mother¡¯s hand and reached out for his father¡¯s. He repeated the process and then waited.

    His parents shuffled from side to side nervously and asked if he was sure it worked. He assured them it would just take a few minutes. Peter insisted on making Blake a pot of coffee while they waited, and busied himself in the kitchen.

    Moments later, his mother gasped and stared off into the distance. Shortly after, his father jerked in surprise and joined her. He waved his hands back and forth before his face, as if trying to swipe words only he could see away.

    Blake answered their numerous questions as they navigated through the menus. After a few minutes of show and tell, he gratefully helped himself to the fresh coffee.

    Once caffeine began to run through his veins, he became far more chipper. He added them both to his friends list and informed them of how to add him to their own. For the next half hour, he explained how the interface worked and how to contact him. After they learned how to navigate through the menus and adjust them on the fly, he asked, ¡°Can one of you drive me to Dall-mart now?¡±

 Chapter 15 - The Exploit

    To Blake¡¯s frustration, it took three hours to gather all the supplies he needed to create his new home. His parents insisted he wear some sort of disguise to the large store and stuffed him into a hoodie with a ball cap.

    In his mind, he only needed to buy a tent, sleeping bag, and maybe a camp stove to warm up some canned beans. He had long ago learned to survive on bare necessities, and while he enjoyed the hot shower and comfortable bed at home, he could do without.

    His mother, however, dissuaded him of that notion. He was loaded up with pillows, flashlights, a bucket with lid for his waste, and a shovel to bury it with. She bought him boxes of dehydrated food from the camping section, and multiple twenty-four packs of bottled water. Then, she dropped him off near the airport and helped him unload the vehicle.

    When everything was extracted from the vehicle, he gave her a hug and waved goodbye. It was well after two in the morning, and he could tell she was exhausted. Unlike himself, she did not get a midday nap to recover her energy. With an LED headlamp equipped, he began to ferry the totes full of supplies to the trees near the portal.

    It took another hour to set up his camp. By the time he finished erecting his tent, bringing his supplies inside, and unpacking, he was mentally drained. After he ate a snack and drank a bottle of water, he crawled into the sleeping bag and decided to catch up on some more sleep.

    <hr>

    When he woke mid-morning, the ground was blanketed with a half inch of snow. Luckily, between the tent and the bag, he remained nice and warm. Although, it was a struggle to extract himself from the comfortable bag to prepare his breakfast in the chill air.

    As soon as he ate his fill, he strapped on his sword, selected some snacks and a water bottle to go, and climbed up the rock face. With a leap, he once more entered the void.

    You have re-entered a combat scenario you have already completed. Would you like to increase the difficulty?

    No.

    Defend the goblin tribe against their attackers to complete the combat scenario.

    Shit.

    This would be two horrible missions in a row. He was not upset that he would have to defend goblins. It actually felt good to come to their defense for once, rather than just murder them. Although, he would still likely be forced to kill their goblin enemies.

    The scenario choice did not surprise him, though. Montgomery held a theory that the Architect tracked your mood and varied the tasks in order to keep one engaged.

    Blake sighed to himself.

    Most likely, their attackers were a rival tribe of goblins, coming to slaughter them. Just like humans, they fought among each other to gather power and control resources. If he were honest, besides the goblins¡¯ diminutive stature and green skin, they were not much different than humans. Based upon their limited speech, he assumed they held a lower intellect. Yet, despite that, they responded almost exactly as humans would, which hinted that their intelligence may lie elsewhere.

    No, what he hated about this type of mission was how long they generally lasted. He could be stuck inside this scenario for up to a week eating whatever mush the goblins ground up as food and bored out of his mind, waiting for the attack.

    Blake was spat out of the portal and landed on hard stone. He quickly glanced around to ensure his safety before he took in his surroundings.

    It was perhaps an hour before sunset. The sky was partly cloudy and his thin jacket did little to block out the frigid wind. He stood atop a parapet, at least ten feet off the ground, which overlooked a forest, just past the small clearing where they were situated.

    Unlike back home, there was no snow on the ground, yet it felt colder here, regardless. The air was humid and quickly chilled him to the bone. Twenty or so goblins were clustered around him, clothed in thick animal furs. They shied away, no doubt terrified of his size and alien nature, despite the fact he was there to protect them.

    However, they were both slaves to the Architect and were forced to do as they were told. When he did not immediately attack them, they seemed to lose their anxiety and a wide-eyed goblin approached him.

    ¡°You protect us?¡± it asked hesitantly.

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    It visibly relaxed. ¡°Good. Big army here soon.¡±

    Good, I might not have to wait a week.

    ¡°How big?¡±

    ¡°Big big,¡± it explained.

    Blake sighed. Not every goblin could count or was competent with numbers. If he wanted an accurate assessment, he would need to scout them out on his own. ¡°Which direction are they coming from?¡± he asked.

    The goblin leader pointed behind him to the woods beyond. When Blake then summoned Metal, the leader stumbled backward in surprise. It had most likely never seen a human nor a wraith, and two new aliens on the same day was a shock to its system. He ignored the goblin leader and ordered his companion to explore the woods beyond.

    Metal silently complied.

    While Blake waited for the wraith to explore the nearby forest, he sat down, let his feet dangle off the inner ledge, shivered, and examined the crumbling fortifications. The rock structure looked like it was hundreds of years old. The outer walls barely stood, and the inner partitions had already disintegrated. Hides were stretched and used to separate individual living spaces and for roofs.

    Blake was not sure who built the structure originally, but he knew it was not this tribe. They obviously found the fortification and claimed it as their home. He was not even sure that goblins were capable of building something like this.

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    Were the goblins smarter in the past? Did some other intelligent race live here and build this? Or, is this what the goblin¡¯s AI enhanced buildings look like hundreds of years later?

    His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a new notification in his interface.

    Donna Summers: Are you awake?

    Blake smiled. When he showed his mother how to use the social functions of the interface the night before, her eyes lit up in fascination. It was extremely intuitive and worked similarly to their own texting and social media. Matter of fact, there were so many similarities to their own technology, that he assumed the Architect purposefully mimicked it.

    However, the biggest difference was that there was no keyboard to type on. Instead, you either spoke aloud or concentrated on what you wanted to say, and the interface converted it to text.

    She had initially panicked when she realized the AI could read her thoughts, but he had assured her it did not care how much humans hated it. Blake himself had promised to eradicate the Architect if ever given the chance, yet the interface continued to function flawlessly. Montgomery, his old group¡¯s mana user, regularly used the AI¡¯s name as a curse word. Because of that, their aether user, Rajesh, had lived in constant fear of his life.

    Blake Summers: Yes. I¡¯m on the goblin planet right now. Do you want to see?

    Donna Summers: YES!

    Text was not the only way to communicate, it was just the most common. Holo-chat was great, but required you to speak out loud. Since only the people in the call were able to see the holograms through their interface and hear sound, you would often look like a crazy person talking to thin air. Blake, however, did not care if the goblins around him thought he was insane. His job was to protect them from a rival tribe, not befriend them. An assumption of insanity may keep them at a distance.

    He converted the conversation over to holo-mode and a three-dimensional model of his mother appeared before him. Judging from her surroundings, she looked to be in a storage room of their restaurant. She sat on one of many large boxes of food and stared in wonder at the goblin planet.

    Unlike video-chat on a smartphone, there was no obvious camera. Instead, nanomachines, which were invisible to the eye, captured the area from multiple angles while they hovered in midair. It allowed the interface to recreate a 3D image where the user could zoom in or out to change their focus.

    ¡°Is that a goblin?¡± Her eyes were the size of saucers now as she focused behind her son to the goblin leader nearby.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Wow! It almost looks like an alien!¡±

    Blake smirked. ¡°Well, they are little green men.¡±

    Her brows furrowed. ¡°Wait, I thought you said you have to kill them in these ¡®scenarios¡¯ or whatever.¡±

    ¡°Not these goblins,¡± he explained. ¡°In this mission, I¡¯m supposed to protect them.¡±

    ¡°From what?¡±

    ¡°Other goblins.¡±

    His mother frowned. ¡°This all makes no sense. I guess I¡¯ll just have to take your word for it.¡± She continued to look at the world around him and added, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re on another planet? It looks a lot like Earth.¡±

    ¡°Most planets do. Gravity¡¯s a little weaker here, which gives me a strength advantage, the sun¡¯s a bit bigger, and there¡¯s two moons. But, if you ignore all that, it''s pretty close to back home. Well, other than the goblins and weird animals.¡±

    ¡°Are you on the other side of the galaxy?¡± she asked in wonder.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°Not a clue. I could be at the next closest star to Earth, on the other side of the galaxy, or in a completely different one for all I know.¡±

    He checked his map and saw that his companion had located the enemy. It had crisscrossed through the woods until it ran into its first sentry, and then pushed further in until the bulk of the goblin army was revealed.

    ¡°Hey mom, I gotta go. The battle¡¯s gonna start soon.¡±

    ¡°Okay honey. Love you, and BE SAFE,¡± she emphasized.

    ¡°Will do, mom. Love ya too. Bye.¡±

    When his mother disappeared, he turned to the goblin leader. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave and go attack the invaders out in the woods. Whatever you do, make sure no one leaves this fort.¡± he pointed down at the rock wall.

    The leader nodded. ¡°We stay.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± he muttered to himself and dropped off of the ten-foot wall to the ground below. He landed lightly in the weak gravity.

    He mused to himself as he began his trek. With his achievements granting twenty-two percent higher attributes, he was at the upper range of what was humanly possible. At this point, he was most likely the strongest and fastest person to ever exist, if he ignored his old timeline, and had an incredibly resilient body. Even his stamina was the equivalent of an Olympic athlete, no matter how much he complained about it.

    If he had not been far more powerful before he traveled through time, he would be in awe at how strong he had become. As it was, all he felt was frustration. He knew what was possible and was annoyed that his body was incapable of keeping up with what he needed it to do.

    When he fought the swarm of over fifty goblins the day prior, he used his maximum strength and speed to slaughter them. However, after over an hour of non-stop fighting, his body had begun to fail him, despite his high stamina. The event only cemented in his mind that he needed to raise his physical stamina attribute once he raised his power over ten.

    Blake strode through the thick woods, confident that no enemies were near thanks to Metal¡¯s reconnaissance. He used his transparent map to navigate toward the closest sentry. As he walked, he recalled his companion to his side. When he was only a hundred feet away from the closest goblin, he stopped and silently communicated with the wraith.

    Float past that goblin and become visible when you pass it. I need you to distract it, so I can sneak up on it.

    Are you sure this plan is wise, Master? I am not able to defend myself and will be in danger.

    If it attacks you, just phase through everything until I kill it.

    As you command.

    Blake huffed in annoyance. The wraith was literally unable to be hurt without magic, and yet it complained anyway. He could understand its reticence if they were in a level one or two scenario, but at level zero, no magic existed. Using his companion was too big of an advantage to forego, and would allow him to demolish this army before it reached the walls.

    He unsheathed his longsword quietly, as well as his dagger, and held them at the ready. When he heard a short squeal of fright ahead of him, he trusted that Metal had followed his orders and rushed forward at full speed.

    A moment later, he saw the backside of the goblin sentry. It held a bow in its hand and desperately attempted to withdraw a crude arrow from its quiver. Its wide eyes remained on his companion and it fumbled the endeavor. It was so distracted by the wraith that Blake ran up behind it unnoticed, and cut it down without ever drawing its attention.

    Okay, that worked great. Now we¡¯ll use the same strategy for the next sentry.

    The wraith did not respond. Blake sighed to himself and once more gave his companion a direct order. The performance was repeated, and just as before, it worked flawlessly. Without having to slowly sneak up behind each goblin, he was able to kill all six sentries in the same amount of time it would have taken him to kill just one by himself.

    This feels like an exploit.

    Using his companion as a scout and a distraction made the low level encounters trivial and would allow him to complete the scenario in record time. The goblin army¡¯s sentries were dead, and the main force would have no warning when he finally attacked.

    Metal returned to his side. As he stalked through the woods towards their encampment, he had little fear that he would be discovered. They trusted their scouts completely, and not a single goblin glanced at the woods which surrounded their clearing.

    Regardless of how inattentive they were, he hid behind a bush to observe the rival tribe. There was no point in risking discovery when it was so easy to remain undetected.

    Looks like sixty-two goblins.

    If he added the six he already killed to the number, there were sixty-eight total in this scenario. He had no desire to fight all sixty-two at once, like he had done in the cave the day before. It would quickly tire him and was far too great of a risk. All it would take was a lucky strike or arrow, and he would be injured and likely killed.

    Instead, he needed the army to separate into smaller bands for him so he could whittle down their numbers. It would allow him to recover his energy between fights and with only a few goblins arrayed against him, it was far safer.

    Looks like you get to be a distraction again, Metal.

 Chapter 16 - Super Human

    The goblin army¡¯s reaction to his companion was hilarious. Blake stifled a laugh as the wraith suddenly became visible within the encampment. It let out a loud, low-pitched moan which startled the goblins, and then began to slowly float from the camp.

    At first, the goblins were so frightened, they froze for a full five seconds after the wraith left. It was not until Metal appeared within the camp once again that they began to chase after his companion. The leader of the goblin force barked short commands, ordering most to stay behind while a small force of eight was sent to eliminate the wraith.

    That¡¯ll do.

    If it were not for Blake¡¯s skill in fighting and his obscene attributes, he would have never even considered taking on almost seventy goblins by himself.

    He would split the group up into smaller, more manageable fights. With a break to catch his breath between battles, he was confident in his success. At this point, he had the stamina of a professional athlete and, with a physical power of nine point eight, was more than likely the strongest and fastest human alive.

    The goblins, on the other hand, had short legs and were slower and weaker than the average human. If Blake became cocky and let them overwhelm him, he could still easily die, but as long as he took the fight seriously, they had little hope of defeating him.

    When the last green-skin passed by his hiding place behind a tree, he waited a moment and then boldly began to follow. The group of eight was so focused on his companion that they never once bothered to glance behind them or even to their sides. Blake unsheathed his longsword and dagger and increased his speed to a sprint.

    He quickly closed the distance to the last goblin and sliced its throat from behind. It let out a choked gasp as it tripped and fell to the ground. Blake leapt over the dying form to eliminate the next in line.

    Despite his first victim¡¯s gasps of pain, its fellow fighters never once glanced back to investigate the strange noise. Their lack of concern made it incredibly easy for him to finish the next goblin undetected as well. It was not until after he killed his third enemy that the group was alerted.

    The next goblin screamed out, but was immediately cut down. By the time they slowed and turned to face him, he had killed a fifth goblin, and only three remained.

    After a quick chop to the side of the goblin¡¯s neck, his longsword became stuck between the vertebrae. A sudden jerk of his blade launched the eighty pound fighter to his side, and he faced off against the final three.

    When the middle goblin suddenly screamed and rushed him, the two beside followed suit. Blake stepped to the side and parried with his dagger, then used his sword to block the other¡¯s attack. With both weapons actively engaged, he kicked out with his foot and hit the small humanoid in the gut.

    The second goblin flew backward five feet and rolled along the ground. The third goblin finally reversed its charge and attacked at the same time as the first. He parried both swings and followed with his own.

    His longsword slashed quickly and cut deep into the first goblin¡¯s sword arm. It screeched and dropped its own weapon, while Blake slammed his dagger into its chest. He quickly extracted the short blade and whirled to the third goblin, which growled in anger and rushed forward with its short spear.

    With only a single goblin to occupy his attention, the charge was incredibly easy to defeat. He knocked the spear to the side with his sword and his dagger to end the goblin¡¯s life. That left one goblin alive, gasping on the ground, where it landed after his kick. Blake finished off the injured fighter and paused to catch his breath.

    That was even easier than I thought it¡¯d be.

    He was surprised at how easy level zero scenarios were, and wished he had taken part in them before. Ten years ago, after Blake¡¯s family died, he was forced to live on his own. It took weeks of just surviving, to gain enough nano to purchase a single combat classification. After he did, his single spell, Strengthen, allowed him to take on monsters with ease.

    That was, of course, until the level one creatures began to appear as well. The enemy had their own abilities they could use against him, and he was forced to approach the local faction.

    With a combat classification, he was easily accepted into his first faction, and life became much easier for him. Sleeping within their compound, he no longer feared waking up with claws around his throat. With a group, scavenging became safer, and they began to quickly expand their territory.

    It was not until much later, when he was already level two, that he finally entered his first combat scenario. He remembered how difficult it was for them to complete it, and how his old group mate before he switched factions had almost died. Throughout the following years, as they continued to fight in the scenarios, he lost many party members to simple mistakes and bad luck.

    In contrast, the level zero scenarios were easy for Blake to solo. With his achievements, he was far more powerful than the skinny goblins, especially when they had no spells to even the odds.

    Okay, Metal, let¡¯s do that again.

    He cleaned off his red-stained sword on the goblin¡¯s loincloth below him as he listened to the wraith¡¯s complaints, and then slid it into its sheath. When he began to stalk back toward the army¡¯s encampment, his companion followed behind.

    The next time he sent Metal inside their camp, ten goblins chased the wraith when it fled. They were just as easy for him to defeat as the first group, and he could not believe how well the plan worked.

    The third attempt, however, was a bust.

    When the two squads of goblins failed to return, the goblin commander ordered his army to remain stationary. They were still unaware of Blake¡¯s presence, but with their squad¡¯s disposition unknown, they became cautious.

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    Blake forced his companion to attempt drawing them out four more times before he finally gave up.

    Okay, let¡¯s see how you react to this.

    Blake recalled the first group of goblins he killed had two archers. He returned to their location, collected their bows, and combined all of their arrows into a single quiver. After he returned to the cover he used to observe the camp, he searched for the goblin leader.

    The sun set, and more fires had been lit. Almost all the goblins inside the camp sat despondently around the flame while they ate their dinner. The flickering light made it very difficult to find the commander, who could only be distinguished by the tooth necklace it wore.

    Eventually, he was able to locate the leader. Unfortunately, the boss placed itself deep within the camp and remained alert. There were far too many goblins between Blake and the leader, and there was no way he would find an opening. Blake considered using Metal to open a path, but once they saw his companion, they would raise their guard.

    Instead, he kept his companion out of it and attempted to assassinate the leader directly.

    The first shot slammed into the back of a wandering goblin. It grunted from the impact and sank to the ground. When its friend saw the fletching of the arrow sticking out of its green skin, its eyes widened in sudden realization, and it screamed, ¡°Under attack!¡±

    The entire camp came to life.

    Meanwhile, Blake never paused in his volleys. He launched a stream of arrows toward the enemy leader, who crouched behind his subordinates. Blake grunted in annoyance, but continued to shoot arrows into the crowd. Goblin after goblin died from his projectiles, yet their leader refused to allow them to give chase. Shields suddenly appeared, and they used their wooden bucklers to block his attacks.

    However, despite their coordination, they did not have nearly enough slabs of wood to go around. Blake simply changed targets and focused on the goblins not protected by the barriers. He continued to rack up kills until he finally ran out of arrows.

    Damn it!

    While the numbers before him were greatly diminished, he had hoped to get lucky and hit the goblin leader. Unfortunately, not only was it protected from his attacks, but under its influence, the group still refused to take the bait and chase after him. He was frustrated, far too many goblins remained alive for him to enter the camp.

    While he searched for a solution, he reviewed his logs to learn how many he had killed. According to the record, he had eliminated thirty-nine of the sixty-eight goblins within the scenario. That meant there were still twenty-nine goblins alive, all wary of ambush.

    Too many.

    After he checked his status, he noticed he now held over thirteen million nano. He only needed ten million to increase an attribute, and quickly decided to enhance his physical power. The increase to his strength and speed would finally put him over the human limit, which he would need if he were going to attack the army head on.

    While he waited for the change to take effect, he ordered Metal to remain on watch. He leaned backward against a tree in the dark and tried to think of a solution while he allowed the goblins to become complacent. The power his new attribute would grant him would be very welcome, but he doubted it would be enough for the battle before him. With so many goblins, it was almost guaranteed that one would get in a lucky hit.

    His physical resistance was eight point five, which was prodigious, yet still within human norms. The attribute granted him dense bones, an enhanced muscular system, and hardened skin. However, the protection was the equivalent of calluses built up over time and would do nothing to stop the swing of a sword or tip of an arrow.

    Blake would need to surpass the human limit of ten before he could begin to shrug off attacks. Even then, the stronger goblins would still be able to breach his defense.

    Maybe I should¡¯ve enhanced my resistance anyway.

    No matter which attribute he decided to enhance, he could think of no solution to his current problem. The goblins refused to separate, and he was out of arrows. There were too many for him to overpower without becoming injured, and he would be forced to wait for them to make a mistake.

    Suddenly, a notification appeared on his interface.

    Huh? It should¡¯ve taken a lot longer than that to take effect.

    It had been less than five minutes since he chose to enhance his attribute. With the twenty-two percent increase, his achievements bestowed on him, it would take almost an hour and a half for the changes to take effect. He focused on the alert and his jaw dropped at what he read.

    As the first of your species to have an attribute break through its unenhanced limit, you have been awarded an achievement. - [Super Human]

    The [Super Human] achievement awards you two of every attribute.

    Similar to the first kill achievement, the super human achievement added twelve points to his attributes. That was an entire level¡¯s worth of enhancement. More, if you counted the twenty-two percent increase from his other rewards.

    This is insane. How come I never heard of these ¡®first¡¯ achievements before? Did the people who got them die even with the cheat-like advantage?

    When the nanomachines finished enhancing his body, he would have the attributes of a level two combatant. That was something he did not achieve in his first life until almost a year after Invasion day.

    It took over three hours for the changes to his body to take effect. During that time, he occasionally glimpsed Metal¡¯s form pass before him as the wraith patrolled the area. The noises from the goblin camp lessened. He alternated between feeling giddy at the newfound power he held, and disgusted at the waste in his last life. With these incredible attributes and an omni-class, he would be unstoppable.

    When the transformation was complete, he opened his status again and stared in awe at the changes.

    Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity

    Combat Classification - None

    Race - Tier I

    Attributes - Increased by 22%

    Physical Power - 13.4

    Physical Stamina - 9.8

    Physical Resistance - 11.0

    Magic Power - 11.0

    Magic Stamina - 9.8

    Magic Resistance - 12.2

    Achievements -

    First Kill

    First Clear

    First Solo Clear

    Directive Enthusiast

    Solo Warrior

    Slayer II

    Scavenger Prime

    Super Human

    General Skills -

    Summon Companion

    Nano - 3,287k

    Four of his six attributes now exceeded human limits. The two that did not, were at the pinnacle of what was possible naturally. Only one or two people out of billions had the physical stamina that he now held.

    He grinned.

    Let¡¯s see how I stack up against the goblin army now.

 Chapter 17 - Mopping Up

    With his sword and dagger held at the ready, he rushed out of the dark woods into the goblin encampment. Over three hours had passed since his last attack, and the goblins had grown complacent. Only three remained on guard, while most had fallen asleep next to the still crackling fires.

    His silent charge almost took the goblins entirely by surprise. He sprinted so quickly through the clearing that he closed half the distance before the first goblin shouted in alarm. He ordered Metal to join in, which added to the confusion.

    ¡°Enemy! Under Attack!¡± the goblin yelled while it fumbled the arrow it retrieved from its quiver.

    With only twenty feet between them, it barely had time to nock the projectile, pull back, and release it before he ran the sentry through. The arrow went wide. As he ran, he barely had to angle his chest to the side. He was not sure if the dodge was even necessary. At worst, the tip would have grazed his upper arm and ripped his shirt.

    After he plowed through the sentry, he turned to the next nearest guard. This trembling goblin held a shield before it, with a small mace held at the ready. However, it was so frightened by his super-human speed, it froze as he ran it down.

    The third and last sentry was across the camp, and it too was armed with a bow. It released an arrow, aimed at Blake¡¯s chest, and raised its arms in victory when it saw the trajectory.

    To Blake¡¯s enhanced body, however, the projectile moved in slow motion. He stepped around the arrow, which caused the sentry¡¯s eyes to widen in surprise. Blake was so swift, that by the time it retrieved another arrow from its quiver, he was only six feet away.

    He lunged forward and skewered the goblin. With a shake of his arm, the body was dislodged from his blade and he was ready to continue his slaughter. The leader had finally awakened and began shouting orders to its soldiers.

    Can¡¯t have that.

    Blake ignored the half-awake goblins who fumbled for their weapons, and focused in on the true threat, the goblin commander. Five giant steps later, he swung his sword at the shield-bearing leader. The longsword hammered into the small buckler, and the boss grunted in pain as it was forced backward. Before it could raise its own short sword to counter his attack, Blake thrust his dagger forward and into the wide eyes of his enemy.

    With their leader dead and no one else able to take its place in command, confusion mounted. Blake took advantage of the situation and rapidly dispatched every goblin near him. Half of the enemy he slew had yet to even grasp their weapons.

    He moved through the flame-lit camp like a wraith himself as he darted to and fro. His attacks were like lightning, and they could do nothing to slow him. Only once during the slaughter did he feel an attack land against him. The chipped short sword easily sliced through his jacket and shirt, but only lightly bruised the skin beneath it.

    Unless a goblin was incredibly lucky, he no longer needed to fear their attacks. He still avoided them if could, of course. After all, why take a bruise if you could side step the attack all together. However, his nigh-on invulnerability to the weak goblins allowed him to take risks he would never have dreamt of before.

    In the end, it took only three minutes for him to kill the remaining twenty-eight goblins. When the last goblin died, the Architect confirmed that he completed the scenario within his overhead display.

    He delayed his choice of reward and strode through the camp until he stood directly where the question mark appeared on his map.

    Metal had long ago found the secret treasure in this scenario, but Blake had been unable to retrieve it while the goblins still lived. Now, he was able to dig through the soft dirt with his fingers until he felt a hard metal edge. Blake retrieved the small object and held it up to the light of the fire.

    I guess it¡¯s better than nothing.

    According to his interface, the silver earring would grant him one extra Magic Resistance. Unfortunately, he would have to wear the gaudy item in order to receive any benefit. The stud contained three strands of silver, which led to brightly colored stones that dangled in the wind.

    Blake frowned at the bauble. If he pierced his ear and wore the jewelry, he would be constantly annoyed every time he moved his head. The stones would swing through the air and pull on his lobe, making noise at every turn. However, no matter how much he would dislike it, as soon as he entered a level one scenario, he would be sure to equip the earring. One point added to his Magic Resistance was too great an advantage for him to decline.

    In the meantime, however, he placed the silver tassels in his jacket pocket and dismissed his companion. Once he informed the Architect he was ready to choose his reward, four options appeared before him, and he grinned broadly.

    He immediately skipped the two weapons, as they did not surpass his current longsword and dagger. In his opinion, the spiked mace displayed before him was a poor weapon, and he preferred the reach of his longsword to the shorter scimitar he could receive. The shield would be welcome, but without any spatial storage, it would be too cumbersome and awkward to haul around.

    I should probably get that sooner rather than later.

    He missed his ¡®virtual pocket¡¯. The spatial storage ability was one of the few general skills he would purchase before he received his class. The first level of the skill would allow him to store a little under two and a half pounds of mass. However, it was not as useful as it sounded. It took ten seconds for an object to materialize in your hand when summoning it, and it would take another ten seconds to dismiss.

    After it leveled, however, it was amazing. At each level, the mass you could store was increased by another two and a third pounds. The bulky shield before him weighed nine pounds. That meant that once he leveled it four times, he could store the shield without having to strap it to his back or carry it.

    Unfortunately, just like class skills, general skills were limited to your level. He would need to reach level three before he could level the general skill up high enough for it to be practical. Even so, he was going to purchase the skill before then. Skills leveled up by using them, and took days or weeks of constant use to do so.

    He returned his focus to the scenario rewards. The last choice was a hide jerkin. Similar to his leather pants, the material was enhanced by nanomachines. It could withstand a sword strike or arrow far better than his body, even fortified as it currently was.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    He quickly accepted the armor and waited impatiently, for over an hour, for the Architect to assemble it. While he waited, he emptied his pockets of the last of his snacks and consumed them. He withdrew his phone and stared at the blank screen.

    Why am I still carrying this thing?

    His parents could contact him directly through the system, and the next time he saw his brother, he would invite him as well. He could not even remember the names of the few friends he made in high school, and had no desire to reacquaint himself with them.

    He tossed the plastic smartphone into the fire and watched in satisfaction as it melted before him.

    When the sleeveless tunic was finally completed, it dropped to the ground before him. He gleefully slipped out of his bloody-stained jacket and threw it into the fire next to the remains of the phone. Blake then equipped the new brown armor and tightened its straps.

    Clothed in hide pants and jerkin, with a sword and dagger strapped to his waist, he looked like he was headed to a renaissance festival. Finally ready to leave, he retraced his steps to the goblin fort where he arrived, climbed the ten-foot wall, and walked toward the swirling portal that was now open once again.

    The goblins tightened their grip on their weapons as they warily watched him leave. Without saying a word, he entered the spatial distortion and the world around him was replaced with the void. What seemed like hours later, but he knew was only moments, he was unceremoniously dumped to the ground.

    Unlike before, he was not forced to roll to even the shock. Instead, he landed with bent knees like a superhero. His joints easily accepted the punishment and he barely felt a thing.

    He smiled.

    Should I take a break or do another?

    With his increased attributes, he felt very little strain on his body, and was bursting with energy. The last fight against the goblin army felt like a light workout. He had also finished the scenario faster than he expected. The vast majority of his time was spent waiting on the nanomachines to enhance his body and assemble his reward.

    I have plenty of time. I¡¯ll grab a snack and complete one more.

    He withdrew a bottle of water from the tent and collected a few protein bars. He quickly pierced his right ear with the earring and grimaced as it tickled his cheek. When he was ready, he climbed up to the ledge and leapt toward the ground.

    The portal intercepted his fall and placed him in the void. Once again, he refused to increase the difficulty of the scenario. To his relief, there was no convoluted mission where he would be forced to escort a defenseless goblin child through danger, or something equally annoying. Instead, he only needed to eliminate a goblin war band.

    Good, no families to worry about.

    When he exited the void, his feet sank into the sandy ground of the goblin planet, and he barely avoided a cactus. The thorny succulent was directly between his legs, and if he bent his knees any further, he would have learned just how strong his armor was.

    Blake immediately summoned Metal and sent the wraith off to scout his surroundings. Surprisingly, his companion complied without argument. As far as he could tell, the war band was nowhere near him, and he would need to travel quite a ways to meet up with them.

    While his companion slowly revealed the map to his north, Blake decided to check out the area to his south. He noted a large rock outcropping which he planned to climb to get a better view of the area.

    He easily scaled the stone and admired the view from his new height. Across a huge stretch of desert, miles away, he saw a crumbling stone fortification. Atop the wall, he could barely discern small forms, which he assumed were goblins. However, when he checked his map, the location was clearly outside the bounds.

    I guess they aren¡¯t my targets.

    He shrugged and continued to scan the rugged hills around him. His search revealed more of the map, but he failed to identify his enemies. Luckily, Metal had no such difficulties, and red marks began to appear on his map where the wraith discovered his foes.

    Blake scrambled from the rocks and jogged in the direction his map indicated. He withheld caution, confident in his new power and Metal¡¯s scouting ability.

    Ten minutes later, he crested a rise and discovered almost forty goblins below. His form was immediately visible, and a scout cried out in alarm.

    Well, good thing I¡¯m too strong for them now.

    At this point, he faced little danger from direct conflict. However, habit forced him to treat the situation seriously. He had seen far too many of his comrades killed because they felt they were in little danger.

    Rather than jump to the ground below and attack the large army, he turned and pretended to flee. He passed a rise a few hundred feet back, which would be a perfect spot to hold his ground. It would offer him an elevation advantage and would not allow the goblins to surround him. He also hoped the area would put him in just enough danger the AI would reward him accordingly.

    Similar to the battle in the caves, the pursuing goblins were forced into single file to attack him. The dead began to pile up, and the goblins were forced to drag their fallen away.

    During the fight, there was only a single instance where he felt a thrill of danger. He blocked an attack with his dagger, when he saw an arrow headed his way out of the corner of his eye. If he had not turned his head at the last second, he might not have noticed the projectile until it was too late.

    Surrounded by rock as he was, there was no chance he could dodge the attack. Instead, he raised his longsword and deflected the arrow with his inch and a half wide blade. The goblin¡¯s flank attack was unsuccessful, but revealed a potential vulnerability in his position. Eager to protect his rear, he rushed forward and waded into the crowd.

    Finally, after almost half an hour of battle, the last goblin fell. The archer, which had flanked him, ran when it saw how easily he slew its fellow goblins. He was forced to chase the coward as it fled, which wasted time which could be spent on another combat scenario.

    Once it was slain, he removed the obnoxious earring and stored it.

    Metal had yet to locate the secret treasure, so Blake decided to choose his reward and let it assemble as he waited. After another hour, he gladly replaced his off brand tennis shoes with a new pair of comfortable boots and dismissed his companion. He trudged through the rock and sand toward the now revealed hidden treasure.

    By the time he reached the edge of the boundary, he was tired and annoyed. That feeling was only magnified when he shifted the sand away and uncovered the secret treasure.

    Another pair of boots.

    Blake kicked himself for his impatience. If he had waited until after the treasure was revealed, he would have chosen the bracers instead. Now, he had an extra pair of boots that he did not need.

    Whatever. It¡¯s not like I REALLY need the bracers anyway.

    Blake bemoaned the fact that level zero armor provided protection to his body, but did not provide any extra utility. Not only was higher level armor more durable, it enhanced his magic and could potentially give him access to spells that his class did not. Once he gained his class and took on the higher level scenarios, he would immediately replace his entire set as soon as he was able.

    Time to go.

    With a sigh, he traveled back to Earth, where the sun had already set. He ate a meal next to his tent and watched the moon rise into the clear night sky. Blake was about to head to bed when he was notified of his mother calling him through the interface.

    I¡¯ll just wish her a good night and then head to sleep.

    He accepted the video communication, and both of his parents appeared before him. When he saw the serious expressions on their faces, his fatigue instantly vanished.

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± he asked in concern as he sat up straight.

    ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± his father answered quickly, relieving the tension that built up in his neck. ¡°It¡¯s the restaurant that¡¯s in trouble. They shut it down.¡±

 Chapter 18 - Corruption

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    With a bitter tone, his father explained, ¡°A health inspector showed up this morning and performed a surprise inspection.¡±

    ¡°Okaaay¡­¡±

    ¡°That part¡¯s fine,¡± he waved the event away. ¡°It happens to everyone, and just like the last time we were inspected, they only found two minor violations. This time, though, they decided to shut us down rather than give a warning.¡± Peter suddenly threw up his arms. ¡°Who the hell shuts a restaurant down because the dishwasher has an open beverage next to the sink?!!¡±

    ¡°Honey, calm down.¡± His mother placed a hand on her husband¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Like I said before, we can appeal the decision, and we¡¯ll be back open in a few days.¡±

    Blake was confused. He did not remember his parent¡¯s business ever shutting down. As far as he could recall, it stayed open right until Invasion day when the entire world went to hell.

    Did something change because I¡¯m not working there anymore?

    He recalled the butterfly effect from movies and TV shows. It essentially claimed that any small change introduced to a timeline would create ripples, which could lead to drastic differences as more time progressed. Although, he did not see how him not showing up to work would lead to a health inspector appearing. Blake had no memory of any surprise inspections in his past.

    ¡°Uh¡­ dad,¡± Blake said hesitantly. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you weren¡¯t supposed to be inspected.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I clearly remember you complaining about the first time you were inspected, but I don¡¯t remember it ever happening again.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it was ten years ago for you?¡± his mother asked.

    ¡°Sure, but you know how dad gets when someone calls his kitchen dirty.¡±

    Donna snorted, while Peter looked offended. ¡°I run a clean kitchen!¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Blake agreed. ¡°Which means I would remember you complaining about an inspector.¡± He then added, ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°What changed?¡± Donna asked. ¡°I can¡¯t see how anything you did would¡¯ve¡­¡± Suddenly her eyes widened, and then narrowed. ¡°Blake. Did you know that Trent¡¯s uncle is the Sheriff of Navajo County?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± The news came as a surprise to him, but it explained why the authorities were so eager to arrest him. He sent their boss¡¯s family member to the hospital, and Blake was sure they were pissed. ¡°Good to know, but what does that have to do with a health inspector, aren¡¯t they different departments?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but the Sheriff is a good-ole-boy with lots of connections. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me in the least if he was friends with a director at the health department.¡±

    Blake rubbed his temples. ¡°Then, it¡¯s my fault the restaurant got shut down. I''m sorry I screwed things up for you guys. I¡­¡±

    Donna cut him off. ¡°This is NOT your fault, Blake. This is the typical bull-sh¡­crap that we have to put up with as business owners.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right, son. Remember how long it took us to get the renovations permit approved? It turns out, the government moves at a snail¡¯s pace unless you go through the right people. The minute we hired that architect, we were approved overnight.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I know how much work you guys put into it, and I hate the fact that it was something I did that caused it to be taken away from you.¡±

    ¡°Well, like you said before, in a few months it''s all going away anyway,¡± his father reminded him. ¡°This way, at least we¡¯ll have more time to spend helping you.¡±

    His mother frowned. ¡°If this has changed, what about the Mega-bowl?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Like you said, you¡¯ve changed things. What if this time, Cincinnati doesn¡¯t win? Or, what if the score¡¯s different?¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°I can¡¯t see how anything I did here could change the outcome halfway across the country.¡±

    ¡°Well, cash takes two days to settle before you can do anything with it,¡± Peter informed him. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯ll probably be Monday before we can place the bet. We¡¯ll have until then to change our minds.¡±

    Blake yawned.

    ¡°You¡¯re probably tired from doing that combat thing all day. Don¡¯t you worry about us, just get some sleep and be safe, okay?¡±

    He smiled. ¡°Will do. Love ya.¡±

    ¡°Love you, too,¡± his parents replied.

    <hr>

    Blake woke bright and early the next day to something scratching at the side of his tent. A small silhouette busied itself with the corner of the door. Blake clapped his hands loudly and the small animal ran off into the Junipers.

    Unlike the day before, his muscles were not sore, and he was not exhausted. He was, however, ravenously hungry. Despite not needing caffeine to come fully awake, he made himself a pot of coffee on the camp stove. He then heated a meal for breakfast while he savored the freshly brewed grounds. After he finished his new morning routine, clothed himself in his new armor, and donned the annoying earring, he was ready to return to the portal.

    He arrived at the goblin planet at night, and stood alone in a grassy field as he considered the combat scenario. Goblins held another of their species captive, and he needed to safely extract the prisoner. That was in addition to eliminating the group responsible.

    The complication annoyed him, as it would make the entire scenario far more dangerous. After all, if the prisoner died, he would fail the mission and the portal would refuse to open the way back to Earth. He would be stuck on the goblin planet forever.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    I miss my old team.

    Missions like these were far easier with a party. His companions could keep the goblins busy while he rushed in and extracted the target. He chuckled at the memory of one scenario when Montgomery captivated an entire goblin band with an elaborate dance.

    Instead, he was forced to stand his ground and protect the bound captive. In the end, he took multiple shallow wounds in his efforts to keep the hostage alive.

    Other than that, the mission went smoothly.

    After the last enemy goblin died, his interface informed him that the scenario was complete. He passed on accepting the reward and sent Metal to look for the hidden treasure. He practically ripped his gaudy earring from his head.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s set you free.¡±

    He bent down and untied the captive prisoner. When the last rope fell away, the goblin scrambled away on its hands and feet and bolted for the hills in the distance.

    ¡°What? No ¡®thank you¡¯?¡±

    While he waited for his map to be fully explored by his companion, he reviewed his status and noted he held over seventeen million nano. Now that he was no longer in combat, he immediately wanted to enhance an attribute.

    The problem was, which one.

    He had already enhanced his physical power three times, and was tempted to increase it again. In his opinion, it was the most important attribute right now as it not only increased his strength, but also his speed. The goblins could not keep up with him.

    When he saw that only two of his attributes were below ten, however, he asked his companion a question.

    Hey Metal, do you know anything about achievements?

    Yes.

    Blake waited for the wraith to continue, but it remained silent. With a sigh, he changed the question into an order and tried again.

    Tell me everything you know about achievements.

    Achievements are awarded to people who put themselves at risk and accomplish feats. Some achievements are more difficult to obtain than others, and their rewards generally reflect this. There are also achievements that are granted only to a single member of a species.

    I¡¯ve been granted multiple ¡®first¡¯ achievements. One of them was for being the first human to have an attribute above ten. Will I get another for having all of my attributes above ten?

    I do not know. Every time the Architect assimilates a new species, it changes the achievements and their rewards based upon the psyche of the race.

    Is it possible I¡¯ll get another achievement if I bring all my attributes over ten?

    Yes.

    Is it possible to get one if I bring my attributes over eleven point five, three?

    Yes.

    Blake rolled his eyes. His last question was meant to test how useful the information from the wraith was. It turned out that his companion¡¯s information about the system was useless, just as he expected. Moreover, if he asked for advice, it would likely take him down a path that would lead to his own death. Then, it would be free.

    Well, at least you¡¯re good for scouting and distractions.

    After a bit more thought, he decided to increase his physical stamina. Bringing the attribute above ten and granting himself superhuman endurance was in no way a waste, and would be useful for defeating hordes of goblins.

    Blake spent the ten million nano to enhance his physical stamina. After the currency was expended, he was left with almost seven and a half million. He mentally calculated his average nano gain and realized he would be able to upgrade another attribute in the next dungeon. Once the nanomachines finished enhancing his physical stamina, only magical stamina would remain below ten. When he gained another three million nano, he could upgrade it to see if he could gain another achievement.

    If, however, he did not receive a reward from upgrading magical stamina, it would be a waste of nano. He did not have access to any of the four types of energy. And, even if he did, in his opinion, magical stamina was the least useful of all attributes, as it would only increase the amount of energy he had access to. Running out of fuel for his spells would only become a problem far into his future. For the next year, he would be limited by spell recharge periods rather than his energy supply.

    Blake absently rubbed his sore arm where he was injured during the protection scenario. The goblin¡¯s dagger failed to pierce his skin, but it did leave a bruise. Unfortunately, he would have to deal with the injury for the next few days. Without a healing spell or potion, his body healed at roughly the same speed as before.

    Maybe I should upgrade my physical resistance. It¡¯d be nice to walk around invulnerable.

    Despite the appeal, he dismissed the plan immediately. It would work very well against the weak goblins he fought now. However, in the future, he would fight far more dangerous foes. If he did not have enough strength to penetrate their thick armor, he would surely die.

    Thirty minutes later, Metal informed him that it had finished scouting all land within the scenario boundary. Blake opened the map and searched for the now familiar question mark, eager to find out what the treasure was so he could claim the reward for completing the scenario. There was no way he would make the same mistake as before.

    Huh? Are you sure you scouted everything Metal? I don¡¯t see the treasure.

    Yes.

    Why¡¯s there no treasure, then?

    Not every scenario contains a hidden reward.

    Blake sensed a bit of smug satisfaction in Metal¡¯s communication.

    Oh.

    Because treasures were so difficult to find, he assumed they were always present, only hidden too well. It was why most groups never bothered to look for the bounty in the first place. He dismissed Metal.

    Okay, I guess I¡¯ll just choose my reward then.

    He opened the interface and confirmed he wanted to choose his reward. Four objects appeared before his eyes, however, two were objects he already owned. Of the two useful items, one was a ring, and the other a six-foot spear.

    The weapon would be incredibly useful, but was too long to be easily transported. However, once he gained and upgraded his spatial storage skill, he would reconsider a similar reward. The ring was a thin gold band that weighed less than an ounce and increased his movement speed by one percent.

    It was far more discreet than his earring. He immediately selected the reward, and the tiny jewelry began to assemble before him.

    Fabrication took just three minutes. When it fell to the ground, he immediately slipped the ring on, and stepped through the portal to Earth, eager to complete another scenario.

    However, before he leapt off the ledge and into the portal again, he warmed up another meal. He was only gone for a few hours, but his stomach already rebelled. His increased hunger concerned him, as he did not remember requiring more food in his past. He debated consulting his companion about the phenomenon, and decided to go ahead and ask. All he risked by asking was wasted time. While he cooked his meal, he resummoned the wraith and asked his question.

    Hey Metal, I seem to be a lot hungrier than I used to be. Do you know why?

    No.

    Blake snorted. He expected the answer, and was not surprised by the wraith¡¯s lack of knowledge.

    Although, maybe it¡¯s the phrasing. Hey Metal, give me your best explanation for why I am hungrier than normal, even if it is just a guess.

    You have tens of millions of nanomachines in your body, enhancing it. They require energy to function. Once you gain access to an external energy source through your combat classification, that energy will power the nano.

    The explanation was sound. Ten years ago, he purchased a single class before he even maxed out his attributes. Now, he had no class and over three full levels worth of attributes. And, he still had another eight attribute enhancements to go. After that, if he wanted more, he would be forced to purchase a class. Those eight enhancements would add another eighty million nanomachines to his body that would need to be powered.

    Actually, that¡¯s not right, it¡¯s even more.

    His hunger must have muddled his thoughts. The twenty-two percent increase his achievements granted him did not come for free. Every time he spent ten million nano to enhance an attribute, the Architect granted him an additional two hundred and twenty thousand nano for free.

    What happens if my body can¡¯t handle all this nano? Shit! What happens if I die because I try to save up a billion nano for the faction and don¡¯t have a class?

    He immediately consulted his companion.

    Hey Metal, does my unspent nano require power as well?

    Yes.

    Does it require the same amount of power as the nano enhancing my body?

    No.

    How much less power does it use?

    I do not know.

    Guess.

    Unspent nano uses perhaps ninety-five percent less power.

    Blake let out a sigh of relief.

 Chapter 19 - Ambushed

    Blake spun and used his long sword to cut down the five goblins that surrounded him. Normally, the move would be foolish as it could be easily blocked and leave him open to counter-attack. However, he was many times stronger than the thin green-skinned humanoids, and easily overpowered them.

    After the group was dealt with, only two enemies remained in the scenario. He rushed forward and quickly ended the life of his closest opponent, which caused the last to throw down its heavy shield and run. The goblin did not get far before it too was cut down from behind.

    His interface informed him that the scenario was completed, and he wiped the cold sweat from his brow. He would be glad to get out of the freezing weather. High physical resistance allowed him to shrug off temperature variances easier than he could before, but it was still uncomfortable.

    The fight had been grueling and worked his muscles hard. Over a hundred goblins had rushed him and forced him to utilize every bit of his strength and speed to overcome them. He was incredibly happy that he chose to enhance his physical stamina. If he had chosen to upgrade his power instead, he might not have succeeded.

    According to his companion, there was once again no treasure present. Evidently, the presence of hidden loot was rarer than he thought. Without any treasure to uncover, he dismissed Metal, and informed the interface that he would like to choose his reward. Four objects appeared before him.

    He immediately disregarded the first choice, another pair of trousers. The second was a large pike that weighed over twenty pounds.

    No thanks.

    However, Blake may change his mind in the future if presented a similar choice. The weapon held many advantages over a sword, but he decided to keep using his current weapons instead.

    The third choice was a simple cloth tunic, and the fourth was thick gambeson armor. At first, he had difficulty choosing between the last two rewards. The shirt offered no real protection, but could be worn under his jerkin. It would replace the bloody, ripped t-shirt he wore currently.

    On the other hand, the gambeson offered almost as much protection as the jerkin he wore, but came with sleeves. With the cold weather he currently found himself in, it looked especially appealing. However, when he remembered the hot desert he visited in the prior scenario, he was less eager to wear it.

    Despite the chill wind, he was covered in sweat, wearing only a thin shirt and a light leather vest. If he were in the thick, padded armor, he would be roasted alive.

    Blake chose the thin tunic and checked his nano totals while he waited for the reward to appear.

    Wow, that¡¯s a lot.

    He had gained a little under twenty-one million nano for his rampage, which put his total at just over twenty-eight million four hundred. Blake immediately spent ten million nano to enhance his physical power. However, he hesitated before he used another ten million to increase his magical stamina.

    Screw it, time to gamble.

    He inhaled deeply, increased the last attribute that remained below ten, and retrieved a snack from his pocket. If he did not receive another achievement, it would not be the worst thing to ever happen. He was already far stronger than should be possible without a class, and he had the hunger to prove it.

    An hour and a half later, the nanomachines finished their job. When no achievement was granted to him, he sighed in disappointment. In the long run, enhancing magic stamina was fine. However, it would not help him over the next few months. Regardless, all six of his attributes were now well beyond human limits.

    Physical Power - 14.6

    Physical Stamina - 11

    Physical Resistance - 11

    Magic Power - 11

    Magic Stamina - 11

    Magic Resistance - 12.2

    Despite being over twice as high as when he first joined the Collective, Blake had only enhanced them six times, and had another six to go.

    After he absently massaged his bruised arm, he decided he would next increase his physical resistance. It would not do anything to heal his current injury, but would hopefully prevent another from appearing in the future.

    Time to go.

    He had already replaced his blood-stained shirt with the new tunic, so he sheathed his sword in its scabbard and jogged to the swirling portal a half mile away.

    Should I do another scenario today?

    He opened his interface and saw that it was only three in the afternoon. With his body¡¯s vast reserves of stamina and durability, he was only slightly tired from the extended fight, and felt like he could go for hours.

    Yeah, I¡¯ll do one more and take a break.

    With the decision made, he stepped into the spatial distortion and entered the void. After what seemed an eternity, he was spat out into the bright light of Arizona and landed hard on the ground, superhero style.

    ¡°He¡¯s over here!¡± A voice called out.

    Huh?

    He looked up and saw the flashing red and blue lights of law enforcement through the juniper trees. The sheriff¡¯s deputy who announced his presence stood just twenty feet away.

    ¡°Blake Summers, get down on the ground now!¡± He ordered as he unclasped his sidearm and hovered his hand directly above it.

    How did they find me?

    ¡°He¡¯s got a freakin¡¯ sword!¡± The deputy yelled in a panic and drew his weapon. He aimed the barrel directly at Blake, center mass, and waited for his backup to arrive.

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Since he was not yet bulletproof, Blake decided to comply.

    Let¡¯s just get this over with.

    With any luck, his parents would bail him out today, and he could go right back to completing scenarios. Backup arrived in the form of four sheriff¡¯s deputies. They surrounded him cautiously, although only the original officer had drawn his firearm.

    ¡°Cross your wrists behind your back!¡± the man ordered.

    While he calmly lay on the ground, prone, he continued to comply and asked a question in an even voice. ¡°How did you know I was here?¡±

    The deputy ignored him. Instead, he felt handcuffs wrap around both wrists in record time. Once he was cuffed, the man put a knee on his back and leaned in with his entire body weight. ¡°What kind of moron brings their phone with them when they run from the law?¡±

    A normal person would be left gasping for air as over two hundred pounds pressed down on their back. Blake, however, barely felt it. In contrast to the sneer from the abusive officer, he politely replied, ¡°I thought you need a warrant to track people¡¯s cell phones.¡±

    With undisguised glee, the man said, ¡°Oh, you do. But see, the boss is friends with the judge. We get whatever we need to get the job done.¡±

    Blake could no longer contain his disbelief. Exasperated, he blurted, ¡°All this for a high school fight? What are you gonna do next? Bring in the national guard when a ten-year-old steals candy from the gas station?¡±

    His chin dug sharply into the soil when a boot stepped fully on the back of his head. ¡°Watch your mouth. You screwed with the wrong kid, and now you get to pay the price.¡± Then he added, ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t expect bail any time soon. You¡¯re gonna get REAL comfy in a cell.¡±

    Okay, enough of his shit.

    He was willing to play along when he thought he would be released later that day. However, it seemed they intended to keep him in a hole for as long as they could get away with it. With how openly the man admitted to breaking the law, Blake assumed they had all disabled their body cams.

    Good. I don¡¯t want a record of this.

    With the boot still on his head, he pulled apart his arms, easily snapping the metal handcuffs. He pushed off the ground and shot to his feet, while the corrupt officer fell on his rear. Before anyone could react, he took off through the trees at his full speed.

    After he was cuffed, the deputies became complacent and had holstered their guns. Now, they yelled after him and ordered him to stop while they struggled to pursue through the scrub.

    They never stood a chance.

    Blake could now run far faster than any human who ever lived. Within just a few minutes, he left the slow officers far behind, yet he was barely winded. Once he had put enough distance between them, far enough that any bullets would go wild, he slowed to a jog and contacted his parents through the interface.

    A few moments later, two separate images, one for each of his parents, were spliced together before his eyes. The video was transparent, which allowed him to navigate the rough desert terrain, but he could still see them and the rooms they were in.

    His father was in his vehicle, pulled over to the side of the road, while his mother was at home in the living room. They could see the surrounding environment speed by as he ran through the hilly fields north of the airport. His mother grinned, happy to talk to her son again, until she saw the broken handcuffs still on his wrists.

    ¡°Blake? What¡¯s going on?¡± she frowned.

    ¡°The police found me when I left the portal.¡± he stated.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Donna quickly asked.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± he assured her.

    ¡°Son, you shouldn¡¯t have run.¡± Peter said. ¡°We could¡¯ve bailed you out and the world would¡¯ve gone to crap long before you ever went to court.¡±

    ¡°That was the plan,¡± he agreed. ¡°I even let them cuff me. But then the idiot cop told me how the judge was going to deny bail. I¡¯m not sitting in a jail cell for the next six months.¡±

    His father cursed.

    ¡°How did you get away? Don¡¯t they have guns? They didn¡¯t shoot at you, did they?¡±

    ¡°Actually, surprising enough, they didn¡¯t. I guess it¡¯d be harder to cover up if they shot me or something,¡± he added, bitterly.

    ¡°How¡¯d you break the cuffs?¡± his father asked.

    ¡°These?¡± he looked down. ¡°Any decently strong person can break handcuffs, and I¡¯m waaay beyond just strong now. It¡¯s literally not possible for a human to be as strong as I am now, even with steroids.¡±

    ¡°But,¡± his father said. ¡°You don¡¯t look any stronger than before? You still look skinny.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s the nanomachines enhancing my muscles. I don¡¯t know how they work, but they make me much stronger than I look.¡± He demonstrated his point by using his fingers to snap the metal rings around his wrists as he continued through the desert scrub.

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± his mother asked.

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t run the goblin scenario anymore. At least for a while, anyway, so I¡¯ll head down to Lakeside and hop in the Ursa portal.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said they were too dangerous,¡± his mother frowned.

    ¡°That was before I got so strong. I¡¯ve actually gotten a ton of power in the last few days.¡±

    ¡°Do you need anything from us? I can give you a ride there,¡± his father offered

    ¡°That¡¯d be great, actually. I¡¯d look pretty suspicious running through the city with a sword snapped to my belt, wearing leather armor.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, better to keep a low profile,¡± Peter agreed. ¡°Where should I pick you up?¡±

    ¡°Uh, probably east of the airport on highway 60. I¡¯m going to circle around the lake and turn south to try and throw them off.¡±

    ¡°Are they still chasing you?¡± Donna asked.

    Blake turned his head and looked behind him. ¡°No, they couldn¡¯t keep up. They¡¯ll probably get back to their cars and drive around the area looking for me, so I¡¯ll hide behind a tree or something until you get there. Oh, and can you bring some water and food? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to get any from my tent now.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see you soon.¡±

    ¡°Be safe,¡± his mother added.

    He ended the conference video call and increased his speed. Within a few minutes, he found himself alongside the highway in the trees. There was a convenient Juniper he was able to hide within while he waited for his father to arrive. A few minutes later, he saw the ten-year-old, faded blue sedan drive along the road.

    He jumped to his feet and raced out to the mostly empty road. Luckily, his father was the only vehicle nearby. It was unlikely that someone would report a kid getting into a car to the police, but he was dressed like he was about to attend a renaissance fair. It was better to be safe than sorry.

    When his father saw him, he immediately slammed on the brakes. Blake jogged around the car and hopped into the passenger seat. It was difficult to close the door, as his three-foot sword got in the way, but he quickly disconnected the scabbard and tossed it on the back seat.

    After Peter did a U-turn and started back towards town, he asked, ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡±

    Blake snorted, but then smiled when he noted the cooler on the floorboard before him. He cracked it open and saw a large plate of pasta and bread. He immediately pulled the meal out and began to eat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dad. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    They rode in silence for the next few minutes until his father asked another question. ¡°Where am I going?¡±

    ¡°Do you know where Springer Mountain is?¡±

    ¡°The one with the fire tower on it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the one. The portal¡¯s there.¡±

    ¡°How big is the portal, what does it look like?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s invisible right now. On invasion day, they all become visible, and you¡¯ll see one then. But, they look like red, swirling spheres about two feet in diameter.¡±

    ¡°Why red?¡±

    Blake shrugged.

    ¡°Do you need me to get you some more camping supplies?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Let me check out the tower first, and then I¡¯ll let you know.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re going up in the tower itself?¡±

    ¡°I have to, that¡¯s where the portal is. I might as well stay up there as well. If I remember right, there¡¯s a bed and everything up there.¡±

    ¡°Does anyone use it?¡±

    ¡°Not anymore. Anyone that goes up there is going to accidentally go through the portal. They aren¡¯t coming back from that.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s where you want to go? All by yourself?¡±

    Blake nodded.

 Chapter 20 - The Ursa

    A gate blocked vehicular travel, so his dad reluctantly dropped him off at the main forest road. He gathered the supplies, waved goodbye and jogged up the road to the top of the small mountain. The lookout tower stood over thirty feet into the air. It was fully enclosed with glass windows on each side, and could only be accessed by climbing the steps to the trap door in the floor.

    The tower was surrounded by a six-foot tall chain link fence with spun barbed wire above it. A chain with lock threaded through the gate to ensure no one was allowed to trespass. Attached to the wooden surface on the fence was a notice. The printed paper had a picture of a woman who manned the tower that had gone missing. It asked people to call if they found her.

    Blake shook his head.

    He wondered how many people were killed when they accidentally entered the portals. Not all the spatial distortions were in remote locations, like the one near the airport. Some were easy to slip inside, and were in somewhat populated areas.

    He was sure there were numerous people who had already gone missing, like the woman presented before him. Most likely, there were plenty of conspiracy theories created to explain what happened. He was still surprised none of it made the National news. Montgomery insisted the government covered it up, and even his friend Jeff agreed.

    He broke the lock, freed the gate from the chain, and then reattached it all, so the security measure appeared unbroken. Afterward, he started up the open metal staircase. Luckily, the hatch to access the room above was open, and he did not have to force his way inside.

    He paused in the door to examine his new home. The room was ten feet by ten feet and contained a bed, chair, desk, and radio equipment. It was out of the wind, and while it was not exactly warm, it was far better than his tent had been.

    This is perfect.

    He messaged his father through the interface.

    Blake Summers - Hey dad, I don¡¯t need a tent or anything, but I could use some more bottles of water, a camp stove, and some more food, of course.

    Peter Summers - Okay. How long do you plan on staying there?

    Blake Summers - Probably until I create the faction. So, a couple of months?

    Peter Summers - That¡¯s a lot of supplies.

    Blake Summers - Don¡¯t worry about getting that much, I just need a few days worth for now.

    Peter Summers - Okay.

    He waited an hour for his father to return. After he finished carrying everything up the stairs, he said goodbye, ate a snack, and then approached the invisible portal.

    The spatial distortion was above the desk in the corner of the room. He dragged the wooden furniture out of the way, so he did not crush it when he returned. Blake then reached out with his hand, and was immediately sucked into the void.

    Defeat the Ursa to complete the scenario.

    Since this was the first time he entered this portal, there was no option to increase the difficulty. The scenario type he had received was by far the most common for this portal. Ursa, while intelligent, were not able to talk and were not social creatures. Occasionally, the Architect would assign a group to protect an Ursa cub, but for the most part the missions were simple.

    Simple, however, did not imply easy.

    As he traveled through the void, he pictured his enemy in his mind. The Ursa were the size of a grizzly, had long, sharp claws, and a bite that could pierce through three inches of solid steel. Like himself, they were enhanced by nanomachines, which increased their strength and speed dramatically. Even now, with his many achievements, they would be more powerful.

    However, over the years, his faction had developed many strategies to eliminate the ferocious beasts. Although, those tactics would need to be adapted to work for a single person.

    Well, a single person and his wraith distraction.

    For the millionth time, he wished his group mates were with him.

    Blake dropped to the leaf covered ground and felt his joints creak at the strain. The gravity of this planet was at least thirty percent higher than Earth, which was reflected in the flora and fauna. Trees stood only ten feet high, while their trunks were over two feet in diameter. The branches the thin leafs connected to were equally thick, yet, bowed down by their own weight.

    He had seen many different types of animals on this planet, yet none of them were larger than the Ursa. There were no thin or tall creatures, instead, they were squat, heavily armored, and often contained corrosive substances which could eat through his jerkin within seconds.

    None of them, however, were as difficult to kill as the mighty Ursa.

    Blake summoned Metal, and then scanned the surrounding area. When he was sure he was safe, at least temporarily, he ordered his companion to scout the woods for any enemies or treasure.

    A few minutes later, the wraith found its first Ursa.

    I am surprised. It seems you have given up slaughtering weak goblins and have gone after more dangerous opponents.

    Yeah, well, it¡¯s not like I had much choice¡­

    Blake extracted his longsword and dagger from their sheaths and began to stalk in the enemy¡¯s direction. Unlike his companion, who could phase through physical matter, he had to follow a winding path through the dense woods. Bushes and dead trees impeded his progress and ensured his journey took over twice as long as it should. When he finally neared the marked location on his map, he searched the area but found no sign of his quarry.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Damn it! Metal, come back.

    Blake ducked down and then remained still in case the Ursa was nearby, yet hidden. He did not want to give away his position, and without knowing where the creature was, would likely alert it if he tried to hide. A few minutes later, his companion rejoined him.

    Go find that Ursa that was here before.

    The wraith traveled through the nearby tree trunk and became invisible once it reached the other side. Blake waited nervously, yet there was no response from Metal. He checked his map again, just to be sure, yet no updates had been made.

    Where the hell did that Ursa go?

    A sudden roar from behind jolted him. Momentarily, he froze, before his battle instincts kicked in, and he dove to the side. He was thankful he did, as the bush behind him exploded outward and a large monster emerged.

    The Ursa reared back on its hind legs and stretched to its full height of ten feet. It landed heavily on its front limbs and shook the ground.

    He quickly rose to his feet. The two gazed into each other¡¯s eyes, frozen. The Ursa¡¯s orbs were four times the size of his own, yet looked oddly human. As he stared deeply into his enemy¡¯s eyes, he did not detect any anger, only a fierce determination to protect its territory. Blake shook off a feeling of kinship.

    Sorry, it¡¯s you or me.

    Either the Ursa sensed his thought or its timing was impeccable, as it chose that moment to rush forward. The ground shook beneath him as the monster gained momentum. Blake found himself in a poor tactical location and chose to retreat rather than stand his ground. The amount of undergrowth in this area would impede his ability to dodge.

    He ducked under a low-hanging branch and brushed past the light vegetation. With a glance behind him, he saw the monstrous creature flatten every bush in its way as it gained speed.

    Okay, not going to outrun it. Let¡¯s see how it handles trees.

    Blake weaved his much smaller frame between the large trunks, carefully to curve his path rather than run in a straight line. The Ursa, eager to close the distance, clipped its shoulder on a tree. He heard a crack as wood split from the trunk, but the stout timber held.

    The monster roared in pain as it bounced off the hardwood. It growled, a deep bass rumble, before it shook off the minor injury and resumed the chase. Luckily, the event allowed Blake to gain distance from the large creature.

    Metal, come to me, now.

    Ahead, he saw a clearing in the woods. It was smaller than he would like, but was still large enough to allow him to maneuver. Even better, in the center of the clearing was a single tree, much larger than any he had observed so far.

    The arbor stood over thirty feet tall, with a trunk four feet in diameter. He sprinted until he reached the lone tree and then placed himself behind it. Shortly after he reached cover, the Ursa entered the clearing. It charged directly at him, unrelenting.

    Blake readied his long sword.

    At the last second, right before it slammed into the tree, the monster curved around and slashed. It raked its claws across his chest, and he felt the armor press against his skin. Familiar with Ursa tactics, he stepped backward and swung his sword with all his strength.

    The claws continued just inches before him, while his own blade bit into the muscular limb. The Ursa roared, yet continued past him unimpeded. Blood dripped from the gash, matting the tan fur as the Ursa slowed and turned.

    When it saw him stand his ground, it too changed tactics. On its second pass, it approached slowly, wary of his sword''s bite, as it tried to determine the best way to defeat him. The monster tried its best to hide its slight limp, but Blake noticed anyway.

    Metal, where the hell are you?

    I am right behind you.

    Distract it so I can kill it!

    His companion became visible and floated forward around the large tree. The Ursa focused on its new enemy as the wraith circled around it. It rushed forward and swiped at the wraith, but its paw failed to find purchase as Metal phased through it.

    While his enemy was distracted, Blake bounded around the trunk and slashed with his sword from behind. There was no way the nano-enhanced blade could penetrate the thick hide of its back, so he aimed for its legs. His hope was to hobble the beast.

    The blade thunked into the side of the leg, and the Ursa roared. It swung around to defend itself, but Blake was gone, hidden behind the tree once again.

    For the next ten minutes, Blake used his companion to distract the beast and only left the protection of the sturdy tree trunk when it was preoccupied. Finally, his sword sliced through a tendon, and its rear leg collapsed. It was still incredibly dangerous, but could no longer react as quickly as before.

    The injury allowed Blake to be bold, and he attacked twice as often. Soon, another leg was disabled and it could only crawl on the ground. Sanguine liquid pumped out of the deep wounds, and the creature visibly slowed as it became lethargic from blood loss.

    Blake remained cautious as he repeatedly attacked from safety. The beast could do little to stave off his assaults, and chose instead to raise its limbs as a shield. Finally, due to excess blood loss, its head dropped to the ground and it lay still.

    He quickly checked his log to ensure it had actually died. He had seen the wily beasts play dead before, and knew not to trust it.

    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± he blurted.

    The monster had indeed been killed, and he had received over two million nano for the feat. Killing a single Ursa had netted him the same amount as defeating ten goblins. Even so, he felt like the reward was justified, as the monster was extremely powerful. Without his enhanced physical power, and Metal¡¯s help, he would have had no way to injure the Ursa.

    High risk, high reward.

    As he considered the size of its skull, he was not even sure a rifle could damage the beast. A bullet could possibly pierce through an open eye and into the brain, but with how quickly the Ursa moved, he would be unlikely to land the shot.

    Without access to spells, these monsters were almost impossible to kill. Far too many of his friends had died in their attempts to clear the Ursa scenarios before they found a method that worked. Every faction death announced in the AI interface resounded in his memory. Against the thick hide, weapons had little effect.

    Instead, the key was to disable the monster and weaken it with spells. Abilities which could debilitate were far less likely to be resisted and would allow chi users to destroy it safely with their enhanced strength.

    Blake, of course, did not have access to spells, nor did he have his friends, but he did have vastly inflated attributes. His raw physical power gave him the same deadliness as a level one warrior with chi boosted strength.

    And I can still enhance it six more times.

    With almost nine and a half million nano reserved, he only needed to kill one more Ursa before he could enhance himself again. He already knew exactly what attribute to purchase. There was no way he could survive a direct attack from an Ursa, no matter how much he increased his physical resistance. He was also barely out of breath from the lengthy fight and would not benefit much from an increase to his physical stamina.

    Instead, he planned to dump all of his nano directly into physical power. That would give him the speed he needed to avoid the deadly attacks, and the strength to pierce through their toughened hide.

    Blake turned to face his companion, who had floated back towards him.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you warn me about the Ursa?¡± he demanded.

    You did not ask me to.

    Blake ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He tried to remember the exact command he had given his companion, and then cursed when he realized it was right. Blake had ordered Metal to find the Ursa, but never said anything about reporting its position to him.

    ¡°Metal, from now on, every time you see another life form, you are to label it on the map. If the life form moves, you are to change the label¡¯s location to reflect the change in position. If you believe I am in danger, you must instantly warn me. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    Yes, master.

    ¡°Good, now go scout and label everything of interest you find.¡± Before he floated too far away, Blake shouted, ¡°Just to clarify, if it can injure me, it''s something of interest.¡±

    With a huff of annoyance, he checked the scenario¡¯s progress. The single kill accounted for twenty percent completion, which meant there were four more Ursa within the area.

    Time to get to work.

 Chapter 21 - The Injury

    Blake jumped backwards as the Ursa lunged. His boots slid across a rock, and he landed hard on his rear. The monster¡¯s eyes lit up, and it released a celebratory roar.

    Without further delay and jaws wide, it lunged to engulf his head. Blake deftly raised his longsword and rested its butt against the ground. The Ursa, unable to arrest its momentum, impaled itself.

    Three feet of metal pierced the back of its throat and into its brain. Despite the nano-enhanced steel lodged within it, the beast did not immediately die. The creature knew it had a short window to act and was determined to take him with it.

    Blake rolled to the side as its claws raked against his chest.

    The jerkin blunted the damage, but the sharp talons parted the toughened hide. His undershirt and skin was parted as the claws scraped against his ribs. He scrambled away and inspected his wound.

    It could have been worse.

    The jerkin and his evasion had done much to weaken the attack, but the injury still bled profusely. As far as he could tell, its claws did not penetrate his muscles. If he could staunch the bleeding, the injury would not prevent him from completing the scenario. He used his dagger to cut the bottom of his undershirt into strips and then wrapped his chest tightly with the cloth.

    While he worked, the beast continued in its death throes.

    That was too close.

    He reviewed his errors. The fight had soured from the beginning. His first pass failed to disable its limbs. Then, he had miscalculated and placed himself between two trees. That had confined his movement and not allowed him to dodge to the side. When pressed, he had taken the single direction left open to him to evade. That led to his final mistake, not noticing the large rock behind him. Only the skills gained from his many years of combat saved his life.

    Blake resolved to do better.

    When the monster finally died, he approached the corpse and attempted to retrieve his sword. Unfortunately, the Ursa weighed as much as a car and had fallen atop his weapon. It did not help that the gravity of this world worked against him.

    After ten minutes of frustration, where he failed to roll the body on its side despite his superhuman strength, he searched for leverage. He found a long, sturdy branch and then rolled a boulder next to the corpse. With the lever¡¯s help, he was able to pry up the weight. Finally, with access to his weapon once again, he tugged on the sword and extracted it from the beast¡¯s head.

    That was way too much effort.

    Blake cleaned the grimy blade on the Ursa¡¯s fur, sheathed it, and rested on the ground with his back against the dead monster. He checked his makeshift bandage and noticed only a scant amount of blood from his efforts. He reached into his trouser pockets to retrieve a bottle of water and discovered that it had been crushed in the scuffle.

    Damn it! I need that spatial storage!

    He reviewed his status and saw that he had accumulated over eleven million nano. It would only cost five million to purchase the general skill, but he wisely delayed the purchase. Even if he gained the skill now, he had no water to add to the storage.

    I¡¯ll buy it when I finish the scenario.

    Instead of wasting the nano on storage he could not currently use, he enhanced his Physical Power and waited for the nanomachines to finish the upgrade to his muscles. When he checked his map to see his companion¡¯s progress, his eyes lit up with a grin.

    Blake hauled himself to his feet and traveled slowly to the question mark Metal placed on his map. When he reached the hidden treasure, he knelt on the forest floor and eagerly scraped away the fallen leaves. His fingers clawed through the rich soil, and swept it to the side.

    Finally, when he dug a few inches deep, his nails hit a solid surface. He grasped what looked like a wooden branch, and pried it up with all his strength. The treasure popped loose and caused him to stumble backward.

    The reward was revealed.

    In his hands was a six-foot-long spear with a metal tip. It was the perfect weapon for eliminating the Ursa, and he could not believe his luck in finding it.

    Metal, does the Architect hide the treasures in the scenarios?

    I do not know. However, that would be logical to conclude.

    Do you think it would place a spear here to help me?

    Unknown. I cannot deem myself to know the Architect¡¯s motivations.

    Why do I even bother?

    Metal¡¯s reluctance to be cordial helped him understand why everyone felt the companions were useless. They had limited knowledge, and had no incentive to provide good advice. If it were not for the wraith¡¯s ability to go invisible and phase through matter, it would be equally useless to him. With a sigh, he glanced at the long weapon once again.

    Was it a coincidence?

    Blake was not sure if he was being aided by the Architect, or if it was pure luck. He was not even sure if he liked the idea of the Architect noticing him. Either way, the spear would dramatically increase his chances of completing the scenario, despite his injury.

    The makeshift bandage was dyed a dark red from his recent excursion, but the wound had finally stopped hemorrhaging. With a Physical Stamina of eleven, the gashes would heal at over twice their normal speed. Unfortunately, that meant he would need to fight while injured for the next week or more.

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    I really miss my regeneration spell.

    Upon reaching level two as a chi warrior, he had gained regeneration. The first level of the ability increased his rate of healing by ten-fold. There was no cooldown to the spell, and he could keep it active for as long as he had chi. That was just the beginning. Blake had upgraded the spell many times until it became far more powerful.

    It had been his most useful ability.

    Blake rested while he waited for the nanomachines to finish their enhancement. By the time they were done, Metal had mapped everything within the scenario¡¯s boundary and revealed the last three Ursa.

    Okay, that¡¯s enough of a break.

    He rose to his feet and stalked through the woods, spear in hand, towards the closest enemy. He paused as it came into view.

    This time, he changed up his tactics. He placed himself in front of a tree with his spear held close to his chest. When the Ursa charged him, he stood his ground.

    At the last second, he shifted, braced the butt of the spear against the tree¡¯s base, bent low, and angled the weapon forward. The metal tip pierced through its chest and became lodged.

    It roared, yet still swept its claws toward him. He rolled to the side with a grunt and quickly unsheathed his longsword. The wound was most likely fatal, but it could take days before it collapsed. He did not have that kind of time.

    Luckily, the spear remained lodged within the monster and hobbled its movements. Blake now had a Physical Power of fifteen point nine, and he used it to its fullest. He launched constant probes against the Ursa¡¯s limbs, until it became too injured to move. Every time it tried to block or evade his attacks, the spear dug further inside.

    Finally, it collapsed to the ground. He grasped the spear and yanked. The removal of his weapon was the last straw, and the light fled from its eyes.

    That was so much easier. Now let¡¯s see if I can do it again.

    <hr>

    The final Ursa slumped to the ground, spear embedded deep in its throat. Its eyes closed, and it lay still. He checked his log, but had yet to receive any nano.

    You won¡¯t trick me.

    He carefully approached the deadly beast, longsword in hand. When he was only three feet away, it suddenly launched itself forward in an attempt to take him with it to the grave. However, Blake was prepared for the move. He had seen the wily beasts use the tactic far too often in his past to be taken in by the simple trick.

    His sword parried the swipe as he dodged nimbly to the side. When the ambush failed, it collapsed to the ground, its energy expended. Moments later, he received a notification.

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    Yes.

    Four objects were presented to him by the Architect. He quickly perused the items and chuckled to himself when he saw a spear. That and another pair of trousers were instantly dismissed. In the end, he was left with two actual choices, a pair of bracers and a new leather jerkin.

    He chose the bracers.

    While his chest armor was damaged, it still provided a defense. His arms, however, were unprotected. The nano-enhanced hide was not hardy enough to completely block an Ursa¡¯s strike, but it was enough to weaken the attack and possibly save his life.

    While he waited for his bracers to be constructed, he checked his status. He collected a little under nine million nano. It was too little to enhance an attribute, but was more than enough to learn a general skill.

    I might as well.

    The lack of water bothered him. Luckily, he had been able to finish the Ursa in good time. However, if not for his companion¡¯s ability to scout the enemy and find the spear, he might have died of dehydration. There was no source of water within the scenario boundary, and without aid, he could have been stuck here for days.

    Before he could second guess his decision, he invested the five million nano into the spatial storage ability. Once he did, a notification immediately greeted him.

    You have gained 2,500k nano for completing a directive.

    That much?

    Blake spent five million nano to purchase the skill and received two and a half million back from the reward for doing so. He had momentarily forgotten that his achievement doubled his reward for completing a directive. It was far more than he expected, and he checked his list of directives to see what he could complete next.

    Directives -

    <ul>

    <li>Join or create a faction.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Complete 10 Combat Scenarios.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Enhance attributes 12 times.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Purchase a Combat Classification.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upgrade a skill.</li>

    </ul>

    He had completed his seventh scenario, and upgraded his attributes seven times. After three more scenarios, he would complete another directive, which would award him a large amount of nano. Depending on the size of the reward, it would only take one or two more scenarios before he completed the next directive and enhanced an attribute twelve times.

    He mentally completed the calculation. If he was lucky, it would only be three more days before he maxed out his attributes and could collect nano for his faction. Another three and the Mega-bowl would take place.

    The payout he would receive from the bet would go a long way towards starting the faction and allow him to skip many of the first steps. They could hire workers to cut down trees, create lumber, and collect other resources. While money would become worthless on Invasion day, it would be invaluable in establishing his faction town.

    Time to get some sleep.

    Once the bracers were fully fabricated, he donned them, and made his way back to the portal.

    When he arrived back on Earth, it was already dark. But, with the aid of a flashlight, he was able to rummage through his supplies within the tower. He quickly drained a full bottle of water dry before he cooked supper.

    When his meal was finished, he held a new plastic bottle in his hand and focused on his new skill.

    Store.

    Before his very eyes, the container of water began to disappear. It took two minutes for the object to fully disassemble, but he felt better knowing that he had a backup, ready to use. Once it was disassembled, he checked how much mass was used.

    One point one pounds. Nice!

    The ability allowed him to store a little over two point three, so he stored another full bottle. Two minutes later, the skill reached its mass limit. He checked the skill¡¯s progress meter and saw that he was two percent of the way towards mastery of it.

    He smiled.

    Every time he stored or retrieved an object, he would become slightly more experienced at using the skill. When the progress reached one hundred percent, he would be allowed to spend more nano and upgrade it. The upgrade would not only double the mass he could store, but would increase the speed of assembly.

    Unfortunately, that would not be possible until he purchased a combat class. By the time he gathered enough nano to form a faction and purchase his class, his skill would be maxed out, even from casual use.

    Until he leveled and upgraded the skill a few more times, it held limited use. It took just as long to retrieve something as it took to store it, so it was not very useful in combat. However, having water always available to him could potentially save his life.

    Blake yawned and slipped into bed. It had been a long day and he was tired.

 Chapter 22 - The Next Directive

    Blake dove behind a thick tree stump as dangerously sharp claws raked through the air where he had previously stood. His spear was embedded within the first Ursa, which hobbled its speed and would normally lead to an easy victory.

    Unfortunately, a second Ursa ambushed him mid-fight. He wanted badly to blame this disaster on his companion, but could not even convince himself of the lie.

    It was just pure bad luck.

    He had ordered Metal away from scouting to distract the first beast. Everything proceeded like clockwork, he thrust his spear into the Ursa, withdrew his longsword, and began to pepper it with light attacks. Death by a thousand paper cuts might not be the most glorious form of battle, but it was safe.

    Until a wandering Ursa found him.

    He gave his companion credit where it was due. Metal warned him immediately when it saw the monster, and thus saved his life. He rapidly scrambled to his feet in an effort to evade the monster.

    They¡¯re supposed to be territorial!

    Blake must have completed this scenario a hundred times in his past. In all that time, he had never seen an Ursa defend another of its species. They hated each other as much as they hated humans. Its strange behavior baffled him.

    He had dropped his sword during his desperate escape from the additional threat. It lay half a mile behind him. His small dagger would do nothing to stop the destructive creature. Blake needed to circle around to retrieve his weapon.

    If this freaking thing will let me!

    Every time he thought he escaped the monster, it caught him, despite his increased speed. In the last two days, he had enhanced his Physical Power twice more, which brought it to eighteen point three. At this point, he could run at over forty miles per hour and bench press a car.

    Compared to the Ursa that ambushed him, that was nothing.

    This monster seemed far stronger than the others. If he did not know it was impossible, he would suspect it was a higher level as well. He could only assume it had invested all twelve of its points into Physical Power.

    Maybe that means it has low stamina. I wonder if I can tire it out?

    The plan was weak, but at this point, it was all he had. He was barely able to stay ahead of the monster as it was.

    What¡¯s its stamina at, eight? Nine?

    Blake knew that Ursa started with higher physical attributes than humans. On the flip side, their magical attributes were far lower. It was why this scenario was popular when you gained a level or two. The problem was, he had never fought against them at level zero as he did now, and did not know how high their stamina was natively.

    Please be under ten. Please be under ten.

    He repeated the mantra as he hurdled over fallen logs and curved through the trees. Every time he used the environment to his advantage, he felt satisfaction at escaping the monster yet again. That glee would then be thoroughly destroyed when it used its speed advantage to catch up to him.

    Suddenly, he had an idea.

    Metal! Bring me my sword!

    I am unable to comply, Master. My contract forbids me from physically interacting with the environment.

    Of course it freaking does! Arggggg! Just find the Ursa with my spear in it and follow it. Update its marker on the map every five seconds, I don¡¯t want to be surprised again.

    For the next hour, he played a deadly game of cat and mouse. Finally, when he had just about given up all hope, the Ursa began to flag. He himself was out of breath and gasped desperately. However, when he saw the monster on his tail slow, it renewed his determination and gave him another burst of speed.

    The new sluggishness of the Ursa allowed him the time he needed to finally choose his direction. So far, he had been unable to angle himself toward his dropped weapon. However, now that he did not have to focus on the surrounding terrain quite so strongly, he would be able to rearm himself.

    Rather than rely on his memory of the location, he utilized his companion.

    Metal, mark the sword on the map.

    The sword¡¯s location appeared before his eyes, and he angled directly towards it. Five minutes later, he returned to the site of the original battle and gleefully scooped up his weapon.

    Blake continued forward without stopping until he ducked behind a large tree. It had a trunk three feet in diameter, and would hold up to the titanic force the Ursa could unleash.

    After he slipped behind the protection, he turned and raised his sword. He panted heavily while he waited for the flagging Ursa to reach him.

    Donna Summers: Hey Blake! Can you talk?

    Not now!

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    He mentally dismissed the message, and a moment later, the monster closed the distance. He dodged its telegraphed attack, and then responded with his own.

    The Ursa squealed between wheezes, but was undaunted. It wheeled and began another charge. Careful to keep the large tree between them, Blake evaded the next strike as well. He ducked and dodged, and did his best to lash out each time there was an opening.

    Finally, after it accepted an innumerable amount of small cuts, it collapsed to the ground, dead.

    You have gained 15,000k nano for completing a directive.

    The system message could only mean one thing - all Ursa within the scenario were dead.

    Blake collapsed to the ground and panted near the fallen creature. Sweat dripped down his face and he closed his eyes as he focused on all that went wrong. Blake berated himself for his lapse, and promised himself it would never happen again.

    He dismissed his recalcitrant companion.

    It took ten minutes for his breathing to return to normal. During his recovery, he searched through his reward choices and selected a new piece of armor. His old jerkin had seen better days as the Ursa had been brutal to it, and the new studded hide would protect his upper arms.

    While he waited for the armor to assemble, he brought up his status and focused on just his attributes and nano. He needed to see how much nano he held and which attribute to enhance next.

    Attributes - Increased by 22%

    Physical Power - 18.3

    Physical Stamina - 11.0

    Physical Resistance - 11.0

    Magic Power - 11.0

    Magic Stamina - 11.0

    Magic Resistance - 12.2

    Nano - 23,287k

    More power or more stamina?

    With how exhausted he felt at the moment, he was sorely tempted to enhance his Physical Stamina twice. The scenario had tested his body¡¯s limits, there was no way he could complete another scenario until he had a nice long sleep.

    He immediately dismissed the idea of increasing his resistance. It would need to rise to over twenty before it was high enough to blunt the fierce attacks of the Ursa. With only three more enhancements before he hit his limit, he had to choose wisely. Once he reached the maximum allowed enhancements, he could no longer raise his attributes until he purchased his combat class.

    I¡¯ll increase both.

    Blake spent twenty million nano to upgrade his Physical Power and Physical Stamina. The increased stamina would help heal his wound, and reduce the time it would take him to recover. He worked his body to the bone to survive, and it would take a full day he could not afford to lose to recuperate.

    Once decided, he retrieved a bottle of water from his spatial storage and pulled a snack from his pocket. Despite eating two full meals just a couple of hours prior, he was ravenous. He found himself eating over five-thousand calories per day, yet he seemed to be losing fat. Now that he enhanced two more attributes, another twenty-four million nanomachines would draw from his depleted energy reserves.

    We need to win that money soon, or my parents are going to go broke just to keep me fed. Shit! My mom!

    Between the life or death combat and choosing his rewards, he had forgotten that she tried to contact him.

    He quickly opened up a holo-chat session with his mother. After just two seconds, she accepted the invite and appeared before him. His mother sat on the couch alone in her living room. She had bags under her eyes, and he could tell she was worried.

    ¡°Hey mom, is everything okay?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± Donna took a deep breath and then added, ¡°The sheriff went on TV. He¡¯s telling everyone that you¡¯re a dangerous fugitive who attacked his deputies. There¡¯s a reward of ten thousand dollars for information on your whereabouts.¡±

    Un-freakin-believable!

    ¡°Well, good luck with that.¡± he responded. ¡°I spend all my time doing scenarios on another planet or sleeping in the fire tower.¡±

    His mother still looked concerned. ¡°They¡­ I think they have someone watching your father and I. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s an off-duty cop, or what, but everywhere we go, a car follows.¡±

    ¡°Are you guys okay? Do you need me to take care of it?¡±

    ¡°Take care of it?¡± She looked confused. ¡°How would you do that?¡±

    ¡°Well, for starters, I could break his legs so he can¡¯t drive.¡±

    Donna gasped. ¡°Blake Henry! You will do no such thing!¡±

    Blake sighed. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t think you remember what¡¯s at stake. The entire world is going to end in a few months. He and billions of others are going to die within weeks of Invasion day. Meanwhile, we¡¯re trying to save humanity and he¡¯s making things worse. That makes him a traitor to humanity.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know the world is going to end.¡± She objected.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He shook his head. ¡°They are all corrupt. Their response to a high school fight was to close down your restaurant, bribe a judge so they can track my cell phone, and then send cops to arrest me. Now they¡¯re lying about me and saying I attacked them and following you two around. Trust me, they deserve whatever I do to them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m upset too, but so far they¡¯re harmless.¡±

    Blake sighed and rubbed his temples. ¡°I don¡¯t think you get it, mom. With all the nanomachines draining my energy, I¡¯m eating over five thousand calories per day. That means I have just one day left of food here. If you guys can¡¯t bring me more because you¡¯re being followed, I¡¯ll have to go steal food myself. Not only will that take away time I could spend gaining nano, but it could put me at risk as well. I¡¯m not bulletproof yet.¡±

    His mother remained quiet while she digested his words. Finally, she asked, ¡°Are you okay, Blake? Why are you laying on the ground?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he assured her. ¡°I¡¯m just tired after fighting, and I¡¯m waiting for the nanomachines to finish assembling my armor. As soon as it¡¯s done, I¡¯m heading back to the tower and going to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Just¡­ be safe. Don¡¯t do anything too dangerous, okay?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not in any danger,¡± he lied. Then he changed the subject. ¡°Where¡¯s dad? Did you get a response from the health department?¡±

    ¡°No response yet, you know how slow the government is.¡± She took another breath and added, ¡°Peter¡¯s looking for Oliver.¡±

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. He would normally show up at the apartment while we¡¯re at the restaurant and grab some food. But, we¡¯ve been home for three days straight and haven¡¯t seen him. We¡¯re worried.¡±

    Blake cursed.

    Did I change things that much, or did he do this before, and I never noticed?

    Unfortunately, there was no way to know. He could only hope that his brother would be fine until he was able to create a faction and get an alchemist to work on a cure.

    At the moment, he needed to solve the food dilemma.

    ¡°How about this? When dad gets back, go to Dall-mart and pick up a backpack. Fill it up with some food and water, and then go hiking on the Blue Ridge Trail. It¡¯s only a quarter mile from the fire tower. I¡¯ll make sure no one¡¯s following you, and you can drop off the backpack if it¡¯s clear.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just drop it off either way,¡± she replied.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, if they think you¡¯re aiding me, they¡¯ll watch you even closer.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°It¡¯s almost dark, Blake. No one¡¯s going to believe I¡¯d go hiking through the woods at night.¡±

    ¡°Crap, it¡¯s that late already?¡± He absently rubbed his sore chest. ¡°It¡¯s fine then, just wait until tomorrow morning. You can go with dad and enjoy the great outdoors.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± she nodded. ¡°And, I¡¯ll let you know if we find Oliver. I love you, Blake.¡±

    He smiled. ¡°Love you too, mom.¡±

 Chapter 23 - Food

    Blake finished his double breakfast and checked his dwindling supplies.

    Just enough for lunch.

    Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Hey mom, how long until you and dad get here?

    Donna Summers: We¡¯re almost there now. Where should we meet you?

    Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Just park at the trailhead and start hiking. I¡¯ll join you on the trail once I find out if you have a tail.

    It would be difficult for his parents to discover someone following them on the busy roads and Dall-mart parking lot. Out here, however, it would be extremely apparent. If the police were stalking them, he needed to remain unseen. Harboring a fugitive and concealing them was a crime in every state.

    So far, the corrupt cops had limited their reprisal against his parents to the closing of their restaurant. The last thing he wanted was to give them a reason to throw them in jail.

    Maybe mom can figure out a way to hide the purchase of land. Once I create the faction, we can all live there. They won¡¯t be able to enter, no matter how hard they try.

    He smiled at the thought.

    The biggest perk of a faction town was the shield which protected it. It not only prevented monsters from appearing inside it, but also repelled armies outside. That would include his police pursuit. Every time you leveled up the building which produced the shield, it grew larger and became harder to destroy. The barrier could be breached, but it would take far more than a few law enforcement officers to do so.

    Yeah, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll need this.

    Blake unfastened his sword and its sheath from his belt and leaned it against the wall next to his spear. The last time he encountered the sheriff¡¯s deputies, they had only drawn their firearm because of the presence of his sword. Since he had no plan to use it against them, there was no need to make them wary.

    He opened the trap door to the metal stairs below and descended the tower. The cold morning air bit against his face with a light breeze, but it did little to hinder his enhanced body. With a Physical Resistance of eleven, it would take far more than morning frost to harm him.

    Once he reached the trailhead, a half mile away, he hiked along the trail until he reached a heavily wooded area. The underbrush was thick with evergreen plants, and he easily hid himself among them. While he waited a short distance from the trail, he messaged his parents and let them know he was waiting for them.

    Peter Summers: I think that person is still following us.

    Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: That¡¯s fine, just start hiking the trail. If you get far enough ahead, you can drop off your pack and keep going. I¡¯ll grab it and they¡¯ll never know any better.

    Donna Summers: Won¡¯t they know something happened if we come back without the backpack?

    Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Are they in the parking lot with you?

    Donna Summers: No, they drove past.

    Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Then put it on and hurry down the trail before they see you.

    Ten minutes later, he heard the crunch of footsteps along the ground. When he was sure it was his parents, he left his cover and met them along the trail. He gave each of them a quick hug.

    ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you again,¡± his mother said. ¡°Have you lost weight?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± he smiled. ¡°And I probably have, but, I need to go before your tail catches up.¡± Then he added, ¡°Assuming he follows you down the trail.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± his father agreed and handed over the pack. ¡°This should be enough food for a week.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯ll last me three or four days then, thanks.¡±

    ¡°Why are you eating so much? Does your combat thingies make you that hungry?¡± his mother asked.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s all the nanomachines I have to power.¡± He realized it would be a long explanation, so he said, ¡°Here, let me open up a holo-chat with you two so we can continue the conversation.¡±

    After he initiated the call, he stalked back through the woods with a quick wave, and hid in the thick junipers while he explained his problem with a whisper. A few minutes later, he heard footsteps along the trail, and quieted.

    Sure enough, an older man in his forties with a large belly stalked along the trail. He was not in uniform, but had a radio attached to his chest and a pistol along his waist. True to form, he was out of breath from the short excursion already. When the man raised the microphone to talk, he strained his ears to listen.

    ¡°Still no sign of the boy.¡± the man stated. ¡°They may actually just be hiking.¡±

    Blake heard a response, but it was muffled.

    ¡°Ten-four, I need the exercise anyway. I¡¯ll keep you updated.¡±

    By the time the short conversation ended, the plain-clothes cop was out of sight and out of range. Just to be certain, Blake waited another few minutes before he left his cover and jogged effortlessly to the trailhead. Before he reached the gravel lot, he stepped off into the cover of the forest. He saw two vehicles, one was his parents, and the other belonged to the deputy.

    You know what? Screw him!

    He approached the unmarked sedan and kneeled down next to the tire. Blake withdrew his knife from its sheath and placed the tip of the blade between the tread. With just a bit of pressure, the blade pierced through the thick rubber. The hiss of air escaping brought a grin to his face.

    That¡¯s for harassing my family.

    He was not worried about the cop blaming him or his parents. After all, he had driven along a lengthy gravel forest road. Flats were common, and he had made sure to hide the knife entry where it would not be easily discovered.

    He left the parking lot with a wide grin.

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    Once he re-entered the fire tower, he dropped off the pack, warmed some food, and filled the bottomless void that was his stomach. After his meal was eaten, he re-equipped his long sword and grabbed his spear.

    He had almost three point three million nano. If he entered an average scenario, it should supply him enough to purchase his last attribute enhancement. Then, he could begin the long grind to a billion for his faction.

    With one last check to ensure he had everything he needed, he entered the portal.

    <hr>

    With a decisive slash of his sword, the fourth and last Ursa died.

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    Blake answered yes and swiftly chose a new pair of leather pants. He did not need any of the items he was offered, but decided it would be good to have an extra set of armor in case his current clothing was damaged. It was also a good idea to save up armor sets for his future faction. He did not want his family anywhere near the portals, but there would be other members that would form combat teams he would help outfit.

    Hopefully, I can invite Montgomery, Jeff, and Rajesh right soon.

    While he waited for the reward to finish assembling, he checked his status and saw he had just over eleven million nano. He finally had enough to purchase his last enhancement. Blake ate a granola bar as he stared at his status and he contemplated his choices.

    Attributes - Increased by 22%

    Physical Power - 19.5

    Physical Stamina - 12.2

    Physical Resistance - 11

    Magic Power - 11

    Magic Stamina - 11

    Magic Resistance - 12.2

    Now, what do I increase?

    He ignored the magical attributes as they were already high enough. With a Magic Resistance of twelve point two, he would resist most level one spells completely and would only be partially affected by ones that focused on debilitating effects.

    His Physical Resistance was similarly high for his level. The goblins could barely harm him, and only the Ursa were still deadly. Increasing his fortitude would not do much to increase his protection against the deadly beasts. The nano would be much better spent elsewhere.

    As he opened the second snack bar, he considered the other stats. If he added to his Physical Power, he would outpace the Ursa by a wide margin and would kill them with greater ease. However, he already had little issues with the task. No, what he needed now was more stamina. It would allow him to heal his sore muscles quicker, as well as his chest injury.

    He was going to farm this scenario for weeks, and the more he could complete within a single day, the faster he could create his faction.

    Blake increased his Physical Stamina and saw that it would be raised to thirteen point four. Immediately after he bought the upgrade, he was presented with a notification.

    You have gained 10,000k nano for completing a directive.

    Excellent. Let¡¯s see the list now.

    Directives -

    <ul>

    <li>Join or create a faction.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Purchase a Combat Classification.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upgrade a skill.</li>

    </ul>

    Blake washed down the food with his bottle of water and reviewed the list. While he waited for his reward to assemble, he planned for his future.

    The directives were seen as a tutorial by many. They guided someone new to the Collective and suggested which actions someone should pursue.

    After Invasion day, the Architect would also randomly generate them on the fly. Of the remaining directives, only one was a relatively cheap investment for him, but it could not be completed until he purchased his combat class.

    Blake held eleven million nano in his reserves. It seemed a large amount, but he would need ten times that amount to purchase a basic ranked class. That, however, was not the plan. Instead, he would need a hundred times that number to purchase a faction. Once that was completed, he would need eight hundred million to gain a master ranked class.

    It would take a long, long time, even if he worked non-stop.

    If I can finish three scenarios a day, that¡¯s almost thirty million nano. That means it¡¯ll take¡­ thirty-three days until I can afford the faction, and another twenty-seven before I get my class.

    Blake massaged his temples.

    He was not a machine and would need to take breaks occasionally if he wanted to remain fresh. Even if his body was in peak condition, the strain of fighting all day long for weeks would cause him to make mistakes. Those blunders could lead to a severe injury which would halt his progress, or even death. He again missed his group mates, they always had his back.

    Should I try increasing the difficulty?

    The thought was absurd, and he dismissed it as quickly as it appeared. He was completing the scenarios entirely by himself. Not only that, he was fighting against Ursa, one of the most difficult opponents in the region. If he were to increase the difficulty of the scenario, he would not be facing a level zero Ursa, but a level one. They would have access to magic, and he would not. Without Analyze, he would not even be able to tell what type of energy they used.

    Although, I can buy that for just five million.

    The general skill was cheap but necessary. It provided basic information about your target, provided they were initiated into the Collective. At level one, if he were to use it on an Ursa, it would give their species, level, and energy type.

    Once he upgraded it to level two, however, it would give a rough estimate of their attributes. After that, the estimate hardened into actual numbers, and in the next level, he learned the name of their spells. Eventually, if enough nano were spent to upgrade the skill, you would be presented with detailed information about every spell your enemy held.

    That, however, became costly.

    Common practice in his past was to have only a single member of the combat group spend the fortune of nano required to upgrade the skill to that extreme. Blake had not been that person, his Analyze remained at level one.

    He had always been envious of the knowledge Rajesh gained with it, and annoyed at the games his friend played. He used to make Blake and the others guess the abilities revealed by the skill. Sometimes they even bet rolls of toilet paper on it.

    Am I seriously considering this?

    If he were to attempt a higher level scenario, Ursa would still be the ideal enemy. True, they were incredibly physically powerful, but they were always alone.

    Almost always.

    The incident before was a fluke. He had modified his companion¡¯s instructions to ensure it would never happen again. Since he would fight against a single enemy, he only had to worry about a single spell. Chi was the most common energy type among Ursa. Depending on the ability they gained, it would empower them to an incredible degree.

    However, Ursa usually had very little Magical Stamina. Just as he outran the Ursa until it was physically exhausted, he could outlast their magical abilities. All he would need to do is dodge and evade the magic enhanced attacks until they ran out of chi. Once that was accomplished, they would be without magic.

    Of course, they¡¯ll have even higher attributes.

    He stood and paced across the small glade he occupied. It would be incredibly dangerous without a full group, but the rewards would be insane. Not only would he receive level one treasures, which would make him stronger, but the nano he received from killing them would be five times greater. Instead of two million nano per Ursa, he would receive ten.

    I wonder what kind of achievement I¡¯d get?

    Now that he imagined the rewards, it was impossible to think of anything else. All he could think about was how quickly he could gain nano.

    If I can finish two upgraded scenarios in a day, I can get eighty to a hundred million nano! I can create the faction in less than two weeks!

    Once he did the math, it was decided. He purchased the general skill, Analyze, and exited the portal with his prize. If he were successful, he would be head and shoulders above humanity, and his faction would be months, if not years, ahead of the rest of the world.

    He tossed the extra leg armor atop his bed, devoured a quick meal, restocked his snacks and water, and then reentered the portal. Once inside the void, he was presented with the standard message.

    You have re-entered a combat scenario you have already completed. Would you like to increase the difficulty?

    The greater the risk, the greater the reward.

    Yes.

 Chapter 24 - Hell

    Blake fell from the portal into the Ursa world. Unlike his previous entrances which were just a few feet off the ground, this one spat him out eight feet up.

    Shit!

    While midair, he was unable to change his orientation and was forced to crash into a large boulder below him. His boots slipped off the slick rock, and he landed hard on his rear.

    Stupid high gravity.

    Despite the pain, he quickly scanned the surrounding area for threats. Rain fell from the sky in sheets, which limited visibility. He appeared to be in a boulder field on the side of a large hill. Some of the rocks were small, only a foot or two wide, while others jutted up from the ground a good fifteen feet.

    With no Ursa within his immediate sight, he summoned his companion to scout the area as he crouched behind a particularly large boulder to shelter as best he could from the rain.

    ¡°Metal, scout the scenario and label everything on the map. I want you to start with the top of that hill there,¡± he pointed. ¡°And then circle around me. Oh, and this is a level one scenario, so the Ursa should have magic.¡±

    This will put me at risk, Master.

    ¡°No it won¡¯t,¡± he shook his head. ¡°The chances of them having a spell to see through invisibility are almost zero. Besides, at level one, they¡¯ll only have a single spell. If they can see you, so what? You can just float away. And if they use any magic on you, tell me what it was. Now, go.¡±

    His companion turned invisible. When Blake checked his map to ensure it followed his directions, he saw that it had already moved toward the top of the hill as he ordered. The ability to scout the scenario without exposing himself to danger was one of the reasons he decided to risk the increase in difficulty.

    Rather than be subjected to possible ambush, he would be able to initiate the fight in a location which favored him. It gave him a massive advantage, as he would only choose to engage when he held the upper hand.

    As he waited, the downpour changed to a sprinkle.

    Well, this is crappy weather. Montgomery would have complained non-stop.

    With no cover to hide under, he was forced to sit in the soaking rain as he waited on his companion. It was a warm day, and steam rose from the ground, further occluding his vision. Despite the precipitation that fell, he was already sweating profusely, and the skin beneath his armor itched.

    I guess I need to wear the earring.

    He retrieved the gaudy piece of jewelry from his pocket and pierced his ear. It provided him with 1 additional point of Magic Resistance, something he would need for this scenario.

    Blake fiddled with his spear, bored, when the first enemy label appeared on his map. It was a quarter mile away and down hill. He immediately stood and began to leap across the wet boulders toward the closest Ursa. With how slick the rocks were, he was very careful where he placed his feet, but it did not hinder his progress initially.

    Metal, scout the area around that Ursa. Warn me if anything else approaches it or me.

    It took almost ten minutes to reach his first enemy. Despite his caution, he still slipped on moss covered stone twice. When he was within fifty feet of his destination, he slowed to a more methodical pace to remain hidden.

    Finally, when he peeked his head around a large rock, he saw his quarry. The Ursa lay beneath a large rock overhang, asleep. Its brown matted fur was damp, and it looked as if it found the shelter mid-storm.

    Blake quickly Analyzed the creature and was not surprised at the information it returned.

    Ursa Level 1

    Chi

    Maybe I¡¯ll get lucky for once and kill it while it sleeps.

    If he could eliminate it before it could cast a spell, its access to chi was meaningless. After all, what good was an empowered attack when it had a spear lodged in its brain.

    To be sure of its state, he remained still and observed the prone Ursa. When another five minutes passed, and it did not shift its position, Blake began to stalk toward it.

    Slow and steady, slow and steady.

    His heart began to hammer within his chest and resound in his ears as he reached ten feet away, and then five. When he came close enough to strike, he slowly raised the spear above his head with both hands, and then thrust with all his strength.

    Yes!

    The tip of his spear easily penetrated its closed eyelid and sank deep into the skull of the beast. The Ursa roared and opened its singular good eye to locate the source of its injury. Blake had dealt it a mortal wound and only had to wait for its life to leave it.

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    His foe locked eyes on Blake and growled with a low rumble. It stood on shaky legs and stumbled forward as it tried to reach him. He carefully backed away and drew his longsword, just in case it was still capable of fighting back.

    Suddenly, it reached with a paw and ripped out the spear. His weapon tumbled to the ground below, already forgotten. Before his very eyes, the Ursa¡¯s mortal wound began to scab over.

    Shit! It has regeneration!

    Regeneration rapidly healed all wounds, and used chi as its source of fuel. The Ursa would continue to be restored until its well of energy ran dry. His only hope was to drain it of energy before it could fully recover.

    Blake immediately rushed forward with his sword. With a good portion of its brain missing, the monster¡¯s reactions were delayed. He slashed deep into its leg near the joint, and felt deep satisfaction when its tendon was severed.

    Immediately, the Ursa slumped to the ground before it rose again on three legs. While it labored to recover its balance, Blake swapped his sword for the fallen spear and renewed his attack outside the range of its claws.

    With the relative safety the lengthy weapon offered, he was able to launch a barrage of attacks. As he maintained his onslaught, he focused intently on his footwork. One slip on the wet rock and he would die.

    As the battle lengthened, the beast bled profusely from its many wounds. However, to Blake¡¯s dismay, the longer he fought, the more responsive it became. The original injury to its brain had mostly healed, and it suddenly opened its injured eyelid.

    Its sight was fully restored.

    With a curse, Blake redoubled his assault as he tried desperately to damage it faster than it could heal. The Ursa, however, was finally able to utilize its full speed.

    He ducked below a swipe to his head and was then forced to leap to the side. As the monster lunged forward to sink its deadly fangs into him, he deftly drove his spear deep into its open jaws.

    The Ursa reared back with a cry and slapped the spear away. Once his weapon was dislodged, blood began to squirt into its now closed mouth, and it choked audibly.

    Blake snatched the bloody spear from the ground. He was about to launch another attack when he noticed its wounds had stopped healing.

    Finally! How much freaking chi did it have?!

    Without any energy to draw from, the regeneration spell was unable to heal its numerous injuries. Now, he only had to wait as it slowly died from blood loss.

    Either the Ursa recognized it only had a limited time to act, or it suddenly went berserk with rage. Blake leapt to his side and barely avoided the beast''s charge. He dropped his spear as he rolled over the hard rocks and was unable to retrieve it when the Ursa continued to attack. Blake fled as the beast desperately tried to reach him.

    He opted to lead it on a long chase.

    Eventually it collapsed to the ground, exsanguinated. Out of breath, he too sank onto a boulder. The fight had been far more difficult than he expected, and only his incredible speed and stamina had allowed him to escape the Ursa¡¯s wrath. Without the many achievements which boosted his attributes, it would have been an impossible feat.

    Of course, he would have never attempted it without them.

    How does it feel to be the bait for once?

    Blake snorted at his companion¡¯s snark.

    It feels great! Although, it¡¯d be even better if I could phase through every attack.

    Metal did not respond to Blake¡¯s retort. After he checked his map and ensured his safety, he opened his log.

    Holy crap, was it worth it.

    Because the Ursa was a level above him, he gained five times the nano from its death. The Architect promised greater rewards for higher risk, and the ten million nano he received proved it. In a single battle, he gained the same amount as an entire scenario. He checked the scenario status and saw it twenty-five percent complete.

    Just three more to go.

    While he recovered, he ordered Metal to scout the rest of the scenario. The rain picked up and pelted his face, and he soon grew tired of wiping his eyes. He climbed to his feet, found his dropped spear, and relocated to the dry shelter where the Ursa originally resided.

    Ten minutes passed before the next enemy appeared on his map, over half a mile away. With a sigh, he stood and tramped through the downpour.

    Maybe I should bring a raincoat next time. This is ridiculous.

    His entire body was soaked, yet he somehow still sweated. He had already been in this scenario for an hour, and the storm showed no sign of diminishing.

    When the next Ursa became visible, only fifty feet away, he began to creep behind rocks to hide his advance. He raised his head above the rocks and Analyzed the beast beyond. It, too, was level one and a chi user. However, unlike the last Ursa, this one was not sleeping. It scrambled over the large boulders and browsed the plants that grew between them, oblivious to the heavy downpour.

    Hopefully it doesn¡¯t have regeneration.

    He could not sneak up on the monster before him. He would either need to face it in open combat, where he would be at a disadvantage, or find some way to even the odds. As he contemplated his options, a smile suddenly lit his face.

    Hey Metal, I¡¯ve got a job for you.

    What duty do you require, Master?

    I want you to show yourself to the Ursa and then lead it on a chase right past me.

    You wish to utilize me as bait? Again?

    Yes. Make sure you stay only ten feet ahead of it.

    Very well.

    He imagined he heard the wraith sigh at the order, yet he did not feel even the tiniest bit of guilt. His companion could safely phase through any attack or even the rock itself. Blake, however, would be subjected to heavy risk. While Analyze remained at level one, he had no idea what chi-based spell the Ursa had access to.

    He silently prayed for anything but regeneration.

    Blake instinctively tightened his grip on his spear at the sound of the Ursa¡¯s roar. The ground shook as the heavy monster charged. Metal sped past the rock he hid behind, and he readied himself for his attack.

    The moment he saw the Ursa, he thrust forward with his full strength. His spear bit deep into the beast¡¯s underbelly. It stumbled and rolled past him. The shaft of his weapon caught on the edge of a boulder, as it tumbled and ripped further into its gut.

    Blake unsheathed his longsword and leapt after the injured beast. Once it came to a rest against a large outcropping, he attacked with a quick thrust of his sword. The blade bit deep into its shoulder. Before it could counter, he quickly withdrew the blade and retreated.

    The Ursa¡¯s claws suddenly glowed bright red and swiped through the area he just vacated. Without his body to halt their momentum, the talons continued in an arc until they sliced through solid granite like a hot knife through butter.

    Good, it''s not regeneration.

    Once its attack failed, it struggled to rise to its feet. However, the spear was still wedged firmly within its gut, which hindered its movements. Blake took advantage of the situation and rushed forward for another attack. He was extremely careful to remain outside the range of its deadly enhanced claws, but soon another wound was added to its injured body.

    Three methodical attacks later, it succumbed to his blade.

    He breathed a sigh of relief as he retrieved his spear. While he planned the encounter well, his initial strike had been fortuitous. Blake could not have asked for a better setup. It was on the ground, pinned, and unable to readily strike him. He could only hope his next encounter went as well.

    Two down, two to go.

 Chapter 25 - Perilous Battle

    Finally!

    Blake remained under a rock overhang while he waited for Metal to scout the remainder of the scenario. While he rested, the rain continued on for what seemed forever.

    Finally, after he thought the downpour would never end, the sky began to clear. To the east, he could see the blue horizon that contained just a hint of green. That verdant tinge to the heavens was the only visual clue that he was no longer on Earth.

    Of course, Blake did not need the reminder when he constantly felt the thirty percent higher gravity that pushed upon him. It affected every physical movement he made. If he had not grown used to adjusting the strength of his movements on the fly in his past life, he would have extreme difficulty now.

    Blake recalled the first time he entered this heavy world. He was level two at the time, yet had much lower attributes than he did now. It felt like he had the weight of the entire planet against him, and he had almost died multiple times. He would have, if it were not for his two abilities and his companions.

    Out of the four members of his combat party, only Jeff refused to complain. He remained reserved, as always.

    I guess it¡¯s time to go.

    Metal finally located the last Ursa. He retrieved his spear and set off across the boulder field to join his companion. When he neared the marked area on his map, he did his best to hide from the Ursa. Blake crept from rock to rock as he occasionally peeked over top of them.

    Eventually, he was able to view his prey and inspect it.

    Ursa Level 1

    Mana

    Now that¡¯s unexpected.

    The Ursa were almost always connected to chi, however, that did not mean they were limited to its use. He had used this portal enough in his past that he had encountered Ursa of all energy types. If he were to guess, he would say that Ursa who did not utilize chi were only seen once every four or five scenarios.

    In his opinion, chi fighters countered mana users. Mana allowed its users to cast powerful abilities from a distance, but while they did so, they were unable to move. The spell forms required to launch the ranged attacks required specific body motions that needed to be maintained until completion. If a person interrupted the gestures in any way, they would be forced to begin anew.

    The best way to eliminate a mana user was to rush them and force them to dodge your attacks. That method had worked very well for him in his past, and he intended to utilize it again. Assuming, of course, the Ursa did not have a way to counter it.

    I don¡¯t see any active effects.

    One advantage mana users held was the ability to cast spells which maintained their effects for minutes or even hours. If they were properly prepared, the pre-cast abilities would negate his advantage long enough for them to destroy him.

    Mana Shield was the bane of his existence.

    Luckily, at level one, the Ursa would have only a single ability. It did not have a bubble of mana around it, and he did not see any other active abilities either.

    So, it probably has an attack spell.

    The Ursa continued its path along the rocks as it wandered the hillside. He searched ahead of the monster to find a large rock he could utilize for cover and ambush, but was disappointed when none were apparent.

    It was very convenient that he had a companion he could use to discover its spell. He smiled as he mentally contacted the wraith.

    Metal, I have a job for you. I want you to show yourself to this Ursa and draw out its spell.

    I am to be bait again, Master? It seems you do not value my life.

    He rolled his eyes.

    You¡¯ll be perfectly fine. Just keep your distance from it, and as soon as it starts casting, hide.

    Very well, Master.

    Blake watched eagerly as the wraith became visible and alerted the Ursa to its location. The monster roared and immediately began to mime an ability. It froze, mid-movement, and raised its front paw. The Ursa maintained eye contact with his companion while it formed strange gestures with its limbs.

    There was no way to tell how long the spell form would take to perform, so Metal immediately turned invisible the moment it noticed the motions. Without a subject to focus its attack, the spell form collapsed, unable to be used until the cooldown period was over.

    Now!

    Blake charged the Ursa before its spell was available to cast. It took twenty strides to reach the large monster. In that time, the spell¡¯s cooldown reset, and the monster began to cast once again. It looked utterly ridiculous as it controlled its movements and made strange gestures.

    Damn!

    With the spell form under way, there was no time for him to be cautious. Instead, he lunged forward with his spear aimed directly for its face. Just as the tip of his weapon entered its open mouth and pierced its skull, the Ursa finished casting.

    Electricity coursed through him, and locked him in place. His hands were frozen around his spear as he fell between two stones, paralyzed. With his full weight on the weapon, he took the beast to the ground with him. It squealed and lashed out with its arms as the metal diced through its brain.

    Almost the moment Blake hit the ground, he was once again able to move. He rolled to the side, out of range of the frenzied monster, as he waited for it to bleed out.

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    When it saw him rise to his feet, it lunged forward in desperation. As it dove toward him, the haft of the spear caught on a rock and further impaled itself within the beast. Immediately, its eyes grew dim and it fell to the ground, still.

    That was closer than I¡¯d like¡­

    ¡°Your luck is truly astounding,¡± Metal stated as he became visible.

    ¡°I make my own luck.¡±

    His companion¡¯s only response was a grunt.

    Once he confirmed the Ursa was dead, he pried the weapon from its corpse, and checked his log to see how much of an effect the spell had on him.

    Paralyze partially resisted. Duration reduced by 80%.

    Looks like Magic Resistance is doing its job well!

    Blake grinned broadly. Spells which did not directly damage their target were much harder to resist. At level one, Shocking Stun would paralyze a target for five seconds. However, once cast, it would become unavailable to use for twice that length.

    It was common practice for a mana user to stun their enemy, run away, and recast the spell before it could reach them. This allowed them to keep their target at a safe distance until their party members were able to assist them.

    Unless, of course, the spell was partially or fully resisted.

    With his high Magic Resistance, Blake was barely affected. At this level, he was relatively certain he could take a fireball to the face and fully resist its damage.

    He was not, however, willing to test that theory out.

    Just one more left.

    The trip across the boulder field towards the final mark on his map was only slightly less irritating without the rain. Now that the sun peeked from behind the clouds, the entire landscape was covered with steam. He felt as if he were in a sauna, and if his Physical Resistance were not so high, he would definitely chafe from the wet leather against his skin.

    After he climbed a steep hill, he warily approached the last Ursa in the scenario. The boulders were smaller at the top of the rise, and he was forced to lay prone across the rocky ground to remain hidden while he spied on his enemy in the distance.

    Dang¡­ I was hoping it used mana.

    Like the first two beasts he fought, Analyze revealed that it used chi. With his higher level Magic Resistance, he would most likely resist any spells cast on him. However, chi could be used to supercharge the Ursa until it was almost unbeatable.

    The effect would be even greater since these Ursa were level one and had greater physical attributes than the creatures he fought before. If he were to guess, their Physical Power and Physical Resistance were at least two or three points higher than the level zero Ursa he fought before.

    I really need to upgrade Analyze.

    Blake shifted impatiently around the rocks. Every time he activated the skill, he gained experience in its use. Once he reached one hundred percent mastery over it, he would be able to spend nano to increase its level. Unfortunately, until he gained a class, it would remain at level one. Class spells and abilities can not exceed your level, and general skills are limited to one higher than your level.

    Metal, it''s time for you to play bait again.

    Blake explained his plan, ignored his companion¡¯s complaints, and watched as it became visible to the last Ursa. The monster immediately responded to the encroachment upon its territory. It roared in anger and charged the wraith, who hovered over open air, just beyond a ledge.

    He watched as the Ursa quickly closed the distance, and leapt off the rock outcropping into the air with its jaws wide. Metal immediately phased, and the monster harmlessly passed through the wraith to crash to the ground below.

    Yes! That was too easy!

    Blake rose to his feet and rushed to the ledge so he could see the remains of the Ursa, concerned he did not yet receive an update from the system. To his surprise, instead of monster paste splattered across the boulders, he saw an angry beast in perfect health.

    How did it survive?

    Regeneration would allow it to quickly heal, but the ability could not bring it back to life. Blake saw no damage through its tawny fur, and its movements were unimpaired.

    It has to be Hardened Shell. Damn.

    At level one, the chi ability lasted five seconds and could be used every ten. While it remained active, the user¡¯s skin became fortified and rigid, preventing harm. However, it came at a cost to movement speed. Blake would have to wait for the spell to expire before his attacks could harm it.

    The monster roared as it saw Blake above. It immediately began to climb up the steep, rocky embankment, desperate to reach him.

    Thank God it¡¯s not very bright.

    When it reached the top of the rise, he would have space to maneuver with stable footing, while the Ursa would be forced to cling to the side of the cliff. It would not be able to counter his attacks, while its claws were used to support it.

    He readied his spear. Just as the monster crested the ledge, he thrust it downward with a grunt. When the metal tip impacted the beast, it felt as if he struck solid rock. The weapon vibrated harshly in his grip as it rebounded from the hardened surface.

    Exactly as expected.

    He began to count the seconds. Rather than back away to safety, he redoubled his assault. The thrusts did no damage to the beast, but with its mobility reduced by the spell, the constant barrage prevented it from completing its climb. Blake redoubled his onslaught of attacks as the Ursa clung precariously to the ledge, unable to rise higher.

    Five seconds later, he let out a grunt of satisfaction as the spearhead finally penetrated its fur. The Ursa screamed and launched itself upward. It rose above him, and Blake was forced to release his weapon and back away, lest he be crushed when it landed.

    Fine, I¡¯ll just use my sword.

    Blake unsheathed his blade and rushed the beast before it could recast Hardened Shell. When it landed, the rock beneath his feet shook from impact. He feigned an attack. When the Ursa moved to block it, he redirected to strike its injury.

    Once it was steady on its feet, it pried loose the spear lodged in its shoulder. The monster grunted as the wound was made larger. Blood dripped from the injury, yet the beast ignored it. Instead, it threw his spear off the cliff face, and immediately attacked.

    Blake dodged to the side. Its fangs found purchase on his boots, and it bit down on the hardened soles. Before its teeth penetrated the nano-hardened leather, he hurriedly extracted his foot from the shoe and backpedaled away.

    The leather footwear was immediately crushed between its jaws.

    When it focused on him again, he saw a slight shimmer on its exposed skin. It rushed forward again, but this time at reduced speed.

    Rather than defend himself, Blake turned to flee while he counted down. All he needed to do was outlast the Hardened Shell and he could land another blow. For five seconds, he circled around the monster. Finally, the ability expired and he turned to hold his ground.

    Metal! I need you to distract it again! Show yourself and act like you¡¯re going to attack it!

    The wraith complied, under protest.

    The Ursa lunged again. However, when it saw the wraith, it redirected the strike to block his companion¡¯s attack. It did not know that Metal could not harm it, and Blake took advantage of the mistake.

    With both hands on his longsword, he swung with his full strength and sliced deeply into the already wounded shoulder. The blade sank past its fur and flayed its muscle. It roared in agony as its front left leg was rendered unusable.

    The Ursa tried to attack with its right, but stumbled off balance. Blake exploited its loss of footing and quickly chopped his sword down on its exposed neck, just as his count reached zero.

    Unfortunately, Hardened Shell activated just before impact. With only three usable legs and reduced mobility, Blake had no trouble escaping the hobbled creature while the ability remained active. When the spell wore off, Blake stopped his tactical retreat, and tore into the beast again.

    It took twenty minutes of constant focus before the beast finally began to fade. The Ursa grew weak from blood loss and its movements were slowed. Finally, with a last great chop, his longsword bit into the back of its neck and severed its spine.

    When the monster finally died, Blake collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. The fight had been perilous, yet he had triumphed, mostly due to his intimate knowledge of the beast¡¯s spell. A notification suddenly vied for his attention, and distracted him from his lack of breath.

    He opened the alert and his eyes widened when he saw the new achievement.

 Chapter 26 - Elite Rewards

    For clearing a higher level combat scenario by yourself, your achievement has been upgraded. - [Solo Warrior] ¡ú [Elite Solo Warrior]

    The [Elite Solo Warrior] achievement increases your attributes by twenty-five percent.

    Holy shit!

    Blake eagerly opened his status to see how many attributes he would gain.

    Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity

    Combat Classification - None

    Race - Tier I

    Attributes - Increased by 37%

    Physical Power - 19.5(21.9)

    Physical Stamina - 13.4(15.1)

    Physical Resistance - 11(12.3)

    Magic Power - 11(12.3)

    Magic Stamina - 11(12.3)

    Magic Resistance - 12.2(13.7)[1]

    Achievements -

    First Kill

    First Clear

    First Solo Clear

    Directive Enthusiast

    Elite Solo Warrior

    Slayer II

    Scavenger Prime

    Super Human

    General Skills -

    Summon Companion

    Spatial Storage

    Analyze

    Nano - 46,145k

    He not only gained over forty million nano for killing the three higher level Ursa, but the achievement he received granted him almost another full level worth of attributes. In his past life, Blake had not held this much power until he was level four, years after Invasion day.

    If Elite Solo Warrior gives me 25% more, what happens if I solo a scenario two levels above me?

    The idea was heady, but he forcibly reigned himself in. What he just did was incredibly dangerous. If he died inside a scenario, his parents and brother would die, as well as the vast majority of humanity. He could see himself trying for the achievement in the future, but until he gained a class, he would stick with a single level above him. That was difficult enough, although his new attributes would make it far easier.

    He laughed at the thought of Rajesh¡¯s reaction if he could see the achievement.

    Blake¡¯s stomach suddenly rumbled.

    He retrieved a bottle of water from his spatial storage and snagged a protein bar from his pocket. The snack took the edge off his hunger, but he would need to eat again soon.

    I just ate two meals!

    Despite gorging himself just before he entered the scenario a couple of hours prior, he was already ravenously hungry. The new attributes he received would only make things worse. Blake had just gained another hundred million active nanomachines which needed to be powered by his body.

    Maybe I should bring a backpack of food to the scenarios and leave it by the portal. If I get stuck in one of these for five or six hours, that would be bad.

    His new reality frightened him. He needed to eat large amounts of food every couple of hours or risk dying of starvation. Blake had never heard of anything similar occurring in his past life, and he wondered how long he could continue before he was forced to purchase a class by his metabolism.

    Yeah, upgrading the achievement again doesn¡¯t sound like a good idea right now.

    He devoured another protein bar while he pondered the consequences. Even if he was able to defeat a scenario two or even three levels above him, the reward might kill him. At this point, if he were to gain another one or two levels worth of attributes, he would no longer be able to function normally. He would be forced to shovel food down his throat all day.

    To get his mind off the issue, he adjusted the way his interface showed him nano.

    If I need to save up for a billion, the numbers are going to get ridiculous.

    Blake instructed his interface to divide all nano totals by a million and round down rather than a thousand. Once the change completed, he checked his status and grinned at the result.

    Nano - 46m

    Much better.

    The ¡®m¡¯ attached to the end showed the new unit displayed, mega-nano. Once he reached a thousand, or a giga-nano, he could form his faction.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Blake opened up his notifications to choose his scenario completion reward. Four objects appeared in his vision like a hologram. They rotated slowly before him and were labeled with information that described the object in detail.

    The first option was plated leather armor. Like his old jerkin, it did not cover his shoulders. However, metal plates were attached throughout the armor in order to increase the protection it provided. The descriptions explained that the durability of the entire armor was enhanced by nanomachines to increase its effectiveness dramatically.

    I wonder if it¡¯ll hold up to an Ursa¡¯s attack.

    Blake kept it in mind and moved on to the second option, a set of leather and plate bracers, similar to the chest piece, that had an identical enhancement.

    The third item was a silver necklace with an emerald, which would increase his Physical Power by two. It sounded amazing, but he was worried it would worsen his condition.

    His last option was a quiver that would produce a steel-tipped arrow every five minutes until its storage was filled. It could hold twenty-five projectiles total, and was essential for anyone who wanted to be an archer. It was a rare reward, and if Blake already had a bow, he would have chosen it immediately.

    He wondered if his companion had any insight.

    Hey Metal, I have a question. If I were to choose a necklace that increased my Physical Power by two, would the nanomachines be fueled by me or the item itself?

    Every nano-enhanced item has a connection to a power source that provides energy to the nanomachines within it. The greater the enhancement, the stronger the source needed.

    So, if I wear it, I won¡¯t be providing any energy to it myself?

    Correct.

    Blake grinned excitedly and chose the necklace.

    I guess a companion¡¯s not so useless after all.

    He could not believe how little he actually knew about the way nanomachines worked. In his previous life, he gained a class fairly early on. He did not realize it at the time, but it provided energy to his nanomachines, so his body was not taxed.

    Blake had known plenty of people who crafted items with a non-combat class, but had never bothered to ask exactly how their products were made. To him, it was a simple transaction. He exchanged the nano he received from killing monsters to them and received a crafted item in return.

    Metal might know a lot more about how a faction city works as well.

    While Blake waited for his reward to assemble, he slowly descended the cliff face to retrieve his spear. The rock remained slick from the rain, so he moved carefully. Without any footwear, the process was even more difficult. He had already assessed the damage to his left boot, and realized he would be better off leaving the pair behind. Luckily, he had a spare set back at the fire tower.

    Finally reunited with his favored weapon, he sat on a boulder and contacted his parents. After a few seconds, the holo-chat connected, and they both appeared in his vision. Peter and Donna were seated next to each other on the living room couch, with a bag of popcorn in hand.

    Blake grinned. ¡°Did I interrupt movie night?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± his father assured him. ¡°The movie¡¯s not very good, anyway.¡±

    His mother gave Peter a sharp look before she turned back to Blake and asked, ¡°We appreciate the call. How are things going with you?¡±

    ¡°Extremely well, actually.¡± Then he added, ¡°Well¡­ except for the whole hunger thing anyway. I got a lot stronger after this last scenario, so now I think I¡¯m going to go through food even faster.¡±

    His father frowned.

    ¡°Are you sure that nano stuff is safe?¡± Donna asked in concern.

    Blake nodded. ¡°It¡¯s safe, but I don¡¯t have a class yet, so I have to supply the energy to the nanos myself.¡± When he saw that she was about to ask another question, he added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, mom. I just need to eat more until I get a class.¡±

    ¡°If you say so¡­¡± she replied, doubtfully.

    ¡°Well, there is some good news. I think I¡¯ll have enough nano to create a faction in two weeks instead of the months it was going to take before.¡±

    ¡°What changed?¡± His father asked.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just completing higher level scenarios, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Peter leaned forward on the couch. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be more dangerous?¡±

    ¡°Not for me,¡± he lied.

    Neither of his parents looked convinced, so he quickly redirected the conversation before they could ask more questions. ¡°So, I know we don¡¯t have the money yet, but we need to buy the land sooner than I originally thought. I want to be able to start building the town the moment I buy the faction.¡±

    ¡°Blake,¡± Donna shook her head. ¡°You can¡¯t just buy land in two weeks, even with cash.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°You need to set up an escrow account for the earnest money and do a title search to ensure there aren¡¯t any liens on it. Then you have to set up the title transfer and get a cashier¡¯s check from the bank.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a lien?¡± Blake asked.

    His mother sat her bag of popcorn on the end table and leaned forward. ¡°If the property owner owes someone money, the debtor can attach a lien. If the owner doesn¡¯t pay them what they owe, their land can be repossessed to pay off the loan. If there¡¯s a lien on the property, and they sell it, the new owner now owes that debt instead.¡±

    Blake shook his head in disgust. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s life,¡± his mother corrected.

    His father interrupted the exchange. ¡°Does the land have to belong to you to build on it?¡±

    ¡°No, I just wanted to avoid the owner calling the police on us when they catch us trespassing.¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we just lease it?¡± he asked.

    Donna turned to her husband. ¡°That would speed things up, but the owner would have to be willing to do that. Most people sell land because they need the money, not because they don¡¯t want it anymore.¡±

    ¡°Well, in a few days, we¡¯ll be flush with cash. I bet if we offer them enough money, they¡¯ll be more than happy to keep their land. And, like Blake said, we only have to pay them for six months.¡±

    Donna frowned. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem right. I feel like we should let them know what¡¯s going to happen.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Blake stated adamantly. ¡°I could probably convince them the world¡¯s going to end if I showed them Metal, but I¡¯m wanted by the police. We can¡¯t take the risk. You guys will have to handle all contact yourselves.¡± When he saw that she was still concerned, he added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re going to build enough housing for hundreds of people. We can invite them all to the faction on Invasion day so they¡¯ll be safe.¡±

    ¡°Hundreds?¡± His father blurted. ¡°How much land are we going to need?¡±

    ¡°As much as we can get. After Invasion day, ownership won¡¯t matter, but we need as much land as possible beforehand. Ideally, it¡¯ll be flat with plenty of trees, and remote enough that no one can see what we¡¯re doing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a tall order,¡± Donna stated. ¡°But, we¡¯ll see what we can do.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± his father stood. ¡°We should probably get started on that right now, no time to finish the movie.¡±

    Donna narrowed her eyes. ¡°You said a romantic comedy was fine.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it is,¡± he assured her. ¡°We¡¯re just going to be too busy to finish it.¡±

    Donna rolled her eyes.

    Blake grinned. ¡°Thanks. I appreciate it.¡±

    His mother turned back to him. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, Blake. We¡¯re more than happy to help.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, especially since the restaurant¡¯s still closed,¡± his father added. ¡°I¡¯m actually getting antsy with nothing to do all day.¡±

    Blake said goodbye to his parents and climbed back up the cliff to retrieve his scenario reward. Once the jewelry was placed around his neck, he checked his status.

    Well, I may look dumb, but that¡¯s going to come in VERY handy.

    With the necklace, his Physical Power increased from twenty-one point nine to twenty-three point nine. Two extra strength and speed would allow him to evade attacks easier and pierce through the thick Ursa hide.

    The necklace increased his Physical Power immediately. He did not need to wait an hour or two for the change to slowly take effect. Unfortunately, his achievement bonus did not affect worn items.

    Time to go.

    Without a secret treasure to uncover, there was no reason to remain any longer in the steamy environment. He was starving and could not wait to get out of the damp leather.

 Chapter 27 - Mega-bowl

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to try and sneak over here?¡± his father asked over holo-chat.

    ¡°I told you, I can rotate the view and see the game like I¡¯m right there with you,¡± Blake assured him before he stuffed another protein bar into his mouth.

    ¡°Yeah, but you won¡¯t be able to eat the spicy wings I made!¡±

    He swallowed and replied, ¡°As tempting as that sounds, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth the risk.¡±

    ¡°Well, maybe your mother will find Oliver before the game starts, and he can join us.¡±

    Blake nodded absently as he adjusted his new armor. Briefly, he considered informing his father of his deeds and rewards.

    No, it¡¯ll just make him worry.

    Three days had passed since he gained the Elite Solo Warrior achievement. In that time, he had completed six more level one scenarios. He now had over three hundred million nano saved up, and had replaced all of his armor and his longsword.

    His original blade had become horribly chipped from the battle against the Hardened Shell Ursa, and he was very happy to replace it with an upgrade. The new longsword was not only sharper and stronger, but would self-repair as well. With the new function, he would not have to worry about a dull edge, or chips marring the surface.

    However, the best addition to his equipment was a ring which increased his Physical Stamina by two. With the increase to his healing factor, his chest wound was completely healed as if the injury never occurred.

    Unfortunately, the rest of the rewards were not the most useful to him. He stored those items in the fire tower atop the table and planned to distribute them to the combat teams he would recruit in the future.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I actually get to watch this,¡± Blake admitted as he threw another empty wrapper to the floor.

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Well, for years, it was all everybody could talk about, at least after Invasion day. I always felt like I missed out since I was working at the time.¡±

    Peter snorted. ¡°It¡¯s just a game.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but you have to remember, the world is going to go to hell. Talking about life before Invasion day will be a huge distraction, and the last Mega-bowl is something most people shared. My friend, Montgomery, would reenact the entire last quarter with a soccer ball because we didn¡¯t have a football.¡±

    His father nodded. ¡°How¡¯s the hunger?¡±

    Blake held up his collection of protein bars. ¡°These help, but I¡¯m going to run out in another day or two.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so crazy how you can eat so much and look so thin.¡±

    ¡°Just think of it like a tapeworm.¡±

    Peter shuddered. ¡°Am I going to get like that?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, only combat classes can enhance their attributes directly.¡±

    ¡°What other way is there?¡±

    ¡°Well, there are achievements, titles, and armor with attribute bonuses. Not to mention, temporary increases from spells, potions, or enhanced food.¡±

    His dad perked up at the mention of food. ¡°Wait, you can get stronger just from eating food?¡±

    Blake nodded while he swallowed. ¡°Yeah, with how much you like to cook, I figured you might want to choose chef as your class. The higher level enhancements you can add to the food last for hours and will really help the combat teams.¡± He smirked. ¡°Not to mention make you a nice bit of nano for your trouble.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t I start now?¡±

    Blake sighed. ¡°Like a lot of things, we have to create a faction first. You need a faction hall to choose a non-combat class. And, even with the class, you can¡¯t do anything until we unlock the associated building and construct it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ odd.¡± Peter frowned.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t make the system, I just know how it works.¡± After a moment, he added, ¡°Kinda. I didn¡¯t exactly pay a lot of attention to faction management before.¡±

    When his stomach rumbled again, despite the five protein bars he shoved inside it, he sighed and began to unpack another meal. At this point, he was sick of eating. If he were able to eat bacon, donuts, and ice cream instead of the dehydrated ready to eat meals, he might have a different opinion. But, he was stuck with salty meat paste, or dry protein bars for the time being.

    I really need to get my class. This is ridiculous.

    As he cooked his sixth meal for the day, the game began. Just as he was told in his past, the first half was incredibly boring. Miami almost immediately scored a touch-down, and then nothing else of note happened until after the half-time show.

    Blake and his dad laughed at the comedic commercials, and groaned at the horrible pop song performed after the second quarter. The game was just starting to get good, Cincinnati had the ball and was running it down the field, when he was notified that his mother was calling.

    He quickly added Donna to the holo-chat. When Peter saw her worried expression, he asked, ¡°Are you okay, honey?¡±

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she assured him. ¡°It¡¯s Oliver, I found him.¡±

    His father leaned forward on the couch, pretzels and the Mega-bowl forgotten. ¡°Where? Is he okay? He¡¯s not hurt, is he?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s hurt, but I don¡¯t know for sure. They won¡¯t let me see him,¡± she whined.

    ¡°Who won¡¯t?!¡± Peter yelled over the television.

    ¡°The police,¡± she explained. ¡°They arrested him days ago.¡±

    Blake frowned as he searched his memories. As far as he could tell, in his past life, his older brother had never been arrested. It was something else that was different this time around, and that troubled him.

    ¡°Why did they arrest him?¡± his father asked.

    ¡°Supposedly drug possession, but that doesn¡¯t make any sense! Weed is legal in the state.¡±

    Blake finally spoke up, his voice grim. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. He was never arrested in my past life. This is just retaliation from the sheriff. I bet they even planted something on him¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s NOT your fault,¡± his mother corrected him. ¡°It¡¯s that man¡¯s fault! He¡¯s the one breaking the law to harass us.¡±

    ¡°Your mother¡¯s right, son.¡± his father added. ¡°You can¡¯t take the blame for this.¡±

    Blake did not agree with them, but kept his thoughts to himself. Instead, he asked, ¡°Can¡¯t we bail him out or something?¡±

    Donna¡¯s mouth twisted, as if she ate something sour. ¡°Sure, for a hundred thousand dollars.¡±

    Peter¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°For drug possession!?¡±

    She nodded in disgust.

    ¡°How soon can we cash out the bet money?¡± Blake asked.

    His father frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it would be Wednesday at the earliest. Maybe we can go to a bail bondsman tomorrow morning? If we show them our winnings, they might put up the money for a fee.¡±

    Donna shook her head. ¡°They always want ten percent, and we don¡¯t have ten grand lying around anywhere.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t take credit?¡± Peter asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they do,¡± she replied. ¡°But our credit¡¯s almost maxed out.¡±

    Blake¡¯s guilt returned. Between the supplies that had gone to waste by the airport, the enormous amount of food he required, and the bills for the restaurant that were no longer being covered by income, his parents were in greater financial stress than ever before.

    At least the bet will take care of that.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t he call us after he was arrested?¡± his father asked.

    ¡°Oh, I already asked them that,¡± she replied. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t answer my question. Just restated the price of bail and hung up on me.¡±

    ¡°So, he has to sit in jail until we get the money?¡± Peter asked in exasperation.

    She nodded.

    His father promised to find a solution the next morning, when businesses reopened. They all knew nothing happened on Sundays. Especially during the Mega-bowl. His mother drove home and joined Peter on the couch.

    The game finished exactly how he predicted.

    At least that didn¡¯t somehow change.

    When his father checked the website, he confirmed they won the maximum amount allowed in Arizona, a million dollars. Everyone was relieved the gamble paid off, yet there was no celebration. The mood had soured when they discovered Oliver¡¯s predicament, and no amount of money relieved it, even if it allowed them to bail him out.

    <hr>

    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Donna asked as she stood in an open field.

    Blake smiled. ¡°I think it¡¯s perfect for us.¡±

    As she predicted, they were unable to get a bondsman to cover Oliver¡¯s bail the next day. The money was in the process of being transferred, but would not settle until Thursday.

    His father had also informed them that they would not receive the full million. The betting site automatically withheld twenty-nine percent of the winnings to cover for state and federal taxes.

    Regardless, seven hundred thousand dollars was more than enough for their needs. Once his parents discovered there was nothing they could do for their oldest son except wait, they focused on finding land for the faction.

    Blake absently checked the map to ensure he was safe as he leaned against the tree on the Ursa planet. When he saw the three remaining Ursa were still nowhere near his position, he resumed his holo-chat inspection of the property.

    He was in the midst of a combat scenario when his mother contacted him. She had found forty-eight acres of flat land only a mile and a half from the fire tower he now called home. Most of the property was open grassland, but fifteen acres of the parcel were wooded.

    It was surrounded on all sides by roads and houses, but still had plenty of privacy. The edges of the property contained vegetation which blocked direct vision. Only the entrance had a fully unobstructed view of the property beyond the gate, and that could easily be resolved by the construction of a privacy fence.

    Best of all, the owner agreed to let them build a structure on the property. Of course, they would construct far more than a single structure, but by the time he found out about the extent of Blake¡¯s plans, it would be too late.

    It had everything they wanted.

    Once the first three months rent was transferred and the lease was signed, they could begin construction of their faction town.

    Now I just have to get to a billion nano.

    Blake currently held seven hundred and forty million unused nano. He checked his calculations. Every day since he upgraded his Solo Warrior achievement to Elite, he had completed two level one combat scenarios. That averaged out to a gain of ninety million nano per day, which meant it would only be another two and a half days before he reached his goal.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think we need more land?¡± His mother asked, interrupting his thoughts.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No. That will be plenty for the next few months. We don''t need to expand until after Invasion day.¡± He shrugged. ¡°By then, who owns the land won¡¯t matter.¡±

    Donna frowned. ¡°It feels wrong just taking his land like that. He¡¯s owned it for over forty years now.¡±

    ¡°Well, if it makes you feel any better, we¡¯ll offer him a place in the faction on Invasion day. That kind of safety is priceless.¡±

    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s fair,¡± she replied, doubtfully. After a moment, she shook her head and changed the subject, ¡°Your father says we can bail your brother out tomorrow. We don¡¯t want something like this to happen again, so we¡¯d like you to do whatever you have to, to get him in the Collective.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Blake agreed as he unwrapped a snack bar. ¡°What time? I want to make sure I¡¯m not in the middle of a scenario,¡± he explained.

    ¡°First thing in the morning. I believe they said seven a.m. was the earliest we could come by.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to meet on the trail again?¡±

    Donna nodded. ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll have to since we¡¯re still being followed.¡±

    Blake swallowed his food and asked, ¡°Speaking of that, how did you lose your tail?¡±

    His mother grinned. ¡°Your father dropped me off at the salon. I went inside and waited until the cop followed him before I walked here. It¡¯s only a half mile away, so it¡¯s no big deal. I figure I have another thirty minutes before I need to head back.¡±

    ¡°Nice,¡± he grinned. After he finished his snack, he rose to his feet and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see you guys tomorrow morning. I need to get back to the grind.¡±

    ¡°You stay safe, Blake.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will,¡± he promised.

    ¡°Love you.¡±

    ¡°Love you too, mom. Bye.¡±

 Chapter 28 - The Chosen One

    ¡°I appreciate you guys bailing me out, but why are we out here hiking?¡± Oliver complained. ¡°My hands are already numb. It¡¯s freakin¡¯ cold out here!¡±

    Is he still in the vehicle?

    Yes, Master.

    Tell me if he gets out.

    As you command, Master.

    Unlike the first time his parents hiked down this trail, the officer decided to wait within his heated vehicle. Either the man had become lazy, or he feared his tires would be slashed if he left the car alone.

    Blake rounded the Juniper and responded to his brother with a grin. ¡°What, is it too cold to go see your brother?¡±

    Oliver froze in surprise. ¡°Blake? Holy shit, man! Have you been hiding out here the whole time? The cops have been going crazy looking for you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know. That¡¯s why we had to go on this little trip. We had to lose the tail.¡±

    ¡°Tail?¡±

    Blake gave his mother a hug and then asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t point out the cop following you?¡±

    His mother grinned and replied, ¡°No, we wanted to keep it a surprise.¡±

    ¡°Well, now that I¡¯m surprised, will you guys finally answer my questions? Why aren¡¯t you at the restaurant, why are the cops going after Blake? And, why does Blake look like he is going LARPing?¡± he asked in disbelief.

    He spread his arms wide, ¡°What, you don¡¯t like the new threads?¡±

    Oliver snorted and muttered, ¡°Ren-fair reject.¡±

    Before they began their explanation, Blake said, ¡°Here, shake my hand, and I¡¯ll explain everything.¡±

    His brother frowned, but complied.

    Invite him into the Collective.

    Are you sure? This will transfer one million nano to the target.

    Yes.

    The transfer completed instantly, and he released his brother¡¯s hand. ¡°So, remember what I told you the last time we met? About me being from the future?¡±

    Oliver groaned. ¡°Come on, man! Not this crap again!¡±

    Blake smiled. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s all true. The difference is, this time I can prove it.¡±

    His brother turned to their parents. When he saw them nod to confirm his tale, he asked, ¡°Why are you guys playing along with him? What the hell¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Just give it another minute or two and you¡¯ll see. When we shook hands, I transferred nanomachines to you. Right now, they¡¯re integrating with your body, but once they finish, you¡¯ll join the Collective and get your own interface like we have.¡± He nodded at his parents.

    Oliver glanced down at his hand, then back at his brother, doubtfully.

    Blake noticed the exact moment the interface initialized. His brother jumped in surprise and then began to wave his hand in front of his face.

    ¡°What the hell is this?!¡±

    Blake grinned. ¡°I told you.¡±

    ¡°No, you gave me some stupid story about being the chosen one or some crap. You didn¡¯t tell me anything about the words floating in my vision.¡±

    ¡°I never said I was the ¡®chosen one¡¯, you did. I said I went back in time.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, cause that sounds so much more reasonable,¡± he responded sarcastically as he flapped his hand in front of his eyes.

    Blake rolled his eyes. ¡°Focus on dismissing the message in front of you.¡± After a moment, he asked, ¡°Did it go away?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Oliver said absently. ¡°But that still doesn¡¯t prove anything.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then check this out,¡± Blake gestured at a nearby pine tree. The trunk was a foot in diameter and was at least forty feet tall. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll show you a magic trick then. Feel this tree and see that it¡¯s solid.¡±

    Oliver kept his reservations, but played along with a quick glance to his silent parents. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s a tree. What am I supposed to do now?¡±

    ¡°Back up.¡± His brother only backed away a few feet, so he said, ¡°Go stand next to mom and dad.¡±

    When Oliver joined his parents, fifteen feet away from the tree he stood next to, he said, ¡°Okay, for my next trick, I¡¯m going to make this tree disappear.¡±

    Blake pulled back his fist and punched it forward. When his knuckles impacted the tree, there was a sharp crack and bark exploded outward.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Donna squealed as she raised her arm to protect her face.

    ¡°Sorry!¡± He apologized sheepishly before gesturing for them to come see the tree.

    They leaned forward to see an inch deep crater, the size of his fist. The missing bark revealed the wood shredded beneath.

    His parents were frozen in shock, while his brother traced the new hole with his fingers. ¡°How?¡± Oliver asked.

    ¡°How what?¡±

    ¡°How did you do that?¡± his brother clarified, annoyed.

    ¡°Uh¡­ with my fist.¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Let me see it then.¡±

    Oliver reached out and grabbed his hand. He lifted Blake¡¯s right hand close to his eyes and observed the bark-stained knuckles of his hand.

    ¡°No way¡­¡± he said in awe.

    Blake wiped the brown matter off his hand and revealed the reddened skin beneath.

    ¡°Did it hurt?¡± Oliver asked.

    ¡°A little,¡± Blake admitted with a shrug, and pulled a protein bar from his pocket.

    His father finally recovered from his shock and joined them, along with his mother. ¡°You said you were strong, but I had no idea.¡±

    ¡°Oh, this is nothing compared to my old body. I used to be bulletproof.¡±

    ¡°Will I get this strong, too?¡± his brother asked, excitement written across his face for the first time. ¡°Will the nanomachines fix me?¡±

    Blake shook his head. Donna frowned at his negative response. ¡°No, they won¡¯t, but once we create the faction and train up an alchemist, they can brew you a potion that will cure you. As far as strength goes, you can only enhance your body twelve times with a non-combat class. What¡¯s your Physical Power at right now?¡±

    ¡°How am I supposed to know that?¡±

    ¡°Think, ¡®status¡¯,¡± he explained.

    ¡°Okay. More words and numbers now. It says my Physical

    Power is four. That¡¯s strength, right? Is that good?¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°The average human has a five in all attributes. A Physical Power of nine is Olympic athlete level, while one is essentially a baby.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so if I drop all twelve upgrades into my strength, can I do what you just did?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯d only bring your Physical Power up to sixteen, and your Physical Resistance would still be low. You¡¯d essentially completely shatter your hand, which would take months to heal without higher Physical Stamina.¡±

    ¡°The stats names are stupid. If this Collective thing is going to copy video games, why not name them Strength, Agility, Stamina, and Constitution?¡±

    Blake shrugged and finished the protein bar with a quick swallow. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It didn¡¯t ask for my advice when it created the interface.¡±

    ¡°Well, how strong are you?¡± Oliver asked.

    Blake focused and mentally chose to share his status sheet with his family. It was projected before him, only visible to the three. His parents leaned in and read off the sheet.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Oliver drawled. ¡°If nine is supposed to be a powerlifter, how do you have a Physical Power of twenty-three point nine? How strong does that make you?¡±

    ¡°I got a lot of achievements that made me stronger than I should be. I also have to eat four times as much to power all the nanomachines enhancing me. As far as my Power, I¡¯m not exactly sure, but I could probably bench press a car right now.¡± He withdrew another snack from his pocket.

    ¡°Which attribute makes you bulletproof?¡± Peter asked.

    ¡°That¡¯d be Physical Resistance, but that¡¯s not until you get above twenty or so. I¡¯m not sure on the exact number, and it also depends on the bullet. There¡¯s a big difference between a fifty caliber machine gun with armor piercing rounds, and a little twenty-two pistol.¡±

    ¡°So, how do I get one of those combat classes like you?¡± Oliver asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a class yet, and you don¡¯t get one. Once I get enough nano to start a faction and build a faction hall, you can choose a non-combat class then.¡±

    ¡°Screw non-combat! I¡¯m all about throwing magic around.¡±

    Blake rubbed his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Trust me, you don¡¯t want a combat class.¡±

    ¡°How would you know?¡± he challenged.

    Blake paused and looked his brother directly in the eye. ¡°Because ten years ago, right after Invasion day, you had to kill a goblin to survive. You couldn¡¯t handle the guilt and overdosed on drugs to escape it.¡±

    Donna gasped and tears began to fall from her eyes.

    Oliver frowned. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like me.¡±

    ¡°Why would I lie about something like that?¡± Blake insisted, his voice raised. ¡°Your death destroyed us.¡±

    Their mother embraced her oldest son and begged, ¡°Baby, please don¡¯t do that to us. Please listen to your brother.¡±

    Oliver stood there, undecided, as his mother cried on his shoulder. He first looked at Blake before his gaze wandered over to his father. When he saw the single tear falling down his father¡¯s normally stoic face, his resistance crumbled.

    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t,¡± he conceded.

    Donna sniffed. ¡°You promise?¡±

    Oliver nodded. ¡°I promise.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much!¡±

    Peter nodded to his son and grinned.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Blake said. ¡°You can still become superhuman without a combat class. Your first twelve stats will bump you up to professional athlete level, and you can wear armor that boosts them further.¡±

    Their father grinned. ¡°Evidently, I¡¯ll be able to cook food that makes you stronger, too!¡±

    ¡°Okay, but how do I get healed?¡±

    ¡°Once we recruit an alchemist and get them leveled up, they can brew a potion that will heal you.¡±

    Oliver grimaced, ¡°How long is that gonna take?¡±

    ¡°Maybe a year? It depends on how hard they work.¡±

    ¡°Screw that!¡± his brother sneered. ¡°I¡¯ll be my own alchemist. They make healing potions and buffs, right?¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Among other things.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a buff?¡± Donna asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s a gaming term,¡± Oliver explained. ¡°It¡¯s something that makes you stronger.¡±

    Blake smiled sadly. It had been a while since he heard the term. His first faction had heavily used gaming terminology. However, as more and more, ¡®gamers¡¯ died, its use grew out of fashion. By the time Blake faced off against the alien faction leader, its use had been ancient history.

    But he¡¯s taking this well, it may just work out.

    ¡°If I become an alchemist, how do I level up?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m not a hundred percent sure, because I was a combat classer, but I think you just make things. You get nano for following directives and for selling your potions, which you can use to level your skills up.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but where do I get the ingredients?¡±

    ¡°Some of it you can get from nature, but the high-end stuff you¡¯ll have to get from combat scenarios.¡± Blake saw the look of confusion on his face and waved his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it yet. We still have to build the town first.¡±

    ¡°When does that happen?¡± Oliver asked.

    ¡°Well, mom and dad already found us some property to build on. I just need three or four more days to gather the nano, and then we can start.¡±

    His brother frowned and turned to his parents. ¡°Uh, I thought you guys had money problems.¡±

    Peter grinned. ¡°That was before Blake placed a bet on the Mega-bowl. Now we¡¯re flush with cash.¡±

    Oliver groaned. ¡°I missed the game.¡± Suddenly, his father¡¯s last words registered. ¡°Wait, what bet?¡±

    Peter¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Your brother already knew the final score, so we placed a big bet on the game. Now we¡¯re rich.¡±

    ¡°Nice.¡±

    ¡°Your father recorded the game. It¡¯d be great if we could all watch it together as a family.¡± Donna pressed.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Sorry. After this, I need to get back to combat scenarios. Besides, you have that cop tailing you, remember? If he sees me, the police will be all over us.¡±

    His parents suddenly remembered their situation and searched the woods behind them anxiously.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have Metal watching the car. That cop hasn¡¯t left it yet.¡±

    ¡°Metal?¡± Oliver shook his head and then scowled. ¡°No distracting me! You never did explain why the cops are after you. What¡¯s the deal?¡± Oliver demanded.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯ll make more sense if I start from the beginning.¡±

    For the next half hour, Blake told his story.

    As he explained the combat scenarios he completed, he glossed over the details. He did not want to needlessly worry his parents, but he could tell Oliver was not fooled by the sanitized version. Blake was constantly interrupted with questions, not only from his brother, but also his parents.

    As time passed, his stomach began to rumble. When he was finally done, he hugged his family and said his goodbyes. As they returned to their car, he dismissed Metal from surveillance duty and slipped into the woods.

    First some food, then back to the grind.

 Chapter 29 - Faction Pioneer

    Blake placed his armored forearm between himself and the incoming fireball. The spell engulfed his leather bracer, and singed the material, while his high Magic Resistance protected his body. The moment the fire vanished, he rushed forward, eager to close the gap before the Ursa was able to cast the spell again.

    He thrust forward with his new spear, and the tip slid through the toughened hide. Just as the description stated, the metal vibrated at ultra-high frequency. The effect doubled its piercing power and allowed it to bypass most of the Ursa¡¯s high Physical Resistance.

    Blake released his spear, still lodged within the Ursa¡¯s torso, and smoothly unsheathed his blade. A few cuts later, and the final Ursa died at his feet. He wiped the sweat from his brow and checked his status. When he saw his nano, he cheered audibly at the result.

    ¡°Finally!¡±

    He had accumulated just over a billion unused nano, or as Rajesh liked to call it, a ¡®giga-nano¡¯, and now had enough to found a faction. The feat was something that normally took a large group of people months to accomplish.

    And I did it all by myself.

    Almost all factions were forced to combine their nano in order to afford the ruinous cost of creation. Starting factions would collect a daily donation of nano from hundreds of people, which would slowly add up until they finally held enough to make it official. By contrast, he had collected the entire amount alone, with no donations or taxes, in under two weeks.

    He smiled to himself at the accomplishment, but then thought of the lonely hours he spent.

    I miss the old group.

    Out of habit, Blake quickly checked his map to ensure no Ursa were nearby. After he confirmed he was safe, he sent his companion out to follow the last two monsters and ordered Metal to alert him if one came near. Once that was done, he sat down and leaned his back against a tree while he focused on his interface.

    Create faction.

    Are you sure you would like to create a faction? One billion nano will be consumed for this process.

    Yes.

    What would you like to name your faction?

    Over the last week, Blake had put a lot of thought into what he would name the faction. Originally, he intended to use his previous faction¡¯s identity. However, while ¡®Knight¡¯s Honor¡¯ sounded fine, he wanted something that would encompass all humans on the planet.

    If he were successful with his plans, his faction would eventually be the only in existence on the planet and would encompass all of Earth. The human race would not be referred to by their species, but by their faction name to every member of the Collective.

    Terran Alliance.

    The name still sounded generic to his ears, but would aid him in his long-term goal, recruiting all survivors to his side. It would imply that countries like America or China no longer mattered and neither did races, only humans. He needed it to sound neutral enough that all could unite under it.

    Unlike his last life, where humans splintered off into hundreds of warring factions, he hoped to bring every single person under the banner of his faction. Not because of some grandiose grab for power, but because he knew they must unite to survive. Blake knew the dream was unlikely to succeed, but he had to try.

    As the owner of a faction, you have been awarded a title. - [Lord]

    The [Lord] title increases your attributes by five percent and grants members of your faction one percent of your attributes. Raise your faction level to upgrade your title.

    Shit. That might be a problem.

    While Blake loved free attributes, each increase raised his metabolic rate, and he already had to eat four times the food of a normal human. Now, until he gained a combat classification, he would be forced to consume even more.

    I should get dad to start buying me sticks of butter.

    He shuddered at the thought. When he focused on his status, he snorted at his updated name.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity

    Every time he joined a party with someone, or chatted through the system, both titles would be shown. Like the Scion of Humanity title, the word Lord could not be removed. He would more than likely appear conceited to others that did not know the rules. Montgomery would have made fun of him without end. With a shake of his head, he dismissed his status and opened his next notification.

    As the first of your species to form a faction, you have been awarded an achievement. - [Faction Pioneer]

    The [Faction Pioneer] achievement awards you a free tier 1 building of your choice.

    Nice.

    Blake¡¯s brows shot up as he considered the reward. His first instinct was to pick the most expensive building on the menu before him. However, as he scrolled through the list of options, he realized that would be a poor decision. It would do nothing to assist them now, when they needed the most help. Instead, he minimized the list and moved on to the next notification that appeared.

    Ten achievements detected, Omni-classification unlocked.

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    ¡°Finally,¡± Blake breathed out a sigh of relief.

    In his first life, he had only unlocked the ability to dual-class before he chose Chi. Once a choice was made, it was permanent, and you could not add another energy type later. He dismissed the message and moved on.

    You have gained 5m nano for completing a directive.

    For Blake, the reward was not that great. He could receive twice that amount for killing a single level one Ursa. When he glanced at his list of directives, he saw another had been added to the list. The Architect wanted him to invite a person into his faction.

    Easy enough.

    He immediately contacted all three of his family members and opened a holo-chat. Within moments, his brother and parents were displayed. All three sat at the dining room table in their small apartment, with plates of half-eaten food before them.

    Man, that looks good.

    It had been a while since Blake had eaten anything of real substance. He was tired of existing on ready to eat meals or snack bars. Meanwhile, they were able to enjoy fried eggs, bacon, and hash browns. It caused his mouth to water, and he immediately retrieved a snack bar to sate his hunger.

    ¡°Good to see you, Blake. Everything okay with you?¡± his mother asked.

    Oliver shook his head. ¡°The invite called you a Lord.¡±

    He then added wryly, ¡°Does that mean we have to bow?¡±

    ¡°Only if you want to.¡± Blake smiled. ¡°That¡¯s the title I received for creating the faction.¡±

    ¡°You did it!¡± Peter said after he swallowed his eggs.

    ¡°Congratulations, Blake,¡± his mother added.

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m going to send over invites to all three of you, and just wanted to give you a heads-up before I did it.¡±

    He concentrated and invited all three people on his interface¡¯s friends list to his faction. Once he confirmed the action, he saw his family immediately pause as they read through the text. A moment later, he had multiple notifications.

    I¡¯ll check it later.

    Oliver was the first to react. ¡°Terran Alliance? Really? That sounds ridiculous.¡±

    His mother frowned and addressed her oldest son. ¡°The name is perfectly fine.¡± She then turned back to Blake. ¡°Although, I wish you would¡¯ve asked us for advice first.¡±

    Blake nodded in acknowledgement of her wish, however, he did not apologize. He had been the one to risk his life for the nano, and it was his right to name it any way he wished.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Oliver¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°It says I just got two and a half million nano for completing an objective!¡±

    Donna frowned. ¡°It said I did as well.¡± After his father confirmed he received the reward as well, his mother asked, ¡°Is this what we use to upgrade ourselves?¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yeah, think of it like a currency. You can spend it on upgrades for yourself, or trade it to other people for something you want¡±

    ¡°What would we trade for?¡± Donna asked.

    ¡°Anything. Potions, armor, weapons, food, toilet paper.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°It says I don¡¯t have enough nano to increase my Physical Power,¡± Oliver complained.

    ¡°Yeah, the cheapest thing you can buy from the interface are general skills, most are five million, but some are way more expensive. Attribute upgrades are ten million¡±

    ¡°Hey bro, can you spot me some nano?¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes. ¡°No. And if you do get enough, don¡¯t spend any until you talk with me first. Every time you use nano, it''s permanent. If you¡¯re a fighter, you can completely screw up your future if you make the wrong choice.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m not gonna be a fighter, remember?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Then you don¡¯t need the upgrade. Besides, you should already be getting higher attributes from joining the faction.¡±

    Oliver wrinkled his nose. ¡°Yeah, but it says I¡¯m only getting point two Physical Power from it. Come on, you¡¯ve got tons of nano, why not share a little?¡±

    ¡°Oliver, I risked my life over and over to get what I have, I¡¯m not just going to give you some so you can show off some bigger muscles.¡± Blake admonished. ¡°The entire world is at stake.¡±

    After an uncomfortable silence, Peter changed the subject. ¡°So, now that we have a faction and land, what¡¯s the next step?¡±

    ¡°Well, the Architect looks like it¡¯s going to guide us through the process. Just a second, let me check my interface.¡±

    They resumed their meal while he opened his alerts. Oliver seemed aloof after the interchange, but Blake knew his brother would forgive him eventually.

    He quickly skimmed through the first three, which confirmed his family joined the faction. The next informed him that he completed the invite directive and awarded him another five million nano. Finally, he checked his list of directives again.

    Directives -

    Purchase a Combat Classification.

    Upgrade a skill.

    Construct your faction hall

    ¡°So, it looks like the first step is to build a faction hall. It gave me a free building for being the first person to create a faction, but I¡¯m not sure that I should use it yet.¡±

    ¡°Does it give you a list of options?¡± his father asked.

    ¡°Yeah, there are a ton of buildings I can choose from. Here, let me show you.¡± Blake shared the menu over holo-chat, and it became visible to the others.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot,¡± Peter admitted.

    While his father shoveled fried eggs into his mouth, his mother asked, ¡°How would we go about building a faction hall? Do we need to hire a contractor?¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°I actually don¡¯t know. I was never involved in building up a faction. I just killed things.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know a single thing about it?¡± his father blurted.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk with your mouth full!¡± his mother admonished.

    Peter grinned sheepishly while Blake replied. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that. I probably picked up quite a bit, but I wasn¡¯t in charge and wasn¡¯t on the council.¡±

    ¡°Forming a council sounds like a good idea.¡± Donna said.

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yeah, once we get the faction hall, I can assign ranks and you guys can get your classes. I¡¯ll make sure you guys can invite people to the faction without me as well.¡±

    ¡°How would we do that?¡± Donna asked.

    ¡°Well, first they have to join the Collective. That costs one million nano per person. Once they join, you just mentally invite them. The interface asks if you¡¯re sure and that''s it.¡±

    ¡°Should we invite people to join us now?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Only if you REALLY trust them.¡± Blake answered. ¡°It¡¯d be a waste of a million nano if we don¡¯t invite them to the faction and let them know what¡¯s going on. Once they find out about me, they might tell the police.¡±

    ¡°I know a few trustworthy people that¡¯d be a big help. Jordan helped us remodel the restaurant and fixed all the issues we¡¯ve had over the years. He always kept his word. If he promises not to tell anyone about you, he won¡¯t,¡± she insisted.

    ¡°What are they going to tell the police anyway? I shook hands with someone, and now I have nano-bots in me?¡± Oliver laughed.

    Blake smiled, glad his brother¡¯s mood improved.

    ¡°You''re right. Jordan sounds good to me,¡± Blake nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll let you guys finish your breakfast.¡±

    ¡°Brunch,¡± his brother interrupted.

    Blake ignored him. ¡°I need to finish this combat scenario. Then I¡¯ll head over to our new property and see how building a town works.¡±

    ¡°We should join you,¡± Donna said.

    His father nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you still have that cop following you around?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± his mother confirmed. ¡°But, we could go hiking like we did last time. It¡¯s only a few miles from the trailhead. We¡¯d just have to go off trail and cross the main road. That way we can see you again.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that sounds great,¡± Blake agreed. ¡°We can all meet at the field in a couple of hours, after I finish this scenario.¡±

    Oliver sneered. ¡°Hike in the cold for miles? No thanks. I¡¯ll stay home and watch some Selftube.¡±

    ¡°You should get outside and get some exercise,¡± Peter encouraged.

    ¡°Why? I can just spend some nano and get stronger.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Blake interrupted. ¡°We¡¯re probably just going to stand around going over the list of buildings anyway.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± his father said, disappointed.

    After Blake said his goodbyes, he climbed to his feet and set off for the nearest Ursa. He needed to finish the scenario quickly so he could eat and then head to where they would build their faction town. Blake wanted to gain his combat class soon, but without knowing what all was involved in building a faction, he could make no plans.

    I wish I would¡¯ve asked my last faction how building the town worked.

 Chapter 30 - The Agreement

    After eating enough food to satiate a family of four, Blake slipped into his soiled coat and raised the hood to cover his face. With the brisk weather outside, he would look like just another person trying to keep warm. It would hide his leather armor and his face. Before he climbed down his fire tower, he glanced down to the sword at his side.

    I should probably keep this here.

    His longsword would draw attention, and his goal was to blend in. It would be difficult to remain unnoticed while a blade dangled down beside his legs.

    At least I don¡¯t need to carry a sword on Earth. Yet.

    Blake sprinted through the woods at superhuman speed, until he intersected the main road. Once he was visible to the public, he forced himself to walk at a leisurely, albeit impatient, pace. He crossed the highway, traveled down a side street for a few blocks, and then onto a gravel road. A mile later, he arrived at his future faction city.

    It took him a little over thirty minutes to reach the metal gate to their new property at his reduced speed. Once he slipped past the entrance, he searched the open field for his parents.

    I guess I got here first.

    He stepped into a patch of trees for cover and relaxed. While he waited for them to arrive, he absentmindedly ate a protein bar and poked around in his interface. Blake needed to understand what was required to actually construct a building. When he focused on building a faction hall, the only building available to him, a life-sized transparent representation of the structure appeared before his vision.

    He realized he never saw a level one faction hall in the past. It looked incredibly primitive, nothing like the faction halls he remembered. According to the diagram, it would contain a single small room with a single doorway, and two wooden shuttered windows. There was no glass on the single story building, and the roof was likewise made of wooden slats.

    The three-dimensional model was tinted red and had a message attached to it.

    Insufficient materials

    When he focused on the alert, it revealed he would need five hundred pounds of wood and a hundred and fifty pounds of stone. According to the message, he currently had none. He glanced upward at the trees which lined the edges of the property.

    Do I need to cut them down or something?

    Blake became frustrated with his lack of knowledge. He hated not knowing how things worked, and had not felt this way in years. In his last faction, buildings were constructed constantly, yet he never saw any details. This was the first time he had seen the transparent model and was informed of any materials required.

    Let¡¯s see if I can find some stones.

    The field was flat, and the grass six inches tall. When he surveyed their new property, he saw no sign of stones. It was not until he reached the trees that he began to see half-buried rock. He closed on the nearest, and easily unearthed the large, fifty-pound boulder. With the object balanced on his shoulder, he checked the interface once more.

    Why doesn¡¯t this count?

    According to the message, the boulder that rested on his shoulders did not add to the materials needed.

    I guess I should ask Metal.

    Blake had resisted contacting his companion. So far, the wraith had provided very little useful information, and he did not expect it to be much help now. With a shake of his head, he chose to summon Metal. A portal appeared in the air beside him, his companion slipped through, and it closed behind him.

    ¡°Metal, how much do you know about building a faction city?¡±

    As the companion was beside him, it chose to talk aloud rather than through their mental connection. ¡°I know a great deal of the management of cities,¡± It stated in a deep bass.

    Wait? What?

    The answer completely surprised him. He had been ready to immediately dismiss his companion and move on to decipher the process by himself.

    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t this stone count towards the total? It still shows zero out of one hundred fifty.¡±

    ¡°First, you must place the building in its desired location and orientation, then you place all materials beside it in the designated hopper.¡±

    Blake grinned. He followed his companion¡¯s advice and focused on the transparent model of the faction hall again. Blake found that if he concentrated, he could move its location along the ground and rotate it. He played around with the controls for a bit before he mentally locked the orientation in place. Suddenly, a lit up square appeared beside the structure.

    Blake pointed to the designated area. ¡°Is that the hopper?¡±

    ¡°I do not know, I am unable to see your Architect assisted controls.¡±

    Whatever, what else could it be?

    He placed the boulder on the ground and checked the message again. When he saw that it registered a little over fifty-two pounds of stone, he nodded to himself. Unfortunately, this was not where he wanted the faction hall. Blake concentrated, and the three-dimensional model unlocked once again.

    It traveled along the ground with him and his stone as he moved towards the center of the field. Metal followed silently. When he reached the middle, he rotated it so it faced toward the entrance, and then locked it in place. He placed the stone down in the material collection area and confirmed that it registered the resource.

    I don¡¯t remember people doing this.

    ¡°Metal¡­¡± he hesitated.

    The wraith floated in front of him.

    How much should I tell him? Screw it, he¡¯s stuck with me for life, what can it hurt?

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°I¡¯m actually from ten years in the future. I was somehow sent back in time to when the portals first opened. I don¡¯t have the levels or spells I did before I was sent back, but I do have all my future knowledge.¡±

    Blake paused and stared at the wraith. It stood still as it stared at him, as if it were bored.

    ¡°Well? Not going to say anything?¡±

    ¡°What would you like me to say, Master?¡±

    He sighed. ¡°Tell me what you think about that.¡±

    ¡°I think it is an unbelievable tale. However, it does much to explain your strange competency. I have advised many sapient beings over the years, and you are the first to ask almost no questions of me.¡±

    ¡°Wait, I thought you said if I die, you go free.¡±

    ¡°That is correct. I am free until I am chosen as a companion once again.¡±

    ¡°What do you do when you¡¯re between jobs? Hell, what do you do when I don¡¯t summon you?¡±

    ¡°I spend time with my family.¡±

    Blake was floored. He assumed it resided within the void between summons. The fact that it had a family of its own and its own life outside his own adventures surprised him.

    ¡°Tell me about your life when you aren¡¯t summoned to help me.¡±

    ¡°I have three mates and twelve progeny. When I am not being used as monster bait by you, I earn a living in my town as a tailor.¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°No offense, but you don¡¯t exactly look like you can sew. How is that even possible? Do you wear clothes?¡±

    The wraith was almost entirely transparent, with only a few internal organs visible. It had no arms nor legs, and Blake could not fathom how it could possibly affect the world around it, let alone tailor clothes.

    ¡°My species uses our minds to accomplish physical tasks,¡± it explained.

    ¡°What, you mean like telekinesis?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use that to help me fight?¡±

    ¡°My contract with the Architect does not allow me to interact with the world in any way when I am summoned. If I were to break the agreement, I would die.¡±

    ¡°Okay, back to the tailor thing. I¡¯ve never seen you wear clothes. Who do you make them for?¡±

    ¡°As a failed species, our world was conquered by an invading force, and we are now slaves to the Copra. I was offered freedom for myself and my family if I signed a contract for the next fifty years. Because of the agreement, my family is able to own a shop where we sell armor and clothing to our enemies.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to hear that. But, my planet is going through the same thing. In about ten years, the Koza, some goat-like aliens, are going to invade Earth and conquer it. I¡¯m trying my hardest to prevent that from happening, so our species doesn¡¯t end up like yours.¡±

    When the wraith did not respond, he asked, ¡°If you have to serve someone else when I die, why are you being so difficult?¡±

    ¡°While it is true I will eventually go into another¡¯s service, I will have many months to myself and my family that are undisturbed. I also do not enjoy risking my life as bait. If I die, the contract will not complete, and my family will be thrown back into slavery.¡±

    Well shit, I can¡¯t blame the dude now.

    Blake sighed.

    ¡°You said you know a lot about faction building, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m tired of you only answering whatever direct questions I ask and using every loophole you find in my orders. How about we make a deal? If you help my faction grow so we can defeat the Koza, I¡¯ll only summon you to ask questions, no more bait or scouting.¡±

    ¡°You would still be summoning me away from my family and business.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but you wouldn¡¯t be in danger anymore, and once I get my questions answered, I won¡¯t really need to summon you.¡±

    The wraith paused before answering. ¡°Those terms are acceptable.¡±

    Blake sensed reticence in the wraith¡¯s voice. ¡°Great! What advice can you give me for building a faction city?¡±

    ¡°Without a Constructor class, the faction hall can only be assembled by nano. However, once it is assembled, you should recruit a Constructor immediately. They are able to reduce the nano required to build all structures, and they level their class as they do so.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s handy. I have a free tier one building from an achievement as well. What do you think I should use it on?¡±

    ¡°That would depend on your goal and your resources. There are buildings you could construct which would save you billions of nano in the future. However, with your combat prowess, acquiring nano does not seem to be a problem for you.¡±

    Blake was surprised by the praise from the wraith. ¡°Yeah, I care more about time saved than nano saved at this point. I need this city and faction to be as large as possible before Invasion day in five and a half months.¡±

    ¡°If it is time you wish to save, then you should choose the warehouse as soon as your faction hall is completed.¡±

    ¡°Uh, warehouse? Isn¡¯t that just for storage? Why not the portal room? That would let us teleport back here once a day.¡±

    ¡°The warehouse will dramatically increase the building speed of your Constructor. Supplies can be teleported to it directly by harvester and refiner classes, even on other planets. Anything which resides within the warehouse can be used directly in construction without having to transport it to the build site.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how they did it!¡± Blake blurted. ¡°I thought it was a class skill or something. So, if I build a warehouse here, I can build something on the other side of the planet without having to cart the wood and stone there?¡±

    ¡°No, teleportation of materials to the warehouse can be done from anywhere. However, utilizing its stored materials can only be accomplished within your town¡¯s functioning radius.¡±

    Blake scratched his head. ¡°Uh, what do you mean functioning radius?¡±

    ¡°Once your faction hall is completed, you are only able to construct buildings within a small area, perhaps a quarter the size of this field. Every time you upgrade its level, the size of your town grows larger. The warehouse is limited to assisting the Constructor within the town boundary.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so if I choose the warehouse as my reward, it¡¯ll let us build the town faster?¡±

    ¡°That is correct.¡±

    ¡°Okay, you¡¯ve sold me on it.¡±

    He continued to pepper the now useful companion with questions as he ferried stones from the edge of the field to the building hopper. He felt the wraith was more forthcoming with the new agreement. Once he completed the stone requirement, he approached the nearest tree. It was a foot in diameter and at least thirty feet tall.

    Blake had no ax or saw, and had left his sword behind. With a sigh, he kicked its base, hard. The tree cracked, but held firm. It took five more kicks before the tree was toppled. With his superhuman strength, he reached down and lifted the heavy arbor. He grunted with effort as he dragged the felled wood to the center of the field.

    After he dropped the wood into the hopper, he asked, ¡°So, if we get a plant harvester class, they can cut down the tree, and it¡¯ll go directly to the warehouse?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Then, the saw miller can teleport it to their mill, refine it, and send it back without any need to manually transport it. The more refined the materials are, the less nano is required in building construction.¡±

    ¡°So, let me get this straight, we need a constructor, a wood cutter, and a saw mill worker.¡± Blake confirmed as he headed toward the trees. ¡°What else do we need?¡±

    ¡°I would suggest a smelter and a blacksmith as well. Every worker will need tools to complete their tasks. Also, anything the blacksmith creates will lower the nano requirements for building construction. However, the very first recruit should be a Chancellor. They are able to construct buildings in your absence and can utilize nano from the faction reserves to do so. Their class will also receive nano for constructing the town.¡±

    ¡°This all sounds complicated,¡± he added between kicks to the base of a tree.

    ¡°The Chancellor is given directives to follow in the construction of the town.¡±

    ¡°So, will the Chancellor be given a directive to build the warehouse?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    After the tree cracked and fell, he asked, ¡°How soon does that happen?¡±

    ¡°I am not sure of the exact order of directives, however it would be months before you reach that phase. It has a multitude of prerequisites before it can be constructed.¡±

    Blake hefted the base of the felled tree on his shoulder and began to drag it. ¡°So, we can bypass all of that, so I don¡¯t have to drag all this crap around, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    He grinned. ¡°Sounds good to me.¡±

 Chapter 31 - Faction Hall

    When the last tree was dropped into the designated hopper, the tint of the transparent structure turned green, and a message appeared before him.

    Would you like to begin construction? The process will consume twenty million nano and will take six hours to complete.

    ¡°Twenty million!¡± he blurted.

    ¡°Yes, you are not aiding construction in any way, so a large amount of nano must be utilized.¡± Metal informed him.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of nano for this little shack.¡±

    ¡°The price for this structure is relatively small compared to future costs. However, as you fill out your town¡¯s support structure, the nano costs will be reduced to a small percent.¡±

    ¡°Hey Blake!¡± his father called out as his parents crossed the field. ¡°Sorry we¡¯re late, it took longer than we thought to hike here.¡±

    Blake smiled as his parents carefully avoided the floating wraith. ¡°Hey dad, hey mom. Just in time to see construction start.¡± He waved his hand at the transparent building only he could see.

    ¡°What¡¯s with all the uprooted trees?¡± his mother asked as she handed him a plastic grocery bag, full of food. He peeked inside and was relieved she brought a different brand of protein bar than he had been eating for days.

    ¡°Thanks!¡± He then shrugged and opened a snack for himself. ¡°Well, the interface said it needed wood, so I gave it wood.¡±

    ¡°Did you figure out how it works?¡± Peter asked.

    ¡°Yeah, Metal was a huge help with that. It turns out we¡¯re going to have to recruit a lot of people as soon as we can.¡±

    Both his parents glanced at the wraith before his mother asked, ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Well, according to Metal, we need people to harvest, refine, and directly construct the buildings we need. If we don¡¯t get them, the nano cost will bankrupt us.¡±

    ¡°How are we going to convince people to help us?¡± His father asked.

    Donna gave her husband a look of disbelief. ¡°You forgot that we¡¯re rich now, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± he grinned sheepishly. ¡°I guess money would work.¡±

    ¡°That,¡± Blake added. ¡°And when they find out about the end of the world, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be eager to chip in. Especially if their families will live here.¡±

    ¡°How many people are you talking about?¡± his mother asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know many people that I¡¯d trust not to turn you in.¡±

    ¡°At least ten people to start with.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± she rubbed her chin. ¡°I can probably find that many people, but Jordan¡¯s the only one who¡¯ll have any relevant skills.¡±

    ¡°The Architect will grant them any skills they need to perform their job,¡± his wraith interrupted.

    Both parents were startled by the deep bass of his companion¡¯s voice, and glanced back and forth between Blake and Metal nervously.

    Suddenly, his mother chuckled. ¡°Well, if all we need are warm bodies, I think I can deliver on that.¡±

    His father nodded absently as he studied the stones and felled trees beside him. ¡°What¡¯s with the pile?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the materials to build the faction hall.¡±

    Peter frowned. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like much.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because the nano is doing all the work for us,¡± Blake explained. ¡°Here, let me show you.¡±

    Blake confirmed the process as he opened another bar, and a haze began to appear over the pile of supplies. Over the next few minutes, the stones began to slowly disappear from their vision and the ground became blurred. Slowly, a smooth, flat stone floor was added to the hut. They watched in quiet fascination as the building was slowly constructed by nanomachines before their eyes.

    After a short while, Blake turned to his parents and said, ¡°Well, sorry you came all the way out here, but I plan on heading back to do another scenario while I wait for this to finish.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how much nano I¡¯m going to need for the town.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± His mother assured him. She turned to Peter. ¡°What do you think about asking Jordan to join us for some Mexican food?¡±

    ¡°We had Mexican yesterday!¡± Peter complained.

    ¡°So?¡± she challenged.

    His father sighed and relented. ¡°Fine.¡± He then turned to Blake. ¡°Are you going to be here when it finishes?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the plan, although I wish I could have some Mexican food too. I should be finished with the scenario by then, but you never know.¡±

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll see you when you get back, hopefully with Jordan,¡± his mother added. ¡°And maybe a to-go plate. Love you, and be safe.¡±

    Blake grinned at the idea of fresh food. ¡°Always am.¡±

    After his goodbyes, he called up his Faction Pioneer achievement reward. He scrolled through the list of buildings available to him and selected the warehouse. It was far larger than he expected, even at level one. He strode away from the tiny faction hall until there was at least two hundred feet between the two buildings.

    ¡°Is this far enough away?¡± he asked his companion.

    ¡°I would place it at least twice as far away from the faction hall. Both buildings will expand dramatically as they level,¡± he explained.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    He moved the transparent structure until it was over four hundred feet away from the faction hall and accepted his reward. Immediately, he was presented with a notification.

    Would you like to begin construction? The process will consume zero nano and will take twenty hours to complete.

    Stolen story; please report.

    Yes.

    Unlike the faction hall, the required materials were provided for him, and it began to assemble immediately. He watched the process for a few moments before he turned to his silent companion.

    ¡°Thanks for the help, Metal. I¡¯ll send you back so you can be with your family while I complete a scenario. I can¡¯t promise that I won¡¯t need you to answer some questions later on today, but I¡¯ll try to get by without bothering you.¡±

    ¡°It is appreciated.¡±

    Blake dismissed his companion and trekked along the roads toward the fire tower where he temporarily resided. Once he arrived, he ate another meal and replenished his spatial storage. He then rethreaded his longsword through his belt, and grabbed his spear. After a last look around to ensure nothing was forgotten, he stepped into the portal.

    <hr>

    When Blake returned, hours later, to their leased property, his parents were already present. His mother held a Styrofoam container, which Blake was very happy to see. A man in his thirties with a cowboy hat, blue jeans, flannel shirt, and work boots accompanied them. Blake had never met the man before, or if he had, did not remember him.

    Their guest gawked at the faction hall in wonder as the nanomachines completed the structure. Meanwhile, his parents talked quietly amongst themselves. As he strode toward the mostly constructed building, he called out, ¡°I¡¯m back!¡±

    The man was so distracted, he jumped in fright at Blake¡¯s interruption. His parents waved for him to join them. When he reached them, he was introduced.

    ¡°Jordan, this is my son Blake,¡± his mother pointed toward him as she handed him the food container. She then gestured back to their guest. ¡°Blake, this is Jordan. He¡¯s the contractor that remodeled the restaurant.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Blake said as he eagerly accepted the food.

    ¡°Likewise,¡± Jordan and drawled in a southern accent. The man shook his head and added, ¡°This sure is somethin¡¯.¡±

    Blake grinned. ¡°Oh, you haven¡¯t seen anything yet. How much have my parents told you about what¡¯s going on?¡±

    His father answered for him. ¡°Pretty much everything. He didn¡¯t believe us until we showed him this, of course. But, after we got here, he was all ears.¡±

    ¡°You must admit, it¡¯s all a bit far-fetched,¡± Jordan added dryly.

    ¡°So, would you like to help build our faction?¡± Blake asked. When his stomach rumbled, he added, ¡°Do you mind if I eat while we talk? I¡¯m starving.¡±

    Jordan nodded. ¡°I¡¯m mighty interested, but a bit short on the details.¡±

    ¡°What would you like to know?¡± Blake eagerly opened the leftover container and retrieved a taco.

    ¡°So, I hear the world¡¯s going to hell in a handbasket, no surprise there, but why¡¯s this here necessary? We¡¯ve got plenty of buildings and industry. No offense,¡± he nodded toward the faction hall. ¡°But, that don¡¯t look like much.¡±

    Blake chuckled and swallowed. ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s not much. That¡¯s because it''s level one. When it gets leveled up, it¡¯ll be magnificent. Trust me.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­ The time travel thing,¡± Jordan replied doubtfully as he watched Blake devour the rest of the tacos.

    Blake did not take offense, and waved down his mother before she could defend him. Instead, he smiled. ¡°So, you have no problem believing that an AI is going to take over the whole world, but have an issue with me going back in time?¡±

    Jordan did not reply. Instead, he continued to stare blankly at him. Blake could not tell if he was honestly this detached, or if he was hiding his amazement of the strange technology around him.

    Whatever. It¡¯s easier if he isn¡¯t freaking out, anyway.

    He shrugged. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter if you believe it or not.¡± Blake took a deep breath and explained, ¡°We can¡¯t just use normal buildings in the Collective. If we want to create nano-infused objects, we need them to be constructed with the AI¡¯s help. That means we have to build it from scratch.¡±

    ¡°What kind of objects we talkin¡¯ about?¡± he asked as he continued to eye the construction next to him.

    ¡°All kinds of stuff. Armor, weapons, potions.¡±

    ¡°What good¡¯s all that when I got me a gun?¡±

    ¡°Well, if you act as our Constructor, you won¡¯t need armor or weapons, but you might like a potion. They can cure pretty much anything. There¡¯s a lot more the faction city can do, too. We can build a Portal room that allows everyone to teleport here once per day. There¡¯s also the shield generator, which not only keeps out the monsters, but will also stop any uninvited humans as well. And guns get pretty useless pretty quick when it all goes down.¡±

    Jordan nodded. ¡°And, who decides who¡¯s welcome? Hell, who¡¯s gonna make the rules in your faction and enforce them? You?¡±

    ¡°Well, I fought for the billion nano to create the faction, so ultimately, yes I¡¯m in charge. But, I won¡¯t have time to manage the day to day. My mom is going to be my chancellor and will pretty much run the town while I¡¯m gone. We¡¯ll also have a council that will decide on laws and penalties for breaking them.¡±

    ¡°Chancellor?¡± his mother interrupted.

    Blake turned to her and explained, ¡°Think of it like a Mayor. You¡¯ll have access to any nano you need to pay people or build structures. Essentially, you can run the entire town while I¡¯m busy killing stuff to level.¡±

    ¡°Why me?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Well, for a few reasons. For one, I trust you completely. And, while I could put dad in charge, he wants to be a chef.¡± Blake turned to his father and asked, ¡°Am I right?¡±

    Peter grinned. ¡°Let me see, deal with people complaining about every little thing, or relax in a kitchen doing what I love?¡± he asked rhetorically.

    Blake turned back to his mother. ¡°See? And, you were a project manager for years, right?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°Then this is perfect for you. Just think of the town as a big project.¡±

    Donna frowned, but absently nodded her head. When he saw that she accepted her new role, Blake turned to their guest. ¡°So, any other questions?¡±

    ¡°How much does it pay, and how long do you expect me to work each day?¡±

    ¡°Well, you can negotiate pay with my mom. I don¡¯t really care about that, since money¡¯s going to be useless by the end of June. But I understand you¡¯ve got bills to pay, and you¡¯ve got to eat,¡± he smiled. ¡°After Invasion day, you¡¯ll be paid in nano instead, which will be the new currency. As far as hours go, ideally you¡¯ll work as long as you can. We need to get as much built over the next five and a half months as we can.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m gonna work eighty, ninety hour weeks, I expect to be paid in kind,¡± he warned.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be paid. Any other questions?¡±

    ¡°What about my son, and my ex? Will they be able to stay here, too?¡±

    ¡°I thought you hated Christina?¡± his mother asked.

    ¡°Hate¡¯s a strong word. I most definitely dislike the harpy, but having her here¡¯s the only way Paul will join us. He¡¯s a bit of a momma¡¯s boy,¡± he explained. ¡°We¡¯ll get separate rooms, right? Preferably on the opposite side of town?¡±

    Blake laughed. ¡°Sure,¡± he agreed.

    ¡°Then, I suppose we have a deal.¡±

    ¡°Really? You have no problem with me being a fugitive from the law?¡±

    Jordan shook his head. ¡°Your mother told me all ¡®bout that. I was in all kinda fights back in school. Was never once arrested or had the cops after me. I figure they got to be corrupt as all hell. And, if there¡¯s one thing I hate, it¡¯s corrupt people abusing the people they¡¯re supposed to protect.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Blake said with a smile.

    ¡°You do that, and we¡¯ll be just peachy.¡±

    Jordan reached out his hand. Blake grasped the man¡¯s hand to return the shake and initiate him into the Collective, but smirked when he felt the man squeeze. He obviously expected Blake to be weak, which is why the man¡¯s eyes widened in surprise when Blake squeezed much harder in return. Blake was careful to not break the man¡¯s bones, but he was sure Jordan¡¯s hand would be sore for days.

    ¡°Welcome to the Terran Alliance¡±

 Chapter 32 - Chancellor

    While Jordan shook his hand to relieve the pain, Blake received a notification.

    You have gained 10m nano for completing a directive.

    He glanced over at the faction hall, and saw that it had finally completed. The building was no longer transparent, and there was a pile of dirt where the materials once stood.

    Huh, I wonder if I¡¯ll get half the nano back for every building I complete?

    Blake dismissed the message and checked his interface to see his new directive.

    Assign a non-combat class to a faction member.

    Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jordan¡¯s eyes glaze as he waved his hand back and forth before his eyes.

    ¡°Hey dad, can you walk Jordan through how to use the interface while I give mom her class?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± he nodded to his father before he turned to his mother with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside the hall and make you a Chancellor.¡±

    As they walked into the building together, his mother asked, ¡°What¡¯s being assembled over there?¡± she gestured toward the foot high walls to their north.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the warehouse. I talked to Metal and that¡¯s the building he suggested I take as my reward. He said it¡¯ll save us the most time.¡±

    ¡°You seem to be trusting that... creature a lot.¡±

    ¡°We came to an agreement.¡±

    There was no door on the building, nor glass in the two windows. Instead, he saw that they could be closed by a crude mechanism which allowed wooden slats to slide down. In the center of the hut was a wooden table and a single chair.

    Atop the table stood a large white sphere, almost a foot in diameter. It rested atop a stand and seemed to glow from within as its cloudy surface swirled.

    ¡°I thought we were going to talk about the reward and decide what we¡¯ll choose together?¡± she admonished him.

    Blake shrugged apologetically. ¡°Sorry. I made a deal with Metal, and he¡¯s giving me good advice now. Evidently, he knows what he¡¯s talking about with building a faction town and gave me all kinds of good information. When I told him I wanted to speed up building the town, he suggested the warehouse.¡±

    ¡°Blake, I know this is your faction, but I¡¯d still like to be in the loop with these things.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Sorry, running a faction is kind of new to me.¡± Then, he smiled. ¡°That¡¯s why I have you.¡±

    ¡°So, is that crystal ball supposed to give me a class?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Not a clue, let me touch it and find out.¡±

    He placed his hands on the sphere, and a menu appeared before him. The first option on the list was ¡®Status¡¯. After he selected it, the main menu was replaced with a submenu that contained the words, ¡®Town¡¯, ¡®Faction Members¡¯, and ¡®Treasury¡¯.

    Blake first chose the ¡®Treasury¡¯ option, and saw that it was completely empty. At the bottom of the status was an option to deposit nano.

    Might as well.

    Blake moved all twenty-three million nano in his reserves to the town. Then, he selected ¡®Faction Members¡¯. It listed all four of his family members, but not Jordan.

    I can fix that real quick.

    He sent Jordan an invitation to the faction and a quick message through the interface that explained what it meant. A few moments later, Jordan joined the faction member list.

    When that was complete, he mentally clicked on ¡®Town¡¯. It stated they were a level 1 town with a single completed building with a warehouse under construction. The faction hall showed as unassigned, despite them both currently occupying it.

    I suppose I¡¯ll have to assign Mom to the building.

    He backed out to the main menu, and then selected ¡®Assign non-combat classification¡¯. A very long list of options was presented to him. He scrolled through the list until he found ¡®Chancellor¡¯. After he selected it, the interface asked for the intended faction member to touch the ¡®Management Sphere¡¯,

    Ah, that¡¯s what it¡¯s called.

    ¡°Hey Mom, can you put your hands on the Management Sphere, too?¡±

    She nodded and hesitantly placed her fingers on the crystal. He confirmed his selection, and watched as his mother¡¯s eyes glazed. She nodded absently to herself as she read through the prompt. Finally, she agreed and he received a notification.

    You have gained 1m nano for completing a directive.

    Blake immediately transferred the nano to the faction and then checked his new directive. The Architect wanted him to upgrade the faction hall to level two.

    I can do that.

    He shared the new directive with his mother and then backed out to the Management Sphere¡¯s main menu and selected ¡®Build¡¯. Suddenly, a bird¡¯s eye view of his town appeared before him. He saw that Metal was correct, the town boundary extended past the faction hall for a little over five hundred feet.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    To his right was a list of structures he could choose from. Unfortunately, most were grayed out and stated that the prerequisites were not met. That included the upgraded faction hall. He zoomed in on their current location, and watched his father animatedly talk to Jordan in real time, just outside the faction hall.

    Cool.

    He was interrupted from his exploration when his mother said, ¡°I have a new directive.¡±

    He looked up at her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°It wants me to appoint a ¡®Constructor¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± he encouraged.

    His mother turned and yelled, ¡°Hey Jordan, can you come here for a moment?¡± A few seconds later, he entered the hut, and she added, ¡°Can you touch the crystal?¡±

    He frowned, but slowly reached out toward the sphere.

    Once his fingers brushed against the object, she smiled and said, ¡°Done¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ don¡¯t you have to touch the Management Sphere for that, too?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No, my class lets me manage the town remotely.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s handy. I wish I¡­¡± His statement was interrupted by a groan from Jordan. Suddenly, his hands shot to his head, and he collapsed to the ground in pain.

    ¡°Do we need an ambulance?¡± Peter asked, after he raced to the prone form.

    ¡°No,¡± Blake answered. ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡±

    He had seen the sight many times over the years. Every time someone learned a skill  that required them to absorb a large amount of information, they became temporarily catatonic. The nanomachines downloaded the data directly to their brain, which subsequently overloaded it.

    When his father looked up from the inert body, Blake added, ¡°He¡¯s just learning his new class skills. He¡¯ll wake back up in a moment.¡±

    A few moments later, Blake¡¯s words came true.

    Jordan moaned and rubbed his head. ¡°That hit me like a ton of bricks.¡±

    ¡°Sorry I didn''t warn you. That¡¯s what happens when the Architect downloads a lot of information directly to your brain,¡± Blake explained.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t that happen to me?¡± his mother asked, behind him.

    He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I guess your class didn¡¯t need a data download. What¡¯s your next directive?¡±

    His mother frowned. ¡°It says we need to build a ¡®Metal Workshop¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Now THAT¡¯s strange.¡± Jordan blurted. When everyone stared at him, he explained, ¡°The moment you mentioned that building, everything needed to build it suddenly popped in my head. It¡¯s like I¡¯d done the job hundreds of times.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Blake smiled. ¡°At least one of us knows what we¡¯re doing. How much will it cost us?¡±

    Before Jordan could answer, Donna said, ¡°It has a long list of materials needed. Wood, stone, iron, wool, and a few others, but the total nano cost is one hundred million.¡±

    Damn. That¡¯s a lot.

    ¡°Uh, I only have a quarter of that right now. It¡¯ll be another day at least before I can come up with the nano.¡±

    Donna tilted her head to the side as she read her interface. ¡°It says a Constructor can reduce the nano required.¡±

    ¡°By how much?¡± he asked.

    She shrugged. ¡°It just says, ¡®Variable¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I can answer that,¡± Jordan spoke up after he regained his feet. ¡°If I assemble the structure myself, I¡¯ll reduce the nano requirement by fifty percent. I can bring it down even more if the materials are refined.¡±

    ¡°How do we refine the materials?¡± he asked.

    ¡°We don¡¯t. Not without the right classes and buildings, at least.¡± Then he smiled. ¡°But, we can get pretty close if you¡¯re willing to spend the cash.¡±

    Suddenly, Blake¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that!¡± His parents looked confused, so he explained. ¡°We have two big hardware stores with everything we need, just five miles from here.¡±

    ¡°You mean, we can buy lumber and it¡¯ll count?¡± Peter asked.

    ¡°Sure will,¡± Jordan nodded. ¡°We can buy everything else we need as well.¡±

    ¡°How much will that reduce the nano cost?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t rightly know,¡± Jordan admitted in his southern drawl. ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll have to try it and see.¡±

    ¡°Looks like we need to make a trip to Builder Depot.¡± Donna said. ¡°Are you going to need any tools or machine rentals?¡±

    Jordan frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think a rental would be a good idea. I think it interferes with the nanos or some such.¡± Then he smiled. ¡°I already have some tools in the back of my truck, but I can always use a few more.¡±

    ¡°Whatever you need,¡± Donna agreed. ¡°If you drive us there, we can pay for everything, rent a flat-bed trailer, and help you load it up. After that, you can drop us off near our car. I¡¯m sure the cop is wondering where we¡¯re at.¡±

    Peter grinned. ¡°What¡¯s it been, seven hours now? I don¡¯t think we brought enough water for that long of a hike.¡±

    Donna laughed. ¡°Well, before we go, let me place the building, so I don¡¯t have to come back.¡±

    ¡°Metal said not to place anything near the warehouse or faction hall. They¡¯ll need room to expand.¡± Blake interjected.

    She nodded as she walked outside the crowded room and then concentrated. Just as the others caught up to her, she said, ¡°Done.¡±

    The moment she finished, Jordan jumped. ¡°Now that¡¯s a strange sight.¡± After he recovered, he walked forward and waved his hand through the air.

    ¡°Uh¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± Peter asked.

    ¡°I see a 3D hologram that shows me what it¡¯ll look like when it''s completed.¡± Donna explained. ¡°It looks like Jordan sees it too.¡± His mother turned to Blake. ¡°What about you?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Nope. I guess I can only see it when I place it.¡±

    Jordan turned toward them and said, ¡°I wish I had this when I was doin¡¯ my contracts. It¡¯d sure make things easier.¡±

    ¡°How long will it take to build the Metal Workshop?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It says here it will take twelve hours,¡± his mother answered.

    Jordan shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s how long those nanos will take. It¡¯ll be much longer for me.¡±

    ¡°How much longer?¡± Blake asked.

    Jordan shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t rightly know. But, if I had to guess, at least twenty hours. If you add in the time at Builder Depot, meals, sleep, and the unknown, I figure three days.¡±

    ¡°Three days!¡± Blake complained. ¡°I can make the hundred million by tomorrow and have the nanos build it by then.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s your faction. If you decide to go that route, I won¡¯t be offended. But, I¡¯ll point out that you¡¯d only save a day that way.¡±

    He¡¯s right, and I need the nano for my class. I can¡¯t keep eating this much food.

    ¡°Sorry, you¡¯re right.¡± Blake shook his head. ¡°I guess I was just surprised. I want the town built as soon as possible.¡±

    Blake¡¯s stomach rumbled.

    ¡°And it¡¯s time for me to eat again,¡± he announced.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Peter asked. ¡°You just ate.¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yeah, but the sooner I can choose my class, the sooner I can stop eating ten thousand calories a day.¡±

    ¡°Now that¡¯s impressive.¡± Jordan said, and looked at his rail-thin body. ¡°Where does it all go?¡±

    ¡°To the nanomachines,¡± he answered wryly.

    Blake turned to his mother. ¡°You should be able to invite people to the faction now. If you need more nano, you have access to the faction treasury. I put twenty-five million in it.¡±

    Donna sighed. ¡°The nanos not the problem. Where am I going to find someone that work metal?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Blake answered. ¡°You just need to find someone trustworthy that¡¯s willing to work. The Architect will provide all the information they need.¡±

    ¡°If hard workers are all you need, I know a few boys that are outta work,¡± Jordan offered.

    Donna glanced at Blake.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, you¡¯re the Chancellor. ¡° He smiled. ¡°That¡¯s your headache, not mine. I¡¯m going to go make some more nano while you guys figure everything out.¡±

 Chapter 33 - Back to the Grind

    Blake¡¯s boots sank into the dark mud. Dirty water leaked through the leather as he straightened from his fall and examined his surroundings. The air was hot and humid, and he was surrounded by tall grass with water beneath the reeds. After a hundred feet, the horizon disappeared in steam. The sun beat down on his bare head.

    I hate swamps.

    He almost reflexively summoned his companion, but stopped himself before the skill could activate.

    No, I made a promise. Besides, I don¡¯t need him anyway. This will just take a bit longer, is all.

    Instead, he began to trudge through the bog with his transparent map open and his eyes alert. Without a scout, he would need to remain vigilant at all times.

    Thirty miserable minutes later, he spied his first opponent. Blake quickly noted the wind direction and deviated from his path.

    The Ursa was a dark shadow in the horizon¡¯s haze. Rather than head directly toward his quarry, Blake crouched low and circled around the dangerous enemy. He was careful to remain downwind. He needed to ensure it was the only Ursa in the area.

    Once he completed his orbit, he cautiously approached the large monster. Blake stalked it from its rear, eager to reach striking range without it becoming aware of him.

    When he was twenty feet away, his carefully placed boot sank into the mud with a loud squelch. The Ursa immediately turned to identify the sound. When it saw him, it roared and began to charge him.

    I guess we¡¯re doing this here, then.

    There was no cover, nor any ambush, where he could lay in wait. This would be a fight where he held no advantage.

    I¡¯ve got this.

    Blake planted his feet in the mud and readied his spear while he waited unwaveringly for the monster to meet him. The Ursa thundered through the slippery mire and continued to gain speed, yet Blake remained steadfast.

    When it was just a few feet away, it leapt toward him with its claws extended and its jaw open wide. The talons glowed brightly with chi, enhanced by an ability.

    He immediately pivoted to the side. As he did so, he thrust his spear forward. The spear failed to pierce through the thick hide, but aided him in his escape from its attack.

    The Ursa hit the wet ground and slid through the mud, unable to find purchase. Before it could recover, Blake rushed the disabled enemy and impaled the monster from behind. This time the spear hit true. It roared and flailed its limbs in a vain effort to reach him. Yet, no matter how sharp its chi enhanced claws were, they found no purchase in the unyielding muck.

    Blake threw his weight behind his weapon, to further increase its internal damage. When the metal tip became lodged in bone, he released his grip and unsheathed his longsword. Before he could launch a new attack, the Ursa assailed him with one of its own.

    He bounded out of reach of the deadly claws as the beast released its fury. Blake continued to evade its swipes and lunges until its endurance began to flag.

    Now!

    His blade arced toward the monster¡¯s exposed shoulder and bit deep into the flesh. The tendons severed, and it stumbled to the side. He withdrew his sword and again cut into the crippled Ursa. With its movement restricted, it was child''s play for him to finish the dangerous beast.

    After it collapsed to the ground, Blake planted his hands on his knees to catch his breath. The battle was more dangerous than it would have been with the aid of his companion as a scout or bait, but he proved he did not need to rely on tricks to defeat his foes.

    Although, this muck makes everything waay harder than it needs to be.

    When his breath was recovered, he sheathed his sword, retrieved his spear, and set off through the thick swamp to find his next victim.

    <hr>

    I miss my scout.

    Blake slogged through the swamp for hours as he sought out his foes. His next three battles proved to be as dangerous as his first, yet he prevailed. The Ursa were enhanced by their chi, able to heal, shield themselves from harm, and the last was the most deadly, able to increase its speed.

    In the most recent case, he was forced to evade its swift attacks until it ran out of chi. He used the slippery environment to his advantage, and danced just out of reach.

    However, it had been two hours since his last battle, and he had yet to find the final Ursa. His map was completely revealed, which meant that it moved its position to an area he had already searched.

    He withdrew his last protein bar from his storage and ate as he trudged through the mire.

    Even though he backtracked through his search grid for twenty minutes, and he had no idea how long it would take to fully explore the scenario boundary once again. His snacks were depleted and his stomach almost entirely empty, which put him on a timer.

    Finally!

    In the distance, he saw a dark shadow through the fog. Eager to finish the scenario, he raced forward, spear in hand. The Ursa heard his splashes and whirled to investigate. Blake expected it to roar and charge him, as the others had.

    That presumption almost led to his death.

    Instead, the creature teleported directly in front of him with its arms wide and claws extended. Only Blake¡¯s quick reaction saved him from certain death. He leaned backward and thrust out with his spear on instinct at the motion. His back landed on the muddy ground, and he slid forward as his weapon pierced into the Ursa¡¯s chest.

    He did not hesitate and immediately rolled to the side, away from the dangerous monster. He shot to his feet behind the beast and unsheathed his sword, ready to press the attack.

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    Oh.

    His attack did far more damage than he expected.

    The Ursa lay on the ground, already dead, with a spear impaled through its heart.

    Blake sighed in relief.

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    Yes.

    Four options presented themselves to him. The first was a gambeson, which would increase his Magic Stamina by two. However, unlike his current plated jerkin, it did not self repair and provided far less protection.

    Pass.

    The second option was a new longsword. It did not have the self-sharpening feature of his current weapon, but would allow him to channel chi through it to enhance its sharpness. With energy added to his strikes, his blade would pierce through the heavy hide of the Ursa with ease. Unfortunately, he did not currently have access to any form of magic.

    Maybe?

    While he did not have chi now, he hoped to gain his class within a week. He could choose the impressive weapon now and save it for when he leveled up.

    Let¡¯s see what¡¯s next.

    The third reward was a ring which would increase his resistance to heat by twenty-five percent, and the fourth was a new pair of boots, almost identical to his current set.

    Useless.

    He was starving, and cranky because of it. Some part of him wanted to choose the ring just because it would take the least amount of time to assemble. Even rehydrated meals sounded good to him at this point. However, he needed to push down his impatience and choose the best reward.

    Once again, none of the rewards were an improvement over the gear he already wore. He had only seen a single bear cast a fireball, and his current ring increased his Physical Power by two. If he were going to replace the jewelry, he would have done it with one of the many rings he stored at the fire tower.

    Such a stupid system.

    Since all equipment resized itself, he could slip at least thirty rings over his fingers, two to four per digit. They would restrict the movement of his extremities, but would otherwise fit.

    However, the Architect only allowed you to receive the bonuses from a single ring, earring, and necklace, regardless of how many you equipped. Blake did not understand the reasoning behind the arbitrary system and could only shake his head once again at the strangeness of the Collective.

    He was about to select the sword when a possibility occurred to him.

    What about the Manders?

    In his mind, he had been focused entirely on the Ursa as he currently resided in the fire tower, and the goblin portal was unavailable to him. However, there was a third scenario relatively nearby.

    The Mander portal was located twenty-five miles to the south of Pinetop, near Diamond Creek campground. With vehicles still operational, it was only a thirty-minute drive. Even better, with their new wealth, they could easily afford to hire a taxi to pick him up and drop him off.

    However, distance and inconvenience was not the only reason he had avoided the scenario. Manders almost exclusively lived underground in lava tubes. The glow from molten rock provided plenty of light to navigate, but the heat was unbearable.

    To make matters worse, they fought in packs of two or three and almost all wielded mana-based fire spells. In the confined environment, it was impossible to avoid the flames. They would cook him alive.

    Blake and his combat group had fought against them before, but they had been prepared. Montgomery used his upgraded mana ability, Flame Shield, to cast a heat protection shield around all of them, and Blake himself was able to increase the toughness of his skin. When combined with regeneration, they were able to complete the miserable scenario, albeit uncomfortably.

    He contemplated the ring presented before him.

    Will this be enough?

    With his Magic Resistance over fifteen and his Physical Resistance at almost thirteen, he would be almost impervious to their attacks. If he added the ring to the equation, his body would be almost immune.

    Especially if I change out my necklace.

    Currently, he received two Physical Power from the jewelry around his neck. However, back at the fire tower, he had a collection of necklaces. One of them was a thick collar which increased his Physical Resistance by two. It was not as useful against the Ursa, but against the Manders, it could be key.

    Best of all, no more scouting for hours.

    Unlike the Ursa who roamed large tracts of land, the Manders remained relatively stationary within the caves. While the tunnels could potentially extend for miles, he estimated he would be able to explore the entire scenario within an hour.

    I choose the ring.

    The jewelry was small, and only took fifteen minutes to assemble. After he collected the reward, he trudged through the dense swamp to the portal and traveled back to Earth.

    When he entered his tower, it was extremely dark. The sun had already set while he was on the Ursa planet, and he quickly turned on an LED lantern. Once he could see, he immediately stuffed his face with snack bars and wished for more selection in his food supply.

    With hunger temporarily abated, he removed his armor, cleaned himself, and switched into a new set of clothes. After he felt human again, Blake perused his selection of food and chose two meals that sounded tasty. While he waited for the food to heat, he contacted his parents with holo-chat.

    They answered almost immediately.

    ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d call,¡± his mother said with a smile.

    They were in their pajamas, under the covers of the bed. When he saw the alarm clock next to the bed showed it was 11:03, he said, ¡°Sorry for calling you guys so late. I just finished the scenario and got back. I hope I didn¡¯t wake you.¡±

    Peter snorted. ¡°It¡¯s not like we have to get up early to go to work.¡±

    Donna gave him a sharp look. ¡°We DO have work tomorrow, remember?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s not till noon,¡± he replied.

    His mother turned back to Blake and said, ¡°We talked with Jordan, and he arranged a meet with three of his friends. We¡¯re going to meet up at our restaurant for an interview. It¡¯s closed for business, but we still have to pay rent, so we might as well use it.¡±

    Blake nodded.

    ¡°Do you want to watch the interview through holo-chat?¡± his mother asked.

    ¡°Sure,¡± he agreed. ¡°How¡¯s Jordan¡¯s progress on the workshop?¡±

    Blake¡¯s food was finally warm, so he opened the first package and tore into it.

    ¡°Well, we spent hours at Builder Depot buying materials. After that, he dropped us off near the trail, and then we headed home.¡±

    His father spoke up. ¡°Believe it or not, the cop was still there.¡±

    Blake laughed with a mouth full of food.

    Donna smiled and said, ¡°I contacted Jordan about an hour ago. He said he spent the rest of the evening unloading the flatbed we rented. By the time he was finished, he was starving, so he left to get something to eat and then headed home. Jordan said he¡¯ll get there just after sunrise to start work.¡±

    Blake swallowed. ¡°Good to know. He seems like a good guy.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Peter agreed. ¡°I hope his friends are too.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to help him work tomorrow morning?¡± his mother asked.

    He shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯m actually going to head south to try out a new scenario. I was hoping one of you could hire someone to pick me up and drop me off.¡±

    ¡°Sure, I can just use the Ryde app. How far away is it?¡± Peter asked.

    ¡°About twenty-five miles or so. It¡¯s just north of Whiteriver near a campground.¡±

    ¡°How hard is it to get someone late at night?¡± Blake asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be done.¡±

    His father smiled. ¡°You offer enough money, and they¡¯ll jump at the chance. It sure is nice not having to worry about cash anymore.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Donna agreed. ¡°But, we have other worries.¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Can you have them show up at the trailhead at seven? I want to get an early start.¡±

    ¡°Not a problem,¡± His father assured him. ¡°Need anything else?¡±

    His mouth was stuffed once again, so he shook his head to answer.

    ¡°Okay, then we¡¯ll let you finish your food and get some sleep.¡±

    ¡°Good night,¡± said Donna.

    ¡°Night,¡± he mumbled.

 Chapter 34 - Manders

    When the driver noticed Blake¡¯s clothing, he did a double take. However, once he recovered from his surprise, he returned to his professional demeanor.

    ¡°You Jeffrey?¡± the man asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Blake lied and opened up the back door.

    He threw his bag of food and supplies onto the floorboard and crawled into the small backseat with his sword sheath at an uncomfortable angle. He wore a round buckler across his back, and the enhanced wood dug uncomfortably into him as he leaned against the seat. When he was situated, the taxi said, ¡°I¡¯m Dave. You¡¯re headed to Whiteriver, right?¡±

    Blake nodded.

    The first fifteen minutes of their trip was in silence. During that time, the twenty-something year old driver occasionally glanced in the rearview mirror to observe him. Finally, he could not contain his curiosity.

    ¡°So, are you going to a renaissance fair or something?¡± Dave asked.

    Blake smiled and gave him the line he prepared. ¡°Actually, my friends and I are really into LARPing.¡±

    Dave frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Live Action Role Playing,¡± he explained enthusiastically. ¡°We get to dress up like warriors, mages, and clerics and fight monsters!¡±

    ¡°Sounds¡­ fun,¡± the driver said, his voice filled with doubt.

    ¡°It sure is!¡± Blake lied.

    After that short conversation, the rest of the drive was filled with uncomfortable silence, exactly what he wanted. He had never LARPed, and had no desire to go further into his lie.

    ¡°Is this the place?¡± Dave asked as he slowed the car to a stop.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Good luck with the LARPing.¡±

    Blake grabbed his pack full of food, opened the door, and slid out of the car. He slowly walked down the gravel road toward the portal until the driver completely pulled away. Once there were no witnesses, he sprinted at full speed up the canyon.

    The wind whipped by his ears as he traveled at what he guessed was over thirty miles per hour. He continued to run until he reached his destination, a narrow side canyon to the north. The depression had twenty foot rock walls on each side with an overhang. The outcropping was not deep enough to be considered a cave, but would keep you dry during a rainstorm.

    He navigated the rocky floor of the canyon until he found a particularly pronounced depression that he remembered. There, he dropped his pack, took a deep breath, and then entered the portal.

    The spatial distortion enveloped him and he entered the void. As usual, time seemed to stand still while he was within. Since this was the first time he had attempted this particular combat scenario, the Collective did not offer a higher difficulty. He would run the scenario at level zero.

    When he was spat out of the void and landed on the hard floor, the first thing he noticed was the oppressive heat. The tunnel he found himself in was wide, at least thirty feet, but he would remain in the center. The closer he got to the glowing rock walls on either side, the more extreme the temperature. The Manders loved the heat and would soak it up as they lazed the day away.

    Damn, I hate this place.

    He absently wiped the sweat already forming on his brow and retrieved his sword as he searched for any threats. Blake had left his spear behind at the fire tower. It would not be necessary against these smaller creatures, and would only restrict his movement in some of the narrower passages.

    This portal landed him in a cul-de-sac, which left him only a single direction to travel. After he confirmed the dead-end was clear, he retrieved his shield and navigated along the path in the dim light with a watchful eye. The level zero Manders would not be much of a threat to him. However, even he could die if he ignored an ambush.

    The passage turned to his right, and when he rounded the corner, he saw his first victims. Three Manders nestled up against the glowing wall and absorbed the intense heat it exuded. They immediately became aware of his presence and hissed in alarm.

    Manders looked like a cross between an earthworm and an alligator. At four feet long, on average, they would only be a minor threat to a prepared, unenhanced human. However, their hide was extremely dense and they always traveled in small groups. They had no appendages and slithered along the ground like a snake, but their wide mouths were full of sharp fangs.

    Those teeth were the only thing that could harm him at level zero. They did not yet have access to mana, and would not produce the numerous heat-based attacks they would be known for.

    Here we go.

    The three creatures coiled, and then agilely sprang from the wall. He raised his shield and bashed the first creature, while he thrust his longsword deep into the next monster¡¯s mouth. With his blade now sheathed within a corpse, and his shield arm staggered backward from impact, Blake only had a single defense against the third Mander. He kicked forward, and his boot slammed into its snout.

    The last creature screeched and fell to the ground by his feet. He slammed his shield down into the dazed creature and ensured it was stunned before he extracted his sword and executed it.

    Blake whirled around to face the last of the three, but saw that it too was already dead. His shield met the creature¡¯s face with so much force that its entire skull was crushed.

    That was even easier than I expected.

    The Manders were swift, but were no match for his own speed. This scenario would be a nice break from the drawn out life or death struggles of his previous scenarios. He retrieved a bottle of water from his spatial storage, and once it was reassembled, gulped down the cool liquid.

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    It¡¯s so hot.

    Once his thirst was quenched, he checked his progress. The interface informed him that he had exterminated nineteen percent of the Manders.

    So, probably four more groups.

    He nodded to himself and then continued down the corridor, eager to finish the scenario.

    <hr>

    The Mander launched itself through the air, its jaws open wide. The extended fangs dripped with saliva, eager to feast on his face. Blake denied the creature its meal, and slashed with his sword. The last monster was decapitated, and the system congratulated him.

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    Yes.

    Four items appeared before him. They were all inferior to the gear he already wore, which was to be expected at the scenario level. He immediately chose the smallest item for the sake of time. The ring granted a single point of Magic Power, but would only take a few minutes to assemble.

    This was so much faster.

    Without Metal to scout, the Ursa scenarios took hours to complete. Meanwhile, he had found and eliminated all sixteen Manders in around ninety minutes. It had taken so little time, that he was only barely hungry.

    He still planned to eat another meal when he returned to his bag, but he was satisfied with his speed of completion. Unfortunately, the next scenario would take longer. Not because the cave complex would be more expansive, but because he would have to be more careful against the level one Manders.

    How much did I get?

    He checked his status and saw that he held just over ten million nano. If he were to rapidly complete level zero Mander scenarios in mass, he would have to finish eighty of them before he could purchase his combat classification. At around six level zero scenarios completed per day, it would take two weeks before he was done with his insatiable hunger.

    Too slow.

    Blake snorted.

    His party mates would have been incredulous if they witnessed his speed of progression. Even after they grew as a team and began to take on scenarios a level above them, each of them still only received around ten to fifteen million nano per day. And, that was if they completed two scenarios per day, something that was considered reckless.

    Blake had received a hundred million each day fighting the Ursa, and if he pushed himself, could increase that against the Manders. Everything depended on how well his Magic and Physical Resistance worked against them. Even at level one, the Manders were nowhere near as physically dangerous as the Ursa. It was their fire attacks he was wary of.

    After the jewelry was constructed, he slipped it into his pocket and hiked back to the portal. It only took ten minutes to reach the entrance and travel back to Earth, where the cold air chilled his sweat.

    Blake rifled through his pack and drank two entire bottles of water before he replaced the two empties in his spatial storage. The scenario was uncomfortably hot, and he needed to drink far more than he expected, but the heat-resistant ring was a God-send.

    Should I bring more water?

    Blake decided to snag a few more bottles before he left. He could always leave them by the portal. That way, if the scenario took longer than expected, he would have backup. If, however, they went unused, he could always bring them back to Earth.

    After he finished his cold meal, he packed his trash, and entered the portal. This time, when the Collective asked if he wanted to increase the difficulty, he answered yes.

    Like before, he was spat out into a dimly lit cave that was hot enough to cook someone alive. Only his high Physical Resistance and his ring kept him healthy, if uncomfortable.

    Blake scanned his surroundings for Manders and was relieved when he found none. The entrance to a scenario was almost always safe. Almost, however, was the key word.

    He remembered the first time his group was deposited directly into a fight. If it were not for the fact that the goblins were equally surprised, they would have lost more than just their mana user. After that horrific event, word was spread across the faction, and every combat group entered a scenario prepared for a fight.

    The caves looked much the same as the last scenario. Matter of fact, if he did not know better, he would assume he was in the same location. However, that was not the way the Architect did things.

    The Artificial Intelligence did not ¡®spawn¡¯ creatures into a ¡®dungeon¡¯ as so many people believed in the beginning. Instead, it dumped people into a new area of the remote planet, which was already populated. Arguments had raged over whether the groupings occurred naturally, or if the Architect ¡®helped¡¯ them along.

    None had found a definitive answer.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get this show on the road,¡± Blake mumbled.

    He dropped his spare bottles of water to the ground as planned and equipped his armaments. With sword and shield at the ready, he proceeded cautiously down the corridor.

    His pace was much slower than before, yet it was only ten minutes before he ran into his first group of enemies. Unlike the last scenario, these did not launch themselves directly toward him. Instead, their long tongues began to gyrate in a strange dance as they stood frozen along the wall.

    Blake did not give them time to finish their spell forms. He charged their position and skewered the closest Mander with his sword. His shield barreled into the next creature with enough force to slam it against the glowing wall.

    A column of flames burst forth from the mouth of another. He reflexively closed his eyes and raised his shield. The flames licked his skin as they washed over him.

    To his surprise, instead of the burning agony of a melted face, his cheeks felt like he had a bad sunburn. Regardless, he kept his round buckler between him and the Mander until the spell completed.

    Blake recognized the attack as Firebreath. It was a deadly spell that lasted for five full seconds. However, it consumed a large amount of mana and could not be cast again for over a minute.

    When the flames died, he dropped the super-heated shield and rushed the now weakened mana user. Without its spell, it could only rely on its speed and fangs to defend itself, something he easily overcame.

    Out of the corner of his eye, Blake saw the last Mander had also finished its spell. It sprang toward him while protected by a glowing shield of flickering flames.

    Blake thrust his sword into the maw of the last living Mander, but was forced to release his hold on the blade before his hand burned. Flame Shield did not burn nearly as hot as the Column of Fire spell, nor reach as far. However, it lasted longer.

    Luckily, he was highly resistant to heat and was able to ignore the spell long enough to deal with the creature. Once it died, the flames surrounding it sputtered out, and he was able to retrieve his sword and shield.

    After the battle was over, he quickly distanced himself from the hot wall to the cooler area near the center of the corridor. His entire body was drenched in sweat, and his face felt like he was out too long in the sun.

    That¡¯s strange.

    When he ran his fingers along his face to discover any damage, he discovered that his eyebrows and lashes were unburned. Only his skin was sensitive to touch.

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± he whooped with raised hands.

    Just as he surmised, his resistances were high enough to protect him from their attacks. While prolonged exposure to the heat would damage him, he would be unlikely to die instantly from any ambushes or mistakes. Blake retrieved a bottle of water and checked his status.

    Twenty-two percent complete. Nice.

    He only had three or four more groups to defeat. With any luck, he would be done in under two hours.

 Chapter 35 - Disbelief

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± His mother asked over holo-chat. ¡°You don¡¯t look so good.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he insisted. ¡°It¡¯s just really hot here.¡±

    Blake¡¯s last water bottle materialized from spatial storage, and he sighed with relief. He took great gulps of the cool liquid and was disappointed when the bottle emptied.

    ¡°I can delay the interview until you¡¯re back if you want,¡± she offered.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about it. Jordan already recommended them, and I trust your judgment.¡± He wiped the sweat from his brow. ¡°This is pretty much a formality. I¡¯m mostly just curious how they¡¯ll take the news.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re sure¡­¡± she trailed off doubtfully.

    ¡°Just turn off audio and increase the transparency of the holo-chat when they get there so I don¡¯t distract you.¡± Blake smirked. ¡°No one¡¯s going to listen to a crazy lady that hears voices in her head.¡±

    Donna snorted.

    Okay, break time¡¯s over.

    Blake stood and retrieved his weapons. His original estimate of two hours to complete the scenario had been woefully inaccurate. The simple corridor at the beginning had turned into a warren of tunnels. At every intersection, he had been forced to explore side passages, some very hot and narrow.

    It did not help that every group he crossed after his initial battle were clustered in twos or threes. The smaller numbers made for a safer fight, but were tedious to clear when spread throughout a maze of caverns.

    As he ducked through yet another side passage, the interviewees arrived. He watched a transparent view from his mother¡¯s perspective as four men in their twenties exited an older model car.

    I guess they all know each other.

    Donna opened the door to the restaurant and invited them in. They exchanged pleasantries, and after they were seated, Peter stopped by the table to ask what they wanted to order. His father had missed cooking, and did not want to let the food in the fridge go to waste. Since the restaurant was closed, they could not charge for the meal, but no law forbade them from cooking for ¡®friends¡¯.

    After a few moments, Blake began to pay only scant attention. Their introductions were banal, and he did not really care about their previous work experience. Although, he did find it humorous that one person only replied with the shortest possible answers. It seemed to frustrate his mother to no end, and she was forced to pry responses out of him.

    The quiet man¡¯s appearance also stood in stark contrast to his friends¡¯. They were all in their upper twenties, but where they were white and skinny, he was short, overweight, and looked Native American. He likely came from the reservation south of Pinetop.

    Their meals arrived, and the interview was paused as they consumed their free food. After he saw it would be some time before the questions resumed, Blake muted the audio and lowered the transparency until his parent¡¯s restaurant and its guests were barely visible.

    Finally!

    As Blake rounded a corner, he found the last three Manders against the wall. They immediately reacted to his presence. Two opened their jaws wide and began to cast their fire-based mana spells. The third, however, braced itself against the hot, glowing wall, ready to spring forward.

    Blake rushed the three alligator-like worms with his sword raised and his shield extended. Suddenly, just as he was about to clash with the trio, he stumbled and fell.

    What the hell?

    His collapse to the ground happened in slow motion. Even his arms failed to respond with their usual alacrity. He was barely able to raise his shield and sword in time to catch his fall, and his hands burned as they seared against the smoldering rock.

    Seriously? A freaking aether user?!

    Blake finally recognized the spell used against him, Slow. Unlike Temporal Slow, which had been used against Lord Zeleck just before Blake went back in time, this spell did not affect the flow of time. Both spells were aether based, but this only affected his own movement and reflexes. His perception of reality remained steady, it was his muscles that failed to respond with their usual speed.

    The fact that he was able to catch himself meant that he had partially resisted the spell. If it had fully applied to him, his face would have planted against the hot rocks rather than his hands.

    Blake slowly pushed himself up to his knees and raised his shield, just as the two Manders finished their cast. Two separate blasts of fire engulfed him. His buckler protected his hands and head directly from the flames, but the temperature began to steadily rise.

    The aether user remained stationary and maintained its spell. Unlike the other three energy types, all aether spells were channeled, and required a high amount of concentration to maintain. While an aether user could still fight and defend themselves while they sustained their spells, their prowess would be drastically reduced.

    I need to stop this!

    The fire showed no sign that it would relent. Already he coughed violently as the heat seared his lungs. If he stood still and waited for the spell to complete, he would likely be cooked alive.

    Blake kept the buckler between himself and the two Manders as he rose to his feet and slowly inched toward them through the effects of the spell. His legs, no longer tucked behind him, began to swelter as he steadily closed the gap.

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    When he was only a few feet from the source of the fire, he blindly thrust his blade forward around his shield. He felt the impact as his long sword skewered the Mander, and half the flames suddenly died. He tried to extract the steel from the dead monster, but his weapon refused to budge.

    Damnit! I don¡¯t have time for this!

    Blake released his hold on the longsword and propelled himself in slow motion toward the last mana user. His shield slammed into the monster¡¯s snout and instantly disrupted the spell.

    The fire ceased, but the Mander did not remain still. Instead, it counter-attacked. Blake felt pressure on his right arm as the monster¡¯s fangs closed around it.

    While it was occupied, he raised his buckler and bashed its edge against the top of the creature¡¯s head repeatedly. His movements were ponderous, and he lacked his full power, but with the monster immobilized, he prevailed.

    The Mander fell limp with its fangs embedded in his bracer, either unconscious or dead. Blake tried to release its hold, but its jaws were locked tight.

    Whatever, I¡¯ll pry it loose later.

    He advanced on the aether Mander, his shield before him on his left hand, while he dragged his last attacker behind. When he was only a foot away from the aether user, it sprang toward him. He felt it thump against his raised shield, and the second he felt the impact, the Slow was dispelled.

    With his full speed finally available to him, he tackled the dazed creature and bashed it repeatedly. Four strikes later, the creature died, and the Collective informed him the scenario was completed.

    Blake collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

    What would have been an easy fight almost turned deadly when the debilitating spell was used against him. Manders that did not use fire-based spells were uncommon, and alternate energy types were even rarer. Once again, if it were not for his abnormally high attributes, he would have died.

    Maybe I should go back to level zero or the Ursa?

    Classless Manders would be incredibly easy to defeat, and he would be unlikely to suffer an injury. However, he would need to complete five level zero scenarios to receive the same nano as he just did in this single run.

    He stood to distance himself from the hot ground.

    Meanwhile, without his scout, the Ursa scenario would consume his entire day. He could force his companion to follow his orders, regardless of their agreement, but he refused to break his word.

    Let¡¯s see what the rewards are.

    Four rewards appeared before his vision. The first two were duplicates of gear he already owned, while the last was a necklace that increased his Physical Stamina.

    The third option, however, was something new. It was a kite shield without the self-repair function of his current buckler. Instead, it attracted flames to its center and consumed them.

    According to the description, the shield could only absorb so much energy before it lost cohesion and disintegrated. However, while it remained operational, he would be almost invulnerable to the Mander¡¯s attacks.

    Maybe I don¡¯t need to change things up. At least, not while the shield lasts.

    Blake selected the kite shield and considered Rajesh¡¯s thoughts regarding the AI¡¯s intervention in their lives. While he waited for it to assemble, he unmuted his holo-chat feed and increased the opacity of the video.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s the truth, and I can prove it!¡± his mother insisted. Blake could hear a bit of frustration in her voice.

    The tallest of the white applicants shook his head, stood, and replied, ¡°Sorry lady, but this seems sus. I¡¯m out.¡±

    ¡°Same,¡± his friend replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m not falling for another scam,¡± the third adamantly replied.

    His mother followed them to the door, and tried to convince them to stay and see her proof. Unfortunately, her pleas fell on deaf ears. Finally, when they exited the door, she turned and sagged. Only one man remained, the quiet one from before.

    She addressed the last applicant. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to leave, too?¡±

    He shook his head.

    Curious, she asked, ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Free meal,¡± the man shrugged. ¡°Least I can do.¡±

    ¡°Well, like I told your friends, I can prove it.¡±

    Blake could see the doubt written across his face.

    Donna held out her hand. ¡°Kuruk, all you have to do is shake my hand, and I¡¯ll transfer the nanomachines to you,¡± she insisted. ¡°Then you¡¯ll see.¡±

    His brows rose, and his doubt remained, but after a shrug, he grasped palms with her. After the shake was over, he dropped his hands and shook his head.

    ¡°It takes a few minutes,¡± she explained.

    His eyes rolled.

    Why didn¡¯t she just transfer the nano from the beginning?

    Blake was about to speak up when he remembered that she muted him, just as he had muted her during the battle. He was annoyed that he missed their initial reactions to her story, but based upon the final result, he could guess how it progressed.

    Suddenly, Kuruk¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. He raised his arm and swept his fingers through the air. He muttered curses under his breath, and began to panic. His mother saw the crazed look in his eyes and tried her best to calm him down. When that did not work, she turned to Blake.

    ¡°Blake, what do you¡­ Oh my God! Are you okay?!¡±

    Her initial question turned to alarm as soon as she restored her holo-chat. Blake felt along his face and winced when he felt the burned skin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll live,¡± he promised. ¡°I just had some bad luck, is all.¡±

    He could tell that she wanted to ask more questions, and cut her off before she could do so. ¡°Mom, go ahead and share this holo-chat with him. Now that he has nanos, he can see what you do.¡±

    She frowned, but complied.

    Kuruk jumped in surprise when he saw Blake appear before him and immediately asked, ¡°What is this? Some experimental tech? I didn¡¯t consent to be a guinea pig!¡±

    The man was far more vocal now that he was panicked, and he rose to his feet. Before he could rush out the door, Blake said, ¡°Technically you did, she said she was transferring the machines. Here, let me show you something.¡±

    Blake raised his arm before him and displayed the corpse of the Mander, its jaws still attached to his bracer. While the fangs had not penetrated his armor, it was still uncomfortably tight around his skin.

    ¡°This right here is a monster, one of the many types which will attack Earth by the end of June.¡± He heard his mother gasp in shock at the sight. Kuruk focused on the creature, but remained frantic. ¡°Everything my mother told you is true. But, unlike billions of others, you have a chance to survive if you join us.¡±

    ¡°How¡­¡¯ he stuttered. ¡° How do you know? Why June?¡±

    Blake winced. ¡°Sorry, I assumed she told you about me. As you can see,¡± he raised his arm higher. ¡°I was kind of busy fighting, so I muted the feed. As crazy as it sounds, I¡¯m from the future. I have a chance to redo my past and save humanity from the invaders.¡±

    ¡°Is this, like, CGI or something?¡±

    Blake sighed. ¡°Look, it doesn¡¯t matter whether you believe us or not, the nanomachines are inside you already. The question is, do you want to get paid real money for the next five and a half months, or go home empty-handed?¡±

    Blake¡¯s last statement finally had an impact on Kuruk¡¯s state of mind. He took a deep breath and visibly calmed before he asked, ¡°Can I have some dessert while I think about it?¡±

 Chapter 36 - Morality

    ¡°Oh my God, that feels good,¡± Blake mumbled as he entered the frigid winter air. After being subjected to the furnace that was the Mander planet for hours, the mountains of Arizona were a blessed relief.

    Blake dropped his new shield to the side and dug into his pack. He ignored the leftover bottles he brought to the other planet, they were so hot they almost boiled, their plastic expanded with unreleased pressure. He unscrewed the top and gulped down the almost frozen water. The bottle continued to release its liquid until it was drained of every drop.

    ¡°Ahhhh,¡± he sighed in relief.

    His Physical Resistance was high enough to survive the extreme temperatures, but the sensation was still unpleasant. It was just as bad as he remembered. In his previous life, Blake¡¯s combat group refused to tackle the Mander scenario more than a single time per day after almost losing Jeff, their Psionic user, to heat exhaustion when the flame shield wore off. In some ways, the temperature was more dangerous than the monsters.

    He hated being hungry and thirsty.

    At the time, he was more than happy to go along with the rule. Now that he knew Earth would not be ready for the first invasion, he felt differently. He needed to do everything in his power to push himself and his faction, or history would repeat itself.

    I need to talk to mom.

    While he waited within the scenario, Blake had stewed on the interview he witnessed. The way Donna planned to recruit was not going to work. While she sat opposite their new recruit, Blake refrained from comment. He knew enough of leadership to never have a disagreement before a subordinate.

    Once his dessert was finished, Kuruk, their new blacksmith, agreed to work for them. At the same time, Blake¡¯s shield finally finished its assembly. He decided to exit the Mander planet and head back to Earth before he held the difficult conversation. It was going to be challenging enough to correct his mother, he might as well be comfortable while he did it.

    ¡°Hey mom,¡± he nodded in greeting when Donna answered.

    His mother frowned. ¡°Are you doing okay? Your skin looks VERY red.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he insisted. ¡°It''s from the heat. It¡¯ll be completely gone in a few days like it was never there.¡± Blake waved her concern away.

    ¡°If you say so,¡± she said, doubtfully. ¡°Do you want me to walk back to the kitchen so we can talk with your father, too? He¡¯s still cleaning. You know how he can¡¯t stand it dirty.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, I just wanted to talk about the way we¡¯re going to recruit people in the future.¡±

    ¡°So did I,¡± she agreed with a nod. ¡°I think we¡¯re going to need some proof to show them if we want them to agree to accept the nanos.¡±

    Blake smiled inwardly.

    Good, she¡¯s thinking about how to do a better job already. Much more approachable than my old Chancellor.

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing, the nanos themselves are proof. We don¡¯t need to show them anything, just transfer the little buggers over, and a few minutes later they¡¯re in the collective.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± she frowned and then took a deep breath. ¡°Blake, that would be wrong. You can¡¯t subject someone to something like that without their informed consent.¡±

    ¡°Normally, I would agree with you, but this is different. By the end of June, every single person on the planet is going to receive nanomachines, whether they want them or not. All we¡¯re doing is recruiting them to the Collective early to save their lives.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°That just means the Architect is at fault. That doesn¡¯t mean we have to stoop down to its level.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I agree. The Architect¡¯s a heartless bastard that enjoys toying with us. But, you¡¯re looking at it the wrong way. We aren¡¯t stooping down to its level, we¡¯re saving people from it,¡± he emphasized with passion.

    ¡°Blake¡­¡± she hesitated. ¡°There¡¯s right, and then there¡¯s wrong. You can¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°I disagree,¡± he interrupted. ¡°There¡¯s the living, and the dead. You¡¯ve had the luxury of living in a world where giving someone a choice is an option. Tell me this, if you knew all of humanity would die unless you transferred nano to people against their will, would you do it?¡±

    ¡°Well of course I would, but that¡¯s a slippery slope! First, you¡¯re adding them to the Collective for their own good, next, you¡¯re forcing them to fight goblins or go hungry. What happens after that, do you force them to kill humans that don¡¯t agree with you, or they die?¡±

    Blake frowned. Her logic was closer to the future than he¡¯d like. Many factions did force people to kill their enemies on threat of death. His last group, ¡®Knights Honor¡¯, was not one of those, but he had seen it happen.

    ¡°I would never force someone to kill anyone or anything,¡± he stressed. ¡°But, many will have to. You¡¯ll find out that humans are the worst kind of monster.¡±

    ¡°And what happens if you ask, and they refuse?¡±

    Blake could feel the heat in her voice as she pressed him for an answer.

    ¡°It depends on the situation. But, if you¡¯re looking for the worst case, then they are kicked out of the faction and exiled.¡±

    ¡°So, they kill or starve.¡± She sounded disappointed in him. ¡°Just as I feared.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, that punishment only pertains to criminals and combat classes who refuse to contribute. You¡¯re right, it would be a death sentence for non-combatants, but it¡¯s different for those who can fight. They have the strength they need to survive.¡±

    ¡°Blake,¡± she said, her voice strained. He noticed a concerned clarity in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m worried about you.¡±

    He wiped the cold sweat from his brow. ¡°Then, as my Chancellor, you can be the one to keep me in check. You can make sure I don¡¯t turn into a dictator.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± she agreed.

    ¡°Will you transfer nano to recruits to save their lives?¡± he pressed.

    Donna hesitated and then tried a different tactic. ¡°But, what if they¡¯re not what we¡¯re looking for? Wouldn¡¯t that waste a million nano?¡±

    Instead of answering her question, he asked one of his own. ¡°Do you trust Jordan¡¯s judgment?¡±

    She nodded slowly.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s your answer,¡± he shrugged.

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    ¡°What was the point of the interview if we just go off his word?¡±

    ¡°To invite them into the faction and explain to them what¡¯s going to happen.¡±

    ¡°And if Jordan¡¯s wrong?¡± she pressed.

    ¡°Then we kick them out. They¡¯ll still have the nano long before everyone else, and they''ll have the knowledge to survive. Even on their own, they¡¯ll have a MUCH higher chance than most people.¡± Blake saw her open her mouth to protest, so he raised his hand. ¡°Look, mom, this is why I wanted you to be Chancellor. Think of yourself as their manager. It¡¯s your job to make sure everyone does what they¡¯re supposed to, and let them know if they aren''t. I won¡¯t have time for that, especially once we get more people. If they aren¡¯t contributing, let them know, and tell them the consequences. If they still refuse to help¡­¡± Blake shook his head. ¡°Well, that¡¯s on them, not us.¡±

    Donna gazed down at her hands on the table. She continued to stare until she came to a decision. His mother looked up into his eyes with determination and then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do it, even if I still think it¡¯s wrong. But, I¡¯ll do everything I can to make sure we don¡¯t have to resort to something even more horrible. I¡¯m going to constantly push back whenever I think something you suggest is immoral. I¡¯ll make sure you never take it too far.¡±

    Blake let out a sigh of relief and then nodded. ¡°Good. Wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.¡± He then smiled. ¡°Thanks, mom. I love you.¡±

    Her stern expression broke, and her lips curled upward. ¡°I love you too, honey.¡±

    After that, he ended the awkward holo-chat and rifled through his pack to warm some food. He was starving, and wanted to eat two large meals before he attempted another scenario. While he waited for his dinner to finish, he contacted Jordan through the interface as well.

    After a short wait, the cowboy appeared in his vision, with the half completed blacksmith¡¯s workshop in the background.

    ¡°What can I do you for?¡± the man asked in a southern accent.

    ¡°I just wanted to check in and see how you¡¯re doing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing mighty fine,¡± Jordan grinned. ¡°Actually, I wish all projects were this convenient.¡±

    Blake tilted his head to the side. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°That warehouse you chose is a Godsend.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s finished already?¡± he asked.

    Jordan nodded. ¡°Just a couple hours ago. Right after, the moment I picked up a board, it asked if I wanted to store it inside. I figured, why the hell not, let¡¯s see what happens.¡± He smiled. ¡°It disappeared right out of my hands like it was never there. Then, when I wanted it back, it reappeared like magic. Once I figured it out, I sent everything on the flatbed to the warehouse. Ever since then, I¡¯ve been making much more progress. Do you know how convenient it is for a nail to appear between your fingers without having to reach into a pouch?¡±

    Blake grinned at the rhetorical question. He had never seen the contractor so animated and excited. The man always appeared unflappable and dispassionate, no matter what the situation.

    ¡°How goes the progress on the workshop?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Much faster than expected,¡± Jordan admitted. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how much of a difference that warehouse would make. I think I might actually finish by tomorrow evening before I head home.¡±

    ¡°Nice!¡± Blake grinned at the good news. ¡°Would it go faster if you had someone else there to help?¡±

    ¡°Not really. With the way this AI stuff works, the only thing they could do is hand me stuff, and the warehouse does that on its own.¡±

    Blake nodded absently. ¡°Okay, keep up the good work. I¡¯ll let you get back to it. I just wanted to see if you needed anything.¡±

    The man shook his head. ¡°Not a thing. You take care.¡±

    ¡°You too,¡± Blake responded and cut the holo-chat.

    His food was finally warm, and his stomach rebelled. He removed the hot chemical packet from the package and dug into his meal. It was salty and somehow also bland, but he was already focused on his future.

    Once he was full, he would pack and then reenter the Mander portal with his new shield. If it worked the way he expected, it would allow him to safely complete the scenario without fear of burns or scars. That was, at least, until it absorbed too much heat and broke apart.

    Hopefully it lasts long enough for me to buy my class.

    He absently checked his status while he ate, curious of his progress.

    Nano - 111m

    At one hundred and eleven million nano, he was over an eighth of his way to his goal of eight hundred million.

    So, if I get about fifty million nano per scenario, and finish two per day, that¡¯s one more week to get my class. Completely insane!

    The speed of his progress was still mind-boggling. He could even increase it further if he were willing to complete three or four scenarios per day. However, even with the new shield¡¯s aid, Blake felt it was too dangerous. His body and mind could only take so much abuse before he would begin to make mistakes. He already had burns across his hands and face that would make his fights more difficult, there was no reason to risk further damage to his body. Not to mention his constant need to eat.

    Once he finished his meal, he replaced his old buckler with the new fire-absorbent kite-shield, and collected supplies. With one last look around to ensure he did not forget anything, he took a deep breath and then stepped through the portal and into the void.

    He increased the difficulty to level one, as he had before, and was spit out into an oven. The stark contrast between the frigid cold of the Arizona mountains and the sweltering heat of the Mander caves was dramatic.

    Drops of sweat immediately ran down his face as he scanned the tight corridor for threats. Once he was sure of his safety, he dropped his extra bottles of water, hoped he did not need them, and equipped his shield.

    Woah!

    The moment he wrapped his hand around the kite-shield¡¯s grip, the heat which assaulted his body disappeared. He no longer felt as if he were being cooked alive. Instead, his shield absorbed the discomfort for him. The relief was instantaneous. Curious, he checked the shield¡¯s durability.

    Still one hundred percent.

    The effect was amazing. He had never received a piece of equipment like this before, and could not help but chuckle at his good luck. Again he thought back to how Rajesh would have given thanks to the Architect, but Blake refused to praise the evil AI.

    In the past, his group had used a spell to survive the heat. Flame Shield performed a function similar to his new shield, but at level one, it only lasted for an hour and took almost as long before it could be recast. That meant that until the spell evolved, only a single person in his old four-man group was protected.

    Unfortunately, because Blake had the highest Physical and Magical Resistance in his party, he was never the recipient of the spell. Montgomery, their crazy mana user, had the lowest Physical Resistance, so it was agreed he was the lucky one to be protected. By the time Montgomery¡¯s spell evolved to encompass the entire group, they no longer fought against Manders.

    I can¡¯t believe how nice this is.

    He pushed on through the tunnels, eager to see how it fared against their magical attacks. Blake was so confident in his new protection, he almost skipped through the corridor. However, he contained his enthusiasm.

    When he turned a corner and found his first group of four Manders, he grinned in excitement. Before they could even react, he sprinted, shield before him. Over the top of the shield, he saw all four tongues gyrate with strange motions.

    Good, they¡¯re all mana users.

    He barreled forward and slammed into the closest enemy. The Mander was thrown against the glowing wall behind it and slid toward the ground, stunned.

    Before it hit the rock below, Blake thrust his longsword into the next closest Mander¡¯s open mouth. The blade severed its lengthy tongue, pierced through the roof of its wide maw, and into its brain.

    Flames suddenly shot from the furthest enemy¡¯s mouth. The horizontal column was directed toward his unprotected face, but at the last moment, the plume was redirected to his new shield.

    ¡°Hah!¡± he barked with glee and rushed forward to end the threat.

    The hard surface of his shield slammed into the Mander¡¯s open mouth and extinguished the torrent of flames. A quick slash of his sword ended the threat, and he moved on to the last uninjured foe.

    It finished its long spell-form before he could rush its position. To his surprise, light blinded his eyes while a crack of sound assaulted his ears. Lightning streaked through the air, faster than he could follow, and slammed into his right leg.

    A blackened hole was burned into his leather trousers, yet the skin below remained relatively unharmed. Before it could launch itself toward him, Blake quickly slashed his longsword through its neck. He executed the original, stunned, enemy, and then examined his wound.

    Where a wide hole was burned into his armor, only a tiny cauterized gash in his skin lay beneath. He moved his leg around in the air and felt no pain nor restriction of movement.

    Huh, that lightning produced heat, I wonder why it didn¡¯t intercept the attack?

    Blake was not sure how exactly the enchantment placed upon the shield worked. However, it seemed to function perfectly against the Mander¡¯s most common method of attack, fire. He once again checked the durability of the new shield and was surprised at how well it stood up to attack.

    Still at ninety-eight percent durability. This might just last me until I get my class.

    With a grin on his face, Blake continued along the tunnel, eager to continue his fight.

 Chapter 37 - The Blacksmith

    Blake threw his mostly empty bag off into the back seat of the twenty-four-year-old car. He shut the door and climbed into the passenger seat, carefully to keep his longsword from binding in the door.

    ¡°Thanks for giving me a ride, Kuruk.¡±

    Instead of the expected, ¡®You¡¯re welcome¡¯, he was met with wide eyes. ¡°You¡¯re REAL!¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m real, what else would I be?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, man. I thought maybe you were CGI or something.¡±

    ¡°Why would you drive over thirty minutes away to pick up some CGI?¡±

    Kuruk shrugged. ¡°I get paid whether you¡¯re real or not.¡±

    ¡°Fair,¡± Blake conceded and chuckled at his pragmatism.

    After a short pause, the man asked, ¡°What were you doing down here?¡±

    ¡°Killing Manders,¡± he easily responded.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°You remember that thing I showed you yesterday that was attached to my arm?¡± After Kuruk nodded, he continued. ¡°That¡¯s a Mander.¡±

    Another few seconds of silence passed before the native asked, ¡°Never seen one of those before. Did it escape from a zoo?¡±

    Blake sighed. ¡°My mother told you what¡¯s going on. You¡¯ve seen the proof with your own eyes now. Why do you persist in denying it?¡±

    Kuruk frowned. ¡°You mean the whole alien invasion thing?¡±

    ¡°YES, the whole alien invasion thing!¡± Blake yelled, frustrated.

    The short man¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°So, that Mander thing invaded our planet, and you had to stop it or something?¡±

    ¡°Weeelll, technically, I invaded its planet.¡± Blake admitted. ¡°But, in another five months, yeah, they¡¯ll start popping up.¡±

    Kuruk shook his head and muttered under his breath, ¡°Ndeen Lligai.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°Nothing¡­¡±

    He shook his head. Blake did not speak Apache, but from his tone, he assumed he was just insulted.

    You know, I should probably get to know him.

    ¡°So Kuruk, where do you live?¡±

    ¡°McNary,¡± came the single word response.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Blake trailed off. ¡°Do you have your own place, or live with your family?¡±

    ¡°Grandparents.¡±

    ¡°Well, before you got this job, what did you do for a living?¡± he asked.

    Kuruk shrugged. ¡°Whatever paid.¡±

    Blake let out a long sigh as he rubbed his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t talk much, do you?¡±

    The native shook his head.

    After Blake failed in his attempt to bond with the new faction member, he remained silent for the rest of the drive. If the man wanted to keep to himself, he was fine with that. All that mattered was his work ethic.

    Kuruk turned into the gravel pad, and drove through the open gate. Beyond sat a large field with three structures in the center. The driver parked his car near the entrance, and they both exited the vehicle.

    Jordan kneeled down before the mostly completed Metal Workshop with a hammer, while Blake¡¯s mother stood next to him. When the car door slammed, it drew both of their attention, and she waved in greeting.

    He returned her wave and approached the busy couple. ¡°Hey mom, hey Jordan, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    The Constructor continued to work while Donna answered, ¡°Oh, just planning out what building to make next, since this one¡¯s almost done.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Blake titled his head. ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°¡®Bout fifteen, twenty minutes,¡± Jordan answered in a gruff voice.

    ¡°Great,¡± he smiled. ¡°How much nano did it end up costing us?¡±

    ¡°A little over nineteen million,¡± Donna answered.

    Blake grimaced. ¡°That leaves, what, five million left in the treasury?¡±

    Donna nodded.

    He sighed. ¡°I guess I need to deposit more before you start the next building.¡± Blake observed Jordan. When he saw how busy the man was, he said, ¡°Might as well do that now.¡±

    He glanced over his shoulder and saw Kuruk as he stared intently at the mostly formed structure. The man was frozen as his eyes tracked Jordan¡¯s work in awe. When Blake¡¯s gaze returned to Jordan and a two by four suddenly appeared in the Constructor¡¯s hands, he heard the new faction member gasp.

    Stolen story; please report.

    Blake chuckled and strode toward the faction hall. The hut remained as primitive and small as ever, and he was eager to upgrade it to the next level. He entered through the open door, placed his hand on the crystal sphere, and navigated the menu until he was able to deposit nano into the treasury. His stomach growled.

    How much should I transfer?

    He quickly considered the math. After completing two more level one scenarios with his new shield, he held a little over two hundred and nine million nano in reserve. It was a quarter of the eight hundred million he needed to unlock his combat class.

    Better just move over fifty million for now.

    He transferred the nano and sighed when he watched his accumulated wealth drop to one hundred and fifty-nine million.

    Hard come, easy go.

    He looked up to his mother, who followed him. ¡°So, what do we have to build to upgrade the faction hall to level two?¡±

    ¡°Two more buildings, a Wood Workshop, and a Quarry.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Blake drawled. ¡°Isn¡¯t a quarry just a hole in the ground?¡±

    Donna smiled and shrugged. ¡°Essentially.¡±

    ¡°Then what would we need to build?¡± he asked.

    ¡°The quarry works a little differently,¡± she explained. ¡°When you choose to construct the structure, the wireframe shows you where best to place it for the most stone. The higher the resources available, the brighter the green glow.¡±

    ¡°So, it scans the area looking for underground rock for you?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°How much nano will that cost?¡±

    ¡°Ten million, but Jordan says he can cut that in half if he does the labor.¡± Suddenly, she smiled. ¡°But, the good news is, it¡¯ll only take around five or six hours.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Blake nodded. ¡°What about the wood workshop?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s going to take about the same amount of time as the metal workshop, and will cost us a similar amount of nano.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so that¡¯ll leave the treasury with about thirty million nano after those two buildings¡­¡± he scratched his chin. ¡°Hopefully, that¡¯s enough to upgrade the faction hall to level two.¡±

    Donna frowned. ¡°Blake, are you doing okay?¡±

    His first instinct was to lie and claim he was fine. Instead, he decided to share some of his concerns. ¡°I¡¯m mostly fine, but I¡¯m worried about how hungry I am all the time. I really need to get my combat class soon, so this crazy diet can go away.¡±

    ¡°How much longer?¡± she asked, concerned.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m at a hundred and fifty out of eight hundred million. I figure, if I run two scenarios a day, I can get it done in a week.¡±

    ¡°You should take that fifty million back,¡± she advised. ¡°If it¡¯ll save you a day, the town can wait.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, a single day won¡¯t matter for me, but the faster I can build the town, the better. For Oliver.¡±

    ¡°If you''re sure¡­¡±

    He nodded and changed the subject. ¡°Where¡¯s dad and Oliver?¡±

    ¡°Well, your brother is still at the apartment. He mostly just sits on the couch and eats all our food,¡± she said wryly. ¡°Your father is driving around doing errands, distracting that cop that¡¯s following us.¡± Suddenly she smiled. ¡°Right now, the cop thinks I¡¯m getting my nails done.¡±

    Blake laughed.

    ¡°What about you, Blake? What plans do you have?¡±

    ¡°Well, my supplies are gone, so I need more food and water. Once I get that, I plan on heading back to take on more Manders.¡±

    ¡°I figured you¡¯d need more soon, so I have another pack ready for you. Dad picked up some of your favorites.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± he grinned. ¡°That¡¯ll save me some time. I just finished one scenario today before I ran out of food. I wanted to get another one done this evening.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Not with the scenarios, no.¡± Blake took a deep breath. ¡°But, if you can get Kuruk to convince his three friends to show up here, I can convince them to join us.¡±

    She frowned, but said, ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Other than that, just help Jordan get whatever supplies he needs to build the other workshop.¡±

    ¡°Already planned on that,¡± she confirmed and then grinned. ¡°It¡¯s amazing how much easier having money makes things.¡±

    ¡°It sure is,¡± he agreed. ¡°I like having a chauffeur to drive me around. Oh, that¡¯s something else you can get started on. We¡¯ll need a fleet of old diesel trucks before Invasion day.¡±

    ¡°Why diesel?¡± she asked, confused.

    ¡°OLD, diesel,¡± he corrected. ¡°After Invasion day, electricity doesn¡¯t work anymore. That means the starters and half the crap on gas trucks won¡¯t work. Older diesels, though, can be modified so they start with a hand crank, or a good push.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how to modify them?¡± she asked.

    He shook his head. ¡°No, but I¡¯m sure any decent mechanic can figure it out. Especially if you pay them enough.¡±

    ¡°How many do we need in this fleet?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± he tilted his head to the side. ¡°I¡¯d like to get at least a hundred converted before the end of June.¡±

    ¡°A hundred!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Why so many?¡±

    ¡°Because I plan on making our faction huge, and after Invasion day, it¡¯s much harder to get them to work. You can¡¯t exactly order parts online. For the first few months, we¡¯ll be the only ones with working vehicles. We¡¯ll need all of them to rescue people and move supplies.¡±

    ¡°How many people do you think we can save?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted. ¡°That depends on the size of our town. I want to make as many bunkhouses as I can before Invasion day. Like I said, the faster we can build, the more people we can save.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± she agreed. ¡°If nothing else, I can order enough parts for a thousand trucks and store them for later. But I guess I need to find a mechanic first.¡±

    ¡°Good idea,¡± he nodded. When he could think of nothing else, he said, ¡°Well, let¡¯s make Kuruk a blacksmith.¡±

    He exited the tiny building and traveled over to where the native stood, mesmerized, as Jordan worked. ¡°Hey Kuruk!¡±

    The native jumped in surprise and turned.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to give you your class,¡± Blake grinned. ¡°Come with me,¡± he gestured.

    Kuruk followed him to the hut, where he gestured toward the crystal. ¡°Go ahead and place a hand on that.¡± After he dubiously complied, Blake turned to his mother. ¡°Do you want to do the honors?¡±

    She nodded and focused inward.

    Suddenly, Kuruk gasped, and his hands reached for his head.

    Oh yeah, I forgot again.

    Blake rushed over, far faster than humanly possible, and caught the man before he collapsed to the ground. He eased the limp form down gently and turned to his mother. ¡°We should get a recliner in here or something for assigning classes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll put it on the list,¡± she smiled.

    A minute later, Kuruk woke up. ¡°What happened?¡± he groaned as he rubbed his head.

    ¡°The Architect downloaded everything you need to know about your class into your brain.¡±

    ¡°Was it supposed to hurt like that?¡± he asked.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°No pain, no gain.¡±

    ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± the man muttered.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve experienced plenty of pain,¡± he corrected. When he saw his mother frown, he changed the subject. ¡°So, once you feel better, you can drop me off at the Mander portal, and then start making tools for Jordan. Just ask him what he needs or follow whatever directives the Architect gives you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure it out.¡±

    Kuruk opened his mouth to ask a question, but instead frowned as he looked through his interface. The young man shook his head and laughed, ¡°I suppose I will.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± Blake clapped his hands together. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get going. Lot¡¯s to do today, and I¡¯m starving.¡±

 Chapter 38 - The Recruits

    Blake felt a cool mountain breeze wash over him as he exited the Mander portal. He breathed the refreshing air deeply, and let it infuse his body.

    The shield currently attached to his back absorbed all dangerous heat, yet the cave complex remained stifling. Despite the magic of his shield, there was something other than heat that made him feel uncomfortable. The fresh mountain air, however, was rejuvenating, and he felt as if he were free once more.

    After a second deep breath, he retrieved his almost empty bag of supplies and sleeping pad, and climbed back through the rocky valley to the gravel road.

    As he stepped into the clearing, Blake waved at the old car that idled in wait for him. Kuruk locked eyes with him and gave the barest hint of a nod to acknowledge his presence. It had been two days since he had last seen the man.

    In that time, he had gained a little over two hundred million additional nano. That put him at three hundred and sixty-two million nano total, almost halfway to his goal.

    Just five more days.

    His stomach growled, and he absently reached into the pack to search for a food bar. When his hand came back empty, he scowled in disappointment.

    Blake circled the parked vehicle, and opened the back door. The moment his nostrils were exposed to the inside air, he began to salivate.

    ¡°Please tell me you brought me some McDavidson¡¯s, too,¡± Blake pleaded.

    Kuruk nodded.

    ¡°Oh, thank God!¡± Blake celebrated as he threw his large shield and bag of supplies into the back seat. He slammed the door closed and raced to the front, eager to stuff his face with a greasy burger and salty fries. In his rush, he failed to account for the longsword at his hip, which stopped the door from closing as he tried and failed to slam the door shut.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he winced as he inspected the damage. There was a new small divot where the sword was pinched between the metal of the door and the frame.

    After the embarrassing mistake, he carefully lifted the sword¡¯s sheath into the vehicle and gently pulled the door closed. Only then did he open the paper bag full of goodness. A moment later, he had a half-eaten burger in his hands, and a mouth full of food.

    I can¡¯t wait until this hunger¡¯s gone.

    Blake had noticed the simple mistakes he made while hungry, long before he damaged Kuruk¡¯s car. To combat the issue, he ensured he was surrounded by food at all times. Unfortunately, with how much he ate, an entire duffle bag, full of food and water, only lasted him a day and a half.

    The car pulled away as he finished off the first burger and reached for one of the large fries. Blake moaned in pleasure as he wolfed down the salty goodness. After he swallowed, he turned to his driver. ¡°Thanks for the ride. And the food.¡±

    Kuruk shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s my job, the food was your mother¡¯s idea.¡±

    Blake nodded along. ¡°Sure, but I appreciate it anyway.¡± When the container was empty, he reached into the bag and retrieved his second, triple patty hamburger. ¡°So, how¡¯d you convince your friends to show up again?¡±

    ¡°Showed them the cash,¡± Kuruk responded.

    Blake had promised his mother that he would be there when the three skeptics that fled the interview returned. It was the reason Kuruk was sent to retrieve him, rather than just drop off new supplies. She wanted assistance in convincing the three young men, and he needed a break anyway.

    No matter how important his job was, he could only handle solitude for so long. He was not a machine.

    I miss the old team.

    He adjusted the air vents onto his face and relaxed into the passenger seat. In his past life, once he joined a faction, he was never alone. Every time he entered a portal, it was with the same three others. Two were close friends from before Invasion day. Montgomery was their mana user. The man never shut up, which at times could be annoying. However, he came to draw comfort and entertainment from the manic mage¡¯s words.

    Blake considered his silent driver.

    Jeff, in contrast to his close friend, was similar to Kuruk. He was a man of few words. However, when he did speak, everyone quieted to listen. For whatever reason, Jeff seemed to blindly follow Montgomery. The quiet man acted as their group¡¯s psi user and had saved their asses numerous times. According to the mana user, they had both worked as volunteer firefighters in northern Phoenix before Invasion day, and had been inseparable ever since.

    Their last member, Rajesh, was an aether user. He had lived in Tempe, near the University, where he had been enrolled into a PhD engineering program. Unlike Blake, the Indian quickly grew irritated by Montgomery¡¯s non-stop chatter. The arguments between the two had been epic, and Blake had to intervene multiple times before they came to blows.

    Blake would love to see the friends he had spent years fighting beside once again. They would not know him, as they had yet to meet, but they were good people who he planned to make the core of his combat teams.

    I should find them before Invasion day.

    Unfortunately, he did not have the time to track them down at the moment. Their cell phones would be unlisted, and he could not even remember Rajesh¡¯s last name.

    Between gaining enough nano to purchase his class, and assisting with the town, his schedule was full anyway. Phoenix was three hours away, and he was a wanted man. Perhaps he would revisit the idea when they had built the bunkhouses and additional infrastructure necessary to house a combat team. There would be plenty of time available to look for his friends before the fateful day.

    The Terran Alliance was just in its infancy, and he had big plans.

    When Kuruk pulled into their leased property, Blake was surprised. He had day-dreamed of his friends for the entire thirty-minute ride, and had not paid even the slightest attention to their route.

    It was nice to not be constantly on alert.

    Blake exited the vehicle and walked through the tall grass toward the primitive buildings in the distance. He admired the work completed so far. Kuruk followed silently behind. The largest structure by far was the warehouse. It dwarfed the tiny faction hall, the simple metal workshop, and the almost completed wood workshop. Blake scanned the perimeter and smiled when he saw a quarry pit with exposed stone.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Good, just another few hours and we¡¯ll be ready to upgrade the faction hall.

    In order to increase the Faction Hall¡¯s level, they needed to construct the two workshops and the quarry. Blake did not know why the Architect chose to do things the way it did, but it was not like he could ask the machine. Or rather, he could ask, but it would never answer.

    Blake and millions of others had spent countless hours either cursing the AI or begging for mercy. To his knowledge, the Architect had never responded to anyone, despite being able to read their minds. It was just one more reason to hate the machine.

    On the other hand, it doesn¡¯t answer its worshipers, either.

    He found Donna within the faction hall on her smartphone, frowning. She was so distracted by her task, she failed to notice when Blake and Kuruk entered the small hut.

    ¡°Hey mom, how¡¯re things going?¡±

    Donna jerked and then swore as she fumbled for her almost dropped phone. Once she recovered from her surprise, she looked up. ¡°Things are fine.¡± Then she grumbled, ¡°Although, they would be better if people would answer their damn phones.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked.

    She shook her head and sighed. ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, I¡¯m just frustrated.¡± When Blake remained silent, she continued her rant. ¡°Builder-depot won¡¯t get their shipment of lumber until tomorrow morning. Evidently, they aren¡¯t used to people buying up everything they have.¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°Well, it got me thinking. Why not fill up the warehouse with all the wood and metal we can get before Invasion day. That way, we aren¡¯t waiting on deliveries, and we won¡¯t have to load up a trailer and transport it. If I can make a deal with the supplier, we can have wood delivered here directly.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she smiled. ¡°I thought so, too.¡± Her grin faded. ¡°But, the lumberyard won¡¯t answer their phone. Neither will the steel mill,¡± she added.

    Blake was about to respond when he heard the thumping of bass from a nearby car. He stuck his head outside the small faction hall to investigate and identified the source, an older vehicle with three young men inside.

    ¡°Looks like our recruits are here,¡± he announced and turned to the short native beside him. ¡°Do they always blast music that loud? I¡¯m surprised they can still hear.¡±

    Kuruk grunted in response.

    Donna followed him outside, and even Jordan paused his work on the wood workshop to investigate the anomaly. The rumble of bass continued to thump with rapid tempo until the car doors opened and three young men exited.

    As they strode toward the burgeoning town, they glanced around at the primitive structures, curious. The tallest of the three asked, ¡°What is this, a renaissance fair or something?¡±

    ¡°No, you idiot, it¡¯s obviously a homestead.¡± His long-haired friend corrected. ¡°They think the world¡¯s ending, remember. They¡¯re going off grid and everything.¡±

    Donna frowned at their lack of manners, but Blake grinned and responded to the group. ¡°He¡¯s not wrong, actually. Think of us as homesteaders, and you¡¯ll get paid to help us build out our base and prep.¡±

    The tallest of the three shrugged and said, ¡°As long as we get paid, I don¡¯t care what you¡¯re doin¡¯ here.¡±

    He held out his hand to the man with long hair. ¡°Hi, my name¡¯s Blake.¡±

    Despite his earlier lack of manners, he reached out with his own hand to return the gesture and introduce himself. ¡°Hey Kid, I¡¯m Owen.¡±

    As they clasped hands briefly, Blake transferred the million nano to initiate the man into the Collective. He then turned to the tallest of the three and repeated the handshake.

    ¡°Jason,¡± the tall man said as he transferred nano to him as well.

    Finally, Blake turned to the last, silent recruit. The twenty-something year old blond was short with a perpetual frown. He could not tell if the man was upset by something, or always looked that way.

    ¡°Brent,¡± the dour man said as they shook hands. He glanced at Blake¡¯s armor and longsword and asked, ¡°You workin¡¯ here too?¡±

    ¡°Sure am,¡± he confirmed as he transferred over the nano.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to wear that to work here, do we?¡± Jason asked.

    Blake smiled. ¡°Only if you want to.¡±

    ¡°Not gonna lie,¡± Owen said. ¡°That sword¡¯s baller. Can I see it?¡±

    ¡°Maybe later.¡± Blake responded. ¡°For now, I want to introduce you three to the Collective and show you how it all works.¡±

    Jason snorted. ¡°Is that what you call yourselves?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, I called the faction the Terran Alliance. The Collective is something else.¡±

    ¡°The Zerg are better,¡± Brent mumbled.

    Blake glanced back at his mother, who had her arms crossed in disappointment. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, should be just a moment,¡± he promised. As if his words summoned the transition, the three recruits suddenly cursed and jerked in surprise.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Owen blurted and swiped his hands through the air.

    Brent remained silent, but was equally concerned as he stared cross-eyed at the words across his vision.

    Jason yelled, ¡°What the hell did you do to us?¡±

    As he turned to address the suddenly irate man, Blake noticed the satisfied smirk on Kuruk¡¯s face.

    I¡¯m glad at least someone¡¯s enjoying this.

    ¡°I transferred nanomachines to each of you so you could join the Collective five months early. What you¡¯re experiencing is going to happen to the entire world at the end of June. But, unlike most people, you¡¯ll get a nice safe introduction to your new reality.¡±

    ¡°Nanomachines?¡± Jason blurted. ¡°Where the hell did you get those? Did you steal them from the government or something?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Blake assured him. ¡°I got them from killing monsters on another planet.¡±

    A look of disbelief crossed their faces and Brent mumbled, ¡°Cap¡­¡±

    Blake looked the shorter man in the eye and responded, ¡°No cap. Everything I¡¯m telling you is the truth. It¡¯s just going to take a while before you accept it.¡±

    Owen turned to Kuruk, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us about this crazy bastard?¡±

    The native shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s all true.¡±

    The long-haired man sneered in response. ¡°Is this bullshit all because I haven¡¯t paid you back yet? I swear, next time I get paid, you¡¯ll get your two hundred bucks.¡±

    Blake interrupted. ¡°I think a demonstration is in order.¡± He turned to the blacksmith. ¡°Do you mind helping me out with something?¡±

    He accepted the shrug as an affirmative response and reached out to the slightly overweight native¡¯s waist. Before Kuruk could protest, he grasped both sides of his hips, and flung him into the air.

    A surprised screech escaped the man¡¯s mouth as he rose ten feet into the air. Blake sidestepped beneath the large projectile and deftly caught him before he could hit the ground. Then, to show how easy it was for him to handle the flailing native, he lifted him above his head and balanced Kuruk sideways on a single hand.

    Blake glanced back at the three new recruits and asked, ¡°Any questions?¡±

    ¡°Let me down!¡± Kuruk demanded.

    He acquiesced and gently lowered the irate man to the ground before he returned his attention to his stunned audience. For once, the three were completely silent. Their jaws seemed to drop to the ground as their eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.

    Finally, Jason blurted, ¡°How¡¯d you do that?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re even skinnier than I am,¡± Owen added and again waved his hand in frustration at the interface in his vision.

    ¡°I told you, it¡¯s the nanomachines. They enhance your body so you¡¯re stronger, faster, and tougher.¡±

    ¡°Are we going to be able to do that?¡± Brent asked, his sour expression for once replaced with awe.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Blake hedged. ¡°If you want the words in front of you to go away, just visualize them disappearing, it¡¯ll happen automatically. There are other menus and features that we can also get into later as well.¡±

    ¡°Who else knows about this?¡± Jason interrupted.

    ¡°Just the people here and my family,¡± Blake answered.

    ¡°Uh,¡± Owen stammered. ¡°What about the government? Shouldn¡¯t they know?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, the government has no idea and there¡¯s no point in telling them. Even if I were able to find the right person and convince them, they¡¯ll just lock me up in a room for study.¡± He looked each of their new recruits in the eyes. ¡°Trust me, in five months, the government won¡¯t even exist.¡±

 Interlude - The Government

    It took everything in Captain Jeremy Jackson¡¯s power to rein in his anticipation. He had to force his pace to remain steady and controlled as he strode down the hall.

    Over the last week, rumors had abounded of strange events. However, every time he asked for more information, he was stonewalled. With his high level security clearance, this suppression was especially irritating to him.

    However, now that he would be fully read in, that irritation was gone as if it never were. Jeremy could not wait to find out what was really happening. Visions of UFOs and little gray men filled his imagination as he marched down the tiled hallway of the Pentagon.

    As he passed numerous high ranking service members, he was once again relieved he no longer had to salute. Instead of the dress greens of his fellow soldiers, he was clothed in black slacks, a light blue buttoned-down shirt, and a navy tie.

    Technically, he was still in the army.

    For the last year he had been a special teams member, based out of Fort Carson, Colorado. In that time, he was read into quite a few interesting operations. Unlike some, Jeremy enjoyed the constant training and readiness drills.

    Which was why he originally turned down the transfer request. Yesterday, he was asked if he wanted a transfer to a newly formed unit in DC. He liked where he was stationed and had zero urge to be moved to the capital, where he would most likely sit around bored.

    However, when his commanding officer conspiratorially mentioned he may receive some of the answers to the sensitive questions he had been asking, his attitude changed entirely.

    After he signed the paperwork, which included numerous non-disclosure agreements, he was whisked on the first plane to Dulles Airport, set up in a cheap hotel, and ordered to report for briefing in the pentagon at thirteen hundred hours.

    He grinned as he continued along the hallway. He had never seen the military move that fast. Something big was brewing.

    When Jeremy reached the designated room, he glanced down at the printed copy of his orders to ensure he was in the correct location. Two enlisted stood on each side of the door and requested to see them before he was allowed to enter the secure room.

    When he was finally allowed inside, he quickly glanced around. He saw the typical seats of a small auditorium, only half filled, yet not a single uniform was in sight.

    They¡¯re probably in their civies like me.

    As he surveyed his surroundings, a confident voice interrupted his observations. ¡°Captain Jackson, glad you could make it.¡±

    The pudgy, balding man, in his late thirties, held out his hand. After Jeremy hesitantly extended his own in response, the man added, ¡°I¡¯m Scott Peters, CIA. I¡¯ve been placed in charge of this operation by the joint chiefs.¡±

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    What the hell? I¡¯m working for the CIA now?

    Jeremy was careful to keep his expression neutral as he shook his new boss¡¯ hand.

    ¡°I wanted to introduce myself to you and your fellow soldiers, individually, before we began. I¡¯m sure you have lots of questions, but rest assured, they¡¯ll be answered before the day¡¯s out. Now, go ahead and take a seat,¡± Scott ordered with a smile, ¡°Just one person left before we begin.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± Jeremy responded and attempted to reflect the man¡¯s easy manner. He found an empty seat on the third row, nodded to what was most likely a fellow soldier nearby, and waited quietly, albeit impatiently, for the briefing to begin. Around him, his fellow attendees seemed equally reserved as they remained silent in wait.

    A few minutes later, on the hour, Mister Peters cleared his throat, loudly.

    ¡°Thank you all for coming. I¡¯ve already introduced myself to each of you, but before I begin, I want to impress upon you all the importance of secrecy. There will be no handouts with this brief, and let me be clear,¡± he paused as he looked pointedly around the room. ¡°Not only are you not allowed to disclose today¡¯s information, but anyone who even so much as writes down notes will face severe consequences. Am I understood?¡±

    A chorus of ¡®yes sir¡¯ filled the room, and Scott nodded to himself absently. ¡°Excellent. Now, over the last few weeks, thousands of people across the United States have gone missing. As usual, local police and the FBI were notified and began investigating. It remained within their purview, until a few days ago, when one of those missing people returned.¡±

    He paused dramatically, and Jeremy leaned forward in his seat, eager to hear what came next.

    ¡°Justin Miller claimed to have traveled to another world. Mister Miller stated that he transitioned through a portal to another planet, where he was forced to kill aliens before he was allowed to return.¡±

    Jeremy¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.

    What the hell? Is this for real?

    ¡°Now,¡± Mister Peters held up a hand before him. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. The guy¡¯s obviously nuts, and needs to be committed. That was exactly what the police thought as well, and they placed him under arrest until they could figure out what to do with him. However, after hours of pleading, the local PD finally agreed to look into it. Hours later, when the officers returned from their investigation, they corroborated Mister Miller¡¯s statements.¡±

    Mister Peters paused once again before he said, ¡°The threat is real. Since then, numerous portals around the US, and the globe, have been discovered. We already have others in charge of quarantine and containment. Your job, however, is to enter the portals with your teams and report back on everything you find.¡±

    ¡°According to Mister Miller, the aliens were humanoid, with purplish-red skin, and had horns. According to him, they were identified as Tieflings by what he calls his ¡®interface¡¯,¡± Scott used air quotes, ¡°and could somehow speak English.¡±

    Jeremy frowned.

    ¡°He claims to have joined something called the ¡®Collective¡¯,¡± more air quotes, ¡°and received nanomachines which can supposedly accomplish impressive things. That is currently under investigation as we speak, but the technology is real. We have confirmed that his tissues are infused with microscopic technology.¡±

    Uh, what if that happens to us, too? Are we going to be guinea pigs? Is that the real mission?

    Despite the numerous questions that raced through his mind, he and the others remained silent.

    ¡°Now, let me put your mind at ease. There¡¯s no need to worry about an alien invasion. We have technology of our own that has been hidden from the public for decades. Back in the nineteen forties, we developed anti-gravity drives that run off of zero-point energy modules. You may have heard of some of the original test pilot¡¯s failures. They crashed in Roswell, New Mexico.¡±

    Jeremy¡¯s jaw dropped.

    ¡°Since then, they have perfected the tech and improved upon it. Trust me, the United States is not in danger.¡±

 Chapter 39 - Off-World Supplies

    Blake sighed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, the Architect is going to suppress electricity and technology will no longer work, so there¡¯s no point in downloading hundreds of movies.¡±

    Blake had spent over two hours answering their questions. While he filled the new recruits in, Jordan finished his work on the wood workshop and left for dinner. The constructor promised to bring back two meals for Blake, and he waited impatiently for the man¡¯s return.

    Even though it had been less than three hours since he last ate, he was starving, as always. His hunger had begun to affect his temper. He knew they were only trying to offer advice, but their constant interruptions annoyed him. He was certain they could hear his stomach.

    ¡°Look,¡± he held up a hand to forestall further queries. ¡°I¡¯ll answer more of your questions later. Right now, let¡¯s get each of you a class. Come with me.¡± He turned and strode past his amused mother to the faction hall.

    The whole point of making her Chancellor was so she could deal with this crap!

    Blake entered the small hut and circled around the small table with crystal, before he turned to wait for the new recruits. Shortly after, they followed him inside, along with his mother.

    ¡°So, who wants to be the stonemason, who wants to be the woodworker, and who wants to be a constructor like Jordan?¡±

    ¡°I do like working with wood,¡± Jason confessed. He hesitantly glanced between Owen and Brent, before he stated, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be the woodworker.¡±

    Blake nodded and gestured toward the basketball sized sphere. ¡°Go ahead and touch that, then.¡±

    Once his fingers were spread across the large crystal, his mother said, ¡°I¡¯ll assign the job, I¡¯ve got a directive for it.¡±  After a moment of concentration, she frowned, regained her composure and lightly suggested. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we have him sit down first?¡±

    Blake winced.

    I need to get this hunger under control, it¡¯s making me stupid.

    ¡°No chair, I¡¯ll just catch him.¡± Blake offered as he rounded the small table. ¡°You¡¯re going to pass out for a second. Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t hurt you.¡±

    Jason frowned and hesitated before the orb.

    Once he stood behind a concerned Jason, his mother concentrated inward for a moment and then said, ¡°Done.¡±

    Jason immediately went limp in Blake¡¯s arms to the sound of surprised protests from Owen and Brent. He gently lowered the larger man to the ground, so his back was to the wall of the hut. Blake then addressed his two friends. ¡°He¡¯s fine. He just got overloaded from all the new information being downloaded to his head.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t sign up for this crap!¡± Owen protested.

    ¡°Yeah! Neither did I!¡± Brent added.

    ¡°He¡¯s fine, it¡¯s just the human brain has trouble with the information download at first.¡± Blake sighed and ignored a loud growl from his stomach. ¡°Look, you have three options,¡± he raised his hand and lifted his pointing finger. ¡°You take a non-combat class, and stay safe behind a force field when the apocalypse comes.¡± He added a second finger. ¡°You take a combat class, where you have to kill thousands of monsters.¡± Blake raised his last digit. ¡°Or, you quit, and we never see you again. Just don¡¯t ask for safety when the monsters come.¡±

    ¡°Harsh,¡± Owen commented.

    Blake nodded and dropped his hand. ¡°I agree, it is. But, we can¡¯t afford freeloaders. Everyone has to work if we want to survive. The nano I used to bring you into this faction was hard-earned.¡±

    Jason suddenly moaned and raised his hands to his head. ¡°I feel like I have a hangover,¡± he complained as he massaged his temples.

    ¡°It¡¯ll pass,¡± Blake said tersely. ¡°Now, which is it going to be? Are you two going to join us or be monster food?¡±

    After a moment of internal deliberation, Brent sighed and stepped forward. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Owen nodded. ¡°Same.¡±

    Neither man looked pleased at the prospect, but Blake counted it as a win. He turned to his mother and said, ¡°You¡¯re up.¡±

    She nodded and said. ¡°Okay, which one of you wants to be the stonemason?¡±

    Both men glanced at each other for a moment, but remained silent, while Jason lifted his hand and shuffled to the edge of the hut.

    Donna rolled her eyes. ¡°Okay then, who wants to be a constructor?¡±

    After another moment of silence, Owen asked, ¡°Are those the only two options? Can we be something else?¡±

    Blake shook his head.

    ¡°No,¡± his mother confirmed. ¡°If neither of you have a preference, I¡¯ll just assign the jobs randomly. Last chance.¡± After a few seconds, she sighed and pointed toward the long-haired man. ¡°Owen, go ahead and touch the crystal.¡±

    The thin twenty-something year old hesitantly reached out and placed his hand on the sphere while he winced in anticipation.

    ¡°Okay, you¡¯re the new stonemason,¡± Donna informed him. ¡°Congratulations,¡± she added dryly as he collapsed into Blake¡¯s arms.

    Blake sat the skinny man down next to Jason, who remained seated, and turned to Brent.

    Brent took a few deep breaths before he approached the crystal and tentatively touched it with his fingers. ¡°Hit me,¡± he demanded.

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    Donna concentrated for a moment, and then frowned. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s interesting.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Brent asked, a single eye open.

    ¡°It says we can only have a single constructor.¡± Donna turned to Blake. ¡°Do you know anything about that?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he shook his head and then touched the crystal, his hand beside Brent¡¯s. Blake navigated the menu and then tried to assign the constructor class to Brent.

    It failed.

    With a sigh, he said, ¡°I guess I should ask an expert.¡±

    He activated his summon companion skill and a portal appeared in front of him. Brent shrieked and backpedaled away from the table, while the others remained silent with wide eyes. A moment later, his companion exited the portal, which subsequently closed behind the wraith.

    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Jason blurted.

    ¡°This is Metal, he¡¯s my companion.¡±

    ¡°Do you have questions for me?¡± the wraith asked in a deep, rumbling voice.

    Blake heard a sharp gasp from one of the new recruits, but ignored it. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re trying to add a second constructor, but it says we can only have one.¡±

    ¡°What level is your faction hall?¡± Metal asked.

    ¡°Still level one,¡± Blake answered.

    ¡°Then that is why,¡± it answered confidently. ¡°You may only have a single constructor for each level of the faction hall. The same is true for all non-combat classes and their requisite buildings.¡±

    ¡°Wait, so if we want more than one blacksmith, we have to upgrade the metal workshop to level two?¡±

    ¡°Either that, or build a second building all-together,¡± Metal confirmed.

    Blake scratched the top of his head. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good to know. I guess we just upgrade the faction hall and promote him after it¡¯s done.¡± He turned to his mother. ¡°How long will that take?¡±

    She frowned as she navigated the menu. ¡°Hmm¡­ it says twelve hours without assistance, but it will cost a LOT of nano.¡±

    ¡°How much?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°It says one hundred million.¡±

    He grimaced. ¡°Hopefully Jordan can reduce that by a lot.¡±

    His mother nodded and then furrowed her brows. ¡°What is ¡®off world wood¡¯, and ¡®off world stone¡¯?¡±

    Blake turned to Metal. When the wraith remained silent, Blake huffed, ¡°Well? What is it?¡±

    ¡°It is obviously wood and stone harvested from another world,¡± his companion snarked.

    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Yeah, I got that. Does it have to be something special, or will any wood or stone work?¡±

    ¡°Level two buildings allow any materials to be used, so long as they come from another planet. At level three, that is no longer true. You must retrieve specified materials that are only available on limited planets.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°I do not know,¡± Metal admitted. ¡°It is theorized that the Architect wishes to promote the use of scenarios. If a faction wishes to grow, they must have a capable combat force.¡±

    ¡°How will we get the materials through the portal?¡± Donna asked.

    ¡°Oh, that I DO know,¡± Blake replied. ¡°Once I complete the scenario, I can invite Jason and Owen to my party. They can pop through the portal and harvest the materials.¡± He grinned. ¡°Luckily, we already have a warehouse, so we don¡¯t have to carry them. They just disappear after they¡¯re harvested and reappear on Earth.¡±

    ¡°Woah¡­¡± Jason breathed out in awe. ¡°We¡¯re gonna travel to another planet?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Blake confirmed. ¡°But only after I kill all the threats.¡±

    ¡°Does Kuruk need to drive you down to Whiteriver again?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no trees in the Mander tunnels. I¡¯ll have to complete the Ursa scenario and hope it doesn¡¯t drop me in a desert.¡± His stomach rumbled. ¡°But, not till after I eat some lunch.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡± Metal asked.

    ¡°No, I think we¡¯re good,¡± Blake replied. ¡°Thanks, Metal.¡±

    He navigated the interface and unsummoned his companion. A portal appeared behind the wraith, and sucked him in, before it too disappeared.

    ¡°Freaky,¡± Jason muttered.

    Blake messaged the constructor.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Hey Jordan, how long until you¡¯re back?

    Jordan Weeks: Maybe five minutes.

    When he received the reply, he let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± his mother asked.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m just hungry. Jordan said he¡¯ll be here in five minutes, so it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Sure you don¡¯t want a snack while you wait? Your father brought back plenty of food for you.¡±

    Blake¡¯s brows rose. ¡°Where?¡±

    Donna smiled. ¡°In a duffle bag in the metal workshop. For some reason, it won¡¯t go in the warehouse, and this faction hall is kind of cramped as it is,¡± she gestured around herself.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he agreed. ¡°I¡¯m going to grab a snack real quick. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    Blake strode out of the tiny hut in a hurry and stomped across the grassy field until he reached the metal workshop. He ducked inside and glanced around for the duffel bag.

    The forge was currently cool, but multiple half finished tools showed that Kuruk had already started crafting. The far side of the workshop contained a table with a vice. Beneath the thick wooden furniture was the bag in question. He retrieved the pack and opened it on the table.

    Ah, glorious food!

    He was tired of the limited selection, but when starving, everything tasted amazing. Just a moment later, two snack bars disappeared, as if they were never there. He was about to open a third, when he heard the rumble of a vehicle outside. His spirits suddenly lifted.

    That must be Jordan.

    He raced from the building, bag in hand, and met the constructor just as he exited his truck. ¡°Got my food?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°Sure do,¡± Jordan replied in his thick, southern accent, and then retrieved the paper bag from his truck¡¯s passenger seat.

    ¡°Thank God!¡± Blake dropped his bag and raced forward to retrieve the meal as his mother approached across the field.

    While he stuffed his face, Jordan asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s next?¡±

    Donna shook her head at Blake¡¯s insatiable hunger and answered, ¡°We¡¯re going to upgrade the faction hall. But, in order to do that, Blake has to bring Jason and Owen with him to get the materials from one of his scenarios.¡±

    ¡°You mean, travel to another planet?¡± Jordan clarified.

    She nodded.

    ¡°Does he have room for one more?¡±

    Donna furrowed her brows. ¡°You want to go through a portal?¡±

    ¡°And see an alien world?¡± Jordan said in disbelief. ¡°You bet your ass I do.¡±

    Donna glanced over at Blake to confirm. When he nodded, his mouth full of food, she said, ¡°Sure, you can go.¡± She then turned to Kuruk, who lurked nearby. ¡°Do you want to tag along, too?¡±

    The native shook his head.

    ¡°Brent?¡± she asked the last recruit.

    ¡°Yeah, sure. I¡¯ll go.¡±

    Blake swallowed his food and said, ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you all come, but you have to follow orders. It may take me hours to finish the Ursa scenario, and you can¡¯t join me until I¡¯m done. It¡¯s not safe.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Jason agreed, while the others nodded.

    ¡°Let me finish my food, and we can head over to the fire tower. I¡¯ll show you my home away from home.¡±

 Chapter 40 - Following Orders

    ¡°Come on up,¡± Blake said from within the fire tower. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of room.¡±

    Jordan climbed the metal stairs and entered the structure through the trap door in the floor. Once inside, he moved to the side, so the three new recruits could join him. After everyone was inside, they all gazed out the window and observed the wooded mountains beyond.

    ¡°Nice view,¡± Jordan commented.

    Blake nodded his agreement. ¡°Okay, you guys can stay here and wait, or leave and come back, I don¡¯t care. I just wanted to show you where the portal is so you know how to join me when I¡¯m ready.¡± He gestured toward the far corner, which was barricaded by surplus magical armor and weapons. ¡°See that empty corner? Don¡¯t go over there until I tell you to. Got it?¡±

    When everyone nodded their agreement, he said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to send out a group invite so we can all see the chat, and so you end up in my scenario once I¡¯m done.¡±

    Jason accepted the invite and asked, ¡°What would¡¯ve happened if we didn¡¯t join your party?¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯d end up somewhere else on the Ursa planet instead of with me.¡±

    ¡°This is where you fight and level up like a video game, right?¡± Owen asked.

    Blake frowned. ¡°Not like a video game,¡± he corrected. ¡°But otherwise, yeah, when I kill the monsters on the other side, I gain nano which can be used to level up and get stronger.¡±

    Owen¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Can you power level us?¡±

    ¡°Yeah man, that¡¯d be awesome,¡± Jason added.

    Blake sighed. ¡°Like I said before, it''s not a video game. There¡¯s no such thing as power leveling. Being in my party doesn¡¯t split the nano equally or anything, it just means you show up in the same scenario. Unless you kill a monster yourself or contribute in some other way, you won¡¯t get any nano.¡±

    ¡°That sucks,¡± Jason complained.

    ¡°Yep,¡± he agreed.

    Blake retrieved the spear from the wall, attached his old buckler to his back, changed out his jewelry, and grabbed his duffel bag of supplies. With one last look around, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll be finished in a few hours, then you can join me.¡±

    After the announcement, he turned and stepped into the portal.

    <hr>

    Jason Karesek: Dude, how much longer are you gonna be?

    Blake rolled his eyes.

    Like a freakin¡¯ two-year-old.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: I just started forty-five minutes ago, and I¡¯ve only killed one of the Ursa so far. It¡¯ll take me another few hours to finish, at least.

    Owen Yates: Yeah, calm your tits, Jason. The mighty Lord Blake has spoken.

    Jason Karesek: Oh man, I want ¡®Master¡¯ in front of my name, that¡¯d be sweet. How¡¯d you get Lord in front of yours?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: It¡¯s a title for creating a faction, and I can¡¯t remove it. Please stop distracting me with chat unless it''s important.

    Brent Weeks: As you command, Lord Blake.

    Blake groaned. He knew the titles would become a problem. He, himself, ragged on his old faction leader in the same manner. Although, ¡®Baron Bob¡¯ was absolutely hilarious in his opinion.

    Wait, Brent¡¯s last name is Weeks?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Hey Brent, are you related to Jordan?

    Brent Weeks: Yeah, he¡¯s my cousin.

    Brent Weeks: Hey, I thought you wanted us to stay quiet?

    Blake refused to respond to Brent¡¯s question. Instead, he tried to focus on the task at hand, navigating the thick woods to locate the next Ursa. Once again, his vision was drawn to the local star as it hung low on the horizon. It shaded the nearby clouds with a green tinge, and looked alien to his eyes.

    It¡¯s definitely lower than it was before. I don¡¯t have much time.

    At best, he had an hour and a half before darkness fell. Without night vision, his task would become much more difficult, and would extend his time in the scenario.

    I can¡¯t use the stealthy approach.

    Blake increased his pace to a light jog. His annoyance flared as twigs snapped beneath his feet and the undergrowth bent from his passing. He hated to cede the advantage an ambush offered, but he was on a timer.

    At least there¡¯s plenty of wood and stone.

    He focused on the positives as he searched the woods for his next victim. Not long after, he heard a grunt and then growl as a nearby Ursa was alerted by his clamorous passing.

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    Blake weaved around a thick tree and came to a halt with his spear raised before him. When he saw the Ursa begin its charge, he immediately backpedaled and placed the tree trunk between himself and his enemy.

    He waited patiently, with the butt of his spear braced against the ground, as the monster closed.

    What kind of magic do you have?

    When he saw that it refused to slow or change direction, even as it was about to slam into the thick tree, he became alarmed. The creature was intelligent and would never do something so foolish unless it was confident in some plan.

    Blake immediately abandoned his plan and leapt to the side as the Ursa bulldozed through the thick tree. As he rolled along the ground and came to his feet, he cursed his poor luck.

    Damn it! It just had to be Strengthen.

    He mentally recalled the spell¡¯s details. As the name suggested, the chi ability doubled the Ursa¡¯s strength while the spell remained active. It used a large amount of energy to maintain, but could be disabled at any time. However, once deactivated, the chi user was forced to wait five seconds before the spell could be used again.

    I need to stay close.

    Blake prepared himself for a harrowing fight. If he wanted to drain the Ursa¡¯s chi, he needed to crowd the creature so it kept its ability active. Unfortunately, that also put him in the most danger.

    Whatever. It can¡¯t hurt what it can¡¯t hit.

    He evaded an enhanced swipe and then dodged to the side when the Ursa lunged forward. It bellowed in frustration and continued its attacks, while Blake desperately avoided the powerful onslaught.

    Jordan Weeks: Uh¡­ Blake, there¡¯s a problem.

    Not now!

    Blake dismissed the message without a response as a four-inch claw narrowly missed his arm. The constant evasion winded him, and he labored to breathe as he maintained his retreat. Each attack was deadly, and he could not afford to receive even a glancing blow.

    Jordan Weeks: Blake!

    Eventually, the Ursa staggered as it lost its prodigious strength.

    Finally!

    For the first time during the fight, he stood his ground as the monster bore down on him. When it lunged forward, he met the attack with a thrust of his own. His spear pierced deep into the Ursa¡¯s jaw and slid along the bone.

    Without the chi ability empowering it, Blake¡¯s own incredible strength was finally a match for his opponent. The Ursa roared in pain as it was forced away from him.

    Jordan Weeks: Look, kid, something happened to Jason and Owen, and I need answers here!

    Blake pulled back on his weapon for another attack, and flesh came loose as the tip was dislodged. He ducked below a swipe, and thrust forward at its exposed neck. The metal tip carved through the thick hide and pierced through its ribs, where it landed deep within its chest.

    He immediately tugged back and forth on his weapon. The Ursa howled as the mortal wound expanded, until finally it collapsed as its heart was destroyed.

    Blake sank to his knees and took deep breaths to recover his stamina.

    Jordan Weeks: Blake!!!!!

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Yeah. I can talk now, what¡¯s wrong?

    Jordan Weeks: Jason and Owen disappeared.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Through the portal?

    Jordan Weeks: I think so. They were screwing around with the armor you have stashed and Jason tripped. Owen tried to catch him, but they were suddenly just gone.

    UN-freaking-believable!

    Blake quickly checked his map, and sure enough, he saw two markers suddenly appear at the scenario entrance.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Jason and Owen, DON¡¯T MOVE! I¡¯ll be right there. Don¡¯t worry, Jordan, they¡¯re here with me. Just stay put until I finish the scenario.

    Blake minimized the chat and yanked hard on his spear. It took three attempts before his weapon dislodged. Once he had his spear in hand, he sprinted at full speed toward his party members. Ten minutes later, he burst into the clearing where Jason and Owen lay on the ground covered in vomit.

    When he saw their amazement at the world around them, he yelled, ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡±

    They flinched away from his sudden anger, and Jason immediately became defensive. ¡°You need to chill. It was an ACCIDENT.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no need to yell,¡± Owen added as he looked around nervously. ¡°You want to bring the monsters down on us?¡±

    Blake stood frozen with clenched fists, and fought against the sudden rage that threatened to overwhelm him. He forced out a long, loud grunt of annoyance until his lungs emptied of air. Once that was out of his system, he took slow, deep breaths with eyes closed until his emotions came under control.

    Why did I just get so mad?

    After further introspection, he realized that he was starving. His hunger had shortened his temper, and he had eaten two meals just an hour before.

    I need to get my class.

    He resolved to grind out the last bit of nano, even if he had to run scenarios around the clock in order to do so. In his mind, his class now took priority over the faction.

    Blake opened his eyes and saw that Jason and Owen stared at him in concern.

    ¡°Uh¡­ you okay there?¡± Jason asked.

    He ignored the question and stalked forward. When Blake stopped before the two recruits, Owen flinched as he reached down for the duffel bag full of food. After the long-haired man realized what he was after, he let out a chuckle of relief.

    Blake unzipped the bag, retrieved a snack bar, and then bit off half of it. While he chewed, he contemplated his next steps rationally. The two recruits remained silent. Without enhancement, there was no way Jason and Owen could keep up with him. Gravity was almost thirty percent stronger on the Ursa world, which is why he found the two on the ground rather than wandering about.

    Were they capable, he had no doubt they would have ignored his orders and explored the alien world. Instead, any movement on their part would be difficult and would tire them quickly.

    Okay, so they stay here. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m carrying them.

    Blake dropped the empty wrapper into the bag and retrieved another snack while he checked his scenario status.

    Fifty percent done, two more Ursa.

    He mentally shrugged as he finished off the junk food and opened his mouth. ¡°Okay, since you two couldn¡¯t follow simple instructions, your lives are now in danger. We can¡¯t leave until I kill the last two Ursa, and you can¡¯t keep up with me. That means you get to stay here and hope to God a monster doesn¡¯t wander by.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Owen stammered. ¡°Can¡¯t you just slow down for us?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Nope. Have you tried walking around?¡±

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Jason answered.

    ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll wait.¡± When neither stood, Blake encouraged them. ¡°No, I¡¯m serious. Get up and walk to that tree,¡± he pointed at the thick, stout arbor, twenty feet distant.

    They slowly climbed to their feet with a grunt of effort and began to stagger away. By the time they reached the tree in question, they were breathing hard and looked drunk on their feet.

    ¡°See¡­¡± Jason gasped out between heavy breaths. ¡°I¡­ told¡­ you¡­ we¡­ can¡­ keep¡­ up.¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes, dropped his pack, and sprinted toward them. Their eyes widened in surprise when just a moment later he stood two feet away, not even remotely winded.

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t,¡± he replied, sardonically. ¡°Now, keep your backs to this tree, and keep quiet. With any luck, the Ursa won¡¯t find you before I kill them.¡± After a moment, he added, ¡°Think you can follow simple instructions this time?¡±

 Chapter 41 - The Grind

    A burning sensation in his brain caused Blake to double over and grasp his head. He struggled to straighten his back and hold open his eyes as he slowly raised his spear. He was thankful he did, as the Ursa took that moment to charge.

    I hate Psi Users!

    Before he fully recovered, the massive monster reached him. Yet, the metal tip of his spear sat just high enough to become lodged within the beast¡¯s shoulder. Blake, unable to dodge due to his mental anguish, was thrown backward as it crashed into him.

    His brain cleared.

    He immediately rolled to his side, lest he be trampled. Despite his decisive action, his movements were too slow, and pain flared in his left hand.

    Blake grunted as his fingers went numb.

    Get the spear!

    He forced himself through the agony and found his feet. After he rose, he dove toward his weapon, still trapped within the Ursa¡¯s shoulder. Both hands clasped the wooden pole, but only his right was able to tighten into a fist.

    That was enough.

    With his entire weight behind the maneuver, Blake shredded the monster¡¯s limb. The metal tip of his spear ate through the muscles and ligaments until its front right appendage was almost severed.

    His spear popped out of the howling monster, and Blake slammed into the ground hard on his right hip. Again, he forced himself to his feet to reengage the beast in combat while it was distracted by the loss of its limb.

    He rolled forward, spear in his uninjured right hand, and thrust.

    The Ursa shifted to dodge, but without the use of its leg, was too slow. His weapon raked along its long fangs before it slid past, and pierced the back of its throat.

    The monster¡¯s growl deteriorated into a gurgle. With one last shove, the tip of his spear slid between its vertebrae and severed its spinal cord. His enemy collapsed to the ground, and he was immediately presented with a notification.

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    No.

    Blake collapsed backward to regain his breath as he examined his damaged left hand. Two of his fingers jutted sideways at odd angles, obviously broken, while the others were purple and almost twice their original size. Only his left thumb remained undamaged.

    Damn¡­

    As he stared intently at the injury, his hand began to pulse with pain. Every time his heart beat, his fingers throbbed in agony. He momentarily held it above his head to lessen the pain.

    I need to fix the bones before they heal wrong.

    Blake delicately grasped his broken finger with his right hand. Before he could second guess himself, he wrenched it to the side.

    He heard the bone snap back in place and screamed at the sharp pain. His lungs responded to the intense sensation with quick, panicked breaths. He ground his teeth together in an attempt to suppress the sensation.

    When his breathing finally recovered, he opened his eyes and stared at the remaining broken finger in trepidation.

    This is going to suck.

    Ever so slowly, he gingerly grasped the fractured digit with his right hand. He stared at the injury in trepidation until he forced himself to act. With a single deft move, the finger snapped back in place, and waves of pain traversed his limb.

    He forced himself to maintain slow, deep breaths as he suffered through the torment. Finally, when the discomfort waned to a heavy ache, he rose slowly to his feet. He shuffled to the deceased Ursa and extracted his spear from its open jaw, still favoring the injured hand. When the weapon was free, he slammed the butt of his spear on the ground and rested his weight against it. Right on schedule, his stomach growled.

    This is bad.

    He reviewed his stats within his heads-up display as he rummaged with his good hand for a snack bar. Before his enhancements, it would take six weeks to recover from the injury. Now, with his Physical Stamina at eighteen point five, his body would heal over three times faster than the average humans. The injury would be fully repaired in less than a fortnight.

    The problem was, he did not have two weeks to spare.

    Thank God it¡¯s my left hand, or I¡¯d be screwed.

    Once he exited the scenario, he had planned to grind through Mander scenarios until he gained enough nano to purchase his class. With his fire-absorbent kite shield, the Manders were far less formidable than the giant Ursa.

    This injury may have ruined those plans.

    Without being able to grasp the shield¡¯s straps tight, he could not use it to bash the Manders in their faces. However, it would still absorb the dangerous heat and fire based spells they would use against him.

    He cursed his luck.

    I can¡¯t wait to get Regeneration.

    As long as he had chi, the ability would increase his healing factor by ten. The two weeks to heal his wounded hand would be reduced to a little over two days if he kept the spell active as often as possible.

    Once he leveled, he would be able to raise his Physical Stamina again, which would cut down the time needed to heal injuries even further. He glanced at his hand and imagined the swelling had improved.

    No more putting this off.

    Blake finished his snack, took a deep breath, and began the trek back toward the portal entrance.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: I¡¯m done with the scenario, you guys can come join us now.

    Jason Karesek: Finally! I¡¯m tired of this place already. It feels like I¡¯m being squished into the ground.

    Owen Yates: Don¡¯t listen to him, Brent. It¡¯s nice over here. You¡¯ll like it, I swear.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Blake shook his head at the obvious lie. Owen obviously wanted to ensure his ¡®friend¡¯ suffered as he did. Even Blake found the gravity on the planet oppressive. However, with Blake¡¯s injured hand and rapidly emptying stomach, he found it hard to care about their mild discomfort. They would all be safe, and a little discomfort would do them good.

    Twenty minutes later, he entered the clearing dominated by the glowing spatial distortion. Jordan and Brent had traversed through the portal and, once through, had stopped using party chat. They clustered around a tree that held minimal damage, while Jordan leaned heavily on his ax. They were in the midst of an argument, and Blake was curious what it was about. As he approached the four men, they became aware of his presence and the yelling immediately ended.

    Blake¡¯s stomach growled, he was hungry again.

    ¡°Yo Blake!¡± Jason called and hiked his thumb toward Jordan. ¡°Tell this asshole that as the woodworker, I need to be the one to cut it down.¡±

    ¡°If you do it, we¡¯re going to be here all day. You¡¯re too weak,¡± Jordan argued.

    ¡°I¡¯m not weak, you¡¯re just freakishly strong. Besides, if you do it, it won¡¯t count, and we¡¯ll have to start over again.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Blake interrupted impatiently as he strode up to the group. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who cuts the tree down.¡±

    Jason scowled at the answer.

    ¡°Then why¡¯d we have to be here if you could do it yourself?¡± Owen demanded.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I didn¡¯t need you, I said it doesn¡¯t matter who does the cutting.¡±

    ¡°Mind explaining?¡± Jordan drawled, dryly, in his southern accent, clearly annoyed.

    ¡°Okay, we need at least ten of these trees and a crap load of stone, right?¡±

    Jordan nodded.

    ¡°If I¡¯m here by myself, it doesn¡¯t matter if I cut them all down and mine all the rock. The second I go through the portal, the scenario closes, and I can¡¯t come back. That means I can drag a single log back with me.¡± He took a deep breath, ¡°According to Metal, you two should have directives to retrieve the materials. It''s a retrieval directive, not a harvesting one. Is that right?¡± He glanced at the stonemason and woodworker.

    Owen frowned, while Jason nodded absently.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s free nano, just follow the directive. And, you should be able to send them directly to the warehouse without having to cart them all through the portal.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Jordan finally caught on to his plan. ¡°I should¡¯ve thought of that.¡±

    His ever-present hunger soured his mood, so he took a deep, calming breath and continued with his explanation. ¡°It¡¯s one of the reasons I chose the warehouse for our free building. Can you imagine us carrying all this crap through the portal, down the fire tower and across town?¡±

    Jordan snorted. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯d be a problem.¡±

    Blake nodded and held out his hand. ¡°Let me see that ax.¡±

    Jordan handed the steel tool over and Blake walked up to the base of the two-foot thick tree. He glanced over his shoulder. ¡°You guys may want to step back.¡±

    Once he ensured they were at a safe distance, he lifted the ax and swung with his full strength one-handed. A loud thud echoed through his ears as the head dug an inch into the tree. Unfortunately, at the same time, the wooden handle shattered.

    Damnit!

    Blake whirled around and pointed to Jason. ¡°You didn¡¯t help make the ax, did you?¡±

    Jason backed away, concerned by the anger in Blake¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°It was from Builder Depot,¡± Jordan explained.

    Blake sighed, pushed down his hunger, and dropped the useless handle. ¡°Normal tools aren¡¯t strong enough. It¡¯s why we have a blacksmith and woodworker in the first place. A nano-enhanced ax or pick would¡¯ve been just fine.¡±

    ¡°What are we going to do now?¡± Brent frowned as he spoke up for the first time.

    ¡°First, I¡¯m going to eat a snack,¡± he stated. ¡°My empty stomach is making me ¡®hangry¡¯. After that, I¡¯m going to abuse the crap out of my sword.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t that dull it?¡± Jordan asked.

    Blake shrugged as he stalked toward the portal and his duffel bag of supplies. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯ll repair itself automatically over time.¡±

    ¡°That sure is nice,¡± the constructor grunted.

    He nodded in agreement.

    After Blake inhaled three snack bars, he no longer felt as if he were dying. Now, he was merely hungry.

    Good enough.

    Blake stalked back over to the damaged tree, unsheathed his sword, and swung at its base. The edge bit two inches into the wood, and he felt the blade vibrate hard against his hand. When he extracted his weapon, he examined the sharp metal edge.

    Looks fine to me.

    Eight more swings, and the stout arbor was felled. When it finally crashed hard to the ground, he turned to Jason. ¡°Did you get credit for that?¡±

    The woodworker frowned and crossed his eyes. After a moment, he shook his head.

    ¡°Okay, come over here and try to send this to the warehouse,¡± Blake ordered.

    Jason gave him a look of disbelief. ¡°Are you serious? That has to weigh two tons! Especially with the shitty gravity on this planet!¡±

    ¡°Just try it,¡± Blake persisted.

    ¡°Fine,¡± the tall man shook his head and stumbled over to the downed tree. He leaned over and rested against the thick trunk while he concentrated. Suddenly, the entire tree disappeared, and he fell to the ground.

    ¡°Ow!¡± Jason complained.

    ¡°What about now?¡± Blake asked, unfazed. ¡°Did you get credit?¡±

    The woodworker rubbed his sore shoulder while he checked his directives. Finally, he nodded. ¡°Yeah, it says it¡¯s fifty-four percent complete.¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°I thought we needed more than two trees worth. Is this a directive for the faction hall, or just for cutting down trees?¡±

    ¡°Just trees.¡±

    ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s do another and finish that up for you.¡± Blake strode over to the next closest arbor and began to chop it down. A few minutes later, it crashed to the ground. ¡°You¡¯re up again, Jason.¡±

    This time, the tall man was ready for it to disappear. When it vanished, he grinned, ¡°It says I got five hundred thousand nano! Ka-ching!¡±

    ¡°Nice, fam!¡± Owen congratulated him.

    ¡°What¡¯s the next directive?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°I got two of them. One says to cut down ¡®foreign¡¯ trees, whatever that is, and the other is to cut the wood into planks.¡±

    ¡°Pretty sure these count as foreign,¡± Jordan added dryly as he gestured toward the surrounding forest.

    Owen snorted. ¡°Yeah, dumbass.¡±

    ¡°Dude, don¡¯t act like you knew any better!¡± Jason yelled at his friend.

    ¡°Okay, kids, that¡¯s enough,¡± Blake admonished them and again tempered his annoyance. ¡°We need to get back to work. This is going to take a while and I have a lot to do.¡±

    Jordan gave him an odd look, but remained silent.

    After another two trees were harvested, Jason threw his hands up into the air. ¡°Boo-yeah! Another five hundred kay! At this rate, I can upgrade my muscles this week.¡±

    Brent frowned. ¡°When do I start getting nano?¡±

    ¡°When the faction hall is built, we can make you a constructor like Jordan. Then you can help build the town,¡± Blake answered.

    Brent turned to the ex-contractor. ¡°How much nano have you made so far?¡±

    Jordan shrugged. ¡°Almost ten million.¡±

    After that, Brent grinned and rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

    It took another hour and five snack bars to harvest the rest of the trees they needed and collect their stone. During Blake¡¯s labor, his chosen reward, a pair of hide boots which increased Physical Resistance by two, finished its assembly, and he eagerly replaced his current footwear.

    When he was done, Jason and Owen wanted to continue to complete more directives and earn greater amounts of nano. Jordan added his own support behind the measure, as he wanted to build up a reserve.

    Blake disagreed.

    ¡°No, we got what we needed here. I need a real meal and to get back to grinding out nano, so I can get my class. Once I have magic, you can join me again, and we¡¯ll take the time to build up our off world supplies.¡±

    ¡°How long will you take?¡± Jordan asked.

    Blake checked his status and saw that he held a little over four hundred million unused nano.

    If I do three scenarios a day, that¡¯s close to a hundred and fifty million. I might squeeze in two more before dark, even with my broken hand, so that¡¯s¡­

    He closed his interface and looked at Jordan. ¡°Probably three days. Maybe four.¡±

    The constructor frowned. ¡°Faction hall will be done in a little over two.¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°At this point, I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m tired of starving all the time.¡± As if to punctuate the statement, his stomach growled.

    ¡°What do you want me to start on once I¡¯m finished?¡± Jordan asked.

    ¡°Whatever my mom needs for her directives,¡± he responded.

    ¡°And if we run out of nano in the treasury?¡±

    Blake frowned and rubbed his injured hand. ¡°Either use your own, or just wait till I get back. I can¡¯t put off getting a class any longer.¡±

 Chapter 42 - Omni-class

    Blake¡¯s body was killing him, literally. The broken fingers on his left hand continued to throb with each beat of his heart, and the right side of his face was frozen in place with heavy burns. His hunger was unending, as if it were eating him from the inside.

    As he hobbled down the Mander tunnel, he suddenly let out another wracking cough from the heat which crisped his lungs. He hated to think what they looked like.

    Over the last three days, the fire-absorbent kite shield had made his life relatively easy. That was, until its enchantments could hold no more heat, and it fell to pieces. He had hoped it would last until he gained his class, but his good luck finally soured.

    Now, he faced off against the Manders and their oppressive environment without a shield. His broken left hand was incapable of holding his old dagger, so he was armed only with his longsword. To make matters worse, his stomach continually rebelled and demanded sustenance.

    At least I¡¯m almost done.

    Once again, he opened his interface to remind himself how close he was to purchasing a class.

    Nano: 791m

    He quickly reviewed the math. Each Mander he killed netted him around two and a half million nano. As long as the last fight within this scenario contained four Manders rather than three, he would finally have enough for his class.

    Just one more group.

    Blake doubled over as he coughed from the superheated air and closed the interface. After he recovered, spit dripped down his chin. He absently wiped it away with the back of his sword hand, but was alarmed when it was coated dark red.

    Shit, that¡¯s not good.

    Unfortunately, there was nothing he could currently do for his damaged lungs except finish the scenario quickly. So, he wiped his mouth and resumed his painful trek through the furnace. He ignored his stomach¡¯s complaints, and the ache of his left hand, as he searched for the last group of monsters within the scenario.

    Finally!

    As he rounded the corner, four Manders whirled to face him, alerted by his tumultuous entrance. They hissed, and their tongues began to gyrate as they cast their spells.

    Thank God it¡¯s a group of four and they¡¯re all mana users.

    Blake pushed down the pain and sprinted forward in the hope that he could disrupt their casts before they finished. He reached the closest Mander and immediately skewered it through its open mouth.

    One down.

    He ignored the wave of heat from the wall as he quickly withdrew his longsword and rushed to the next closest monster. Unlike the first, it canceled its cast and dodged backwards, quick as a whip. Once its cast was canceled, it was no longer a threat.

    He ignored it.

    His sword slashed and decapitated the next Mander just as its spell finished. The flames that left its mouth immediately died before they could assault him.

    That¡¯s two.

    Unfortunately, just as he killed the creature, the one furthest away finished its fireball spell form. He raised his left arm to block as he shied away from the magic.

    When the fireball enveloped him, he flinched from the extreme heat. It blackened the hide of his armor, but did little damage. However, his body in between his armor pieces was fully exposed and began to melt as the flame licked his skin.

    Blake groaned.

    Focus Blake!

    He grunted and lunged toward the Mander which injured him. A quick slash of his sword ended the monster. He turned to confront the last obstacle.

    Three.

    The final enemy in the scenario had slithered up the glowing tunnel wall and perched atop a ledge eight feet up. Its mouth was opened wide, and its tongue danced back and forth as it frantically cast its spell. The edge of the tunnel¡¯s heat distorted his view of the snake-like creature.

    Blake pressed forward anyway.

    He ignored the damaging swelter and leapt above the last monster, sword raised. His longsword descended toward the Mander¡¯s head just as it finished its own spell. A plume of flames was expelled from the creature¡¯s mouth and forced him to close his eyes. He grunted as his sword swung down, and the flames washed over him.

    Please don¡¯t move. Please don¡¯t move.

    Suddenly, he felt the vibration of impact and the torrent of flames sputtered out.

    Yes!

    Before he even received a notification, he danced away from the extreme temperature of the walls to the relative safety of the tunnel¡¯s center. He opened his eyes and took a deep breath that was immediately interrupted by a wracking cough.

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    Once Blake recovered, he minimized the message and checked his status.

    Nano: 801m

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Finally!

    His body ached and the heat of the Mander scenario continued to assault his now sensitive flesh. Blake needed to leave immediately for the cool mountain air. He was impatient to gain his class and finally end his gnawing hunger. To expedite his escape, he shuffled as fast as he could through the cave toward the portal.

    As he traveled, he was forced to occasionally pause as he hacked up blood. Each cough caused him to double over in pain. When he reached the entrance, he was tempted to jump through immediately, but forced himself to wait and check his rewards.

    He quickly selected yes on his notification, and two mundane pieces of armor with durability enchantments, and two large weapons with self repair were revealed.

    His stomach protested.

    Screw that.

    Blake had already gained a large collection of similar rewards and had no desire to cook further while he waited for his selection to be assembled. Instead, he minimized the interface, retrieved his half melted duffel bag, and jumped toward the swirling portal which lit the room.

    He entered the void between realms and gasped in relief as the heat disappeared. A moment later, he was spat out into the canyon on Earth, where cool air buffeted him.

    He immediately collapsed to the ground in agony.

    As he lay along the cool, hard surface and pushed aside his pain from his ravaged lungs and churning stomach, he navigated through his heads-up display until he reached ¡®Combat Classification¡¯. He selected the option and four choices were revealed.

    Blake skipped past the first three and selected ¡®Omni-class¡¯. He confirmed that he wished to spend eight hundred million nano, and closed his menu. Like attribute enhancements, the modification was not immediate. It took time for the changes to take effect.

    The moment he closed his interface, he was bombarded by another notification. Curious as to what it could be and despite his pain, he checked the message.

    As the first of your species to gain a combat classification, you have been awarded an achievement. - [Combat Connoisseur]

    The [Combat Connoisseur] achievement reduces all spell upgrade costs by fifty percent.

    Holy shit!

    The immensity of the reward excited him. As you accumulated spells, the cost to keep them upgraded quickly became ruinous. Every evolution of an ability required a hundred million nano. By the time he reached level five in his past life, he had chosen to skip the prohibitive cost of spell upgrades, and focused solely on his attributes and levels.

    Now I don¡¯t have to.

    The achievement was yet another extremely powerful boon that was most likely wasted in his previous life by one of the previous Scions of Humanity. Blake shook his head and dismissed the message. Another suddenly replaced it.

    As the first of your species to gain access to all four energy types, you have been awarded an achievement. - [Omni-Warrior]

    The [Omni-Warrior] achievement increases all energy affinities by five percent.

    Blake closed the message and checked his status, his pain momentarily forgotten, eager to see his affinities.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity

    Combat Classification - Level 1

    Chi - 19%

    Mana - 52%

    Psi - 61%

    Aether - 94%

    This was the first time all four affinities were displayed. In his past life, only chi was visible, as he had no access to the others. When he saw how high his non-chi affinities were, he could not help but bark out a laugh, which morphed into another round of painful coughing.

    His entire post-apocalyptic life, he was hindered by his incredibly low affinity to chi. His weaker spells and slower energy recuperation forced him to rely heavily on skill to maintain pace with his fellow party members.

    Over time, as he became a master at combat, the single digit affinity became an asset rather than detriment.

    This was especially true after he regressed backward in time and fought without a class.

    Wait, why is my chi affinity so high?

    The omni-warrior achievement increased all affinities by five percent, which meant his chi affinity should be at fourteen percent, not nineteen. It now stood ten percent higher than it had in his past life.

    How could something like that change?

    Blake was flummoxed at the discrepancy, and could only shrug at his good fortune. He chalked it up as one of the many annoying mysteries of the Architect. After he admired the high numbers for a time, he decided to be thankful for his good fortune rather than worry about its source.

    If only I knew about my natural aether affinity.

    He tried to imagine how his past life would have gone if he had chosen aether rather than chi. Then, he realized he had no reason to regret his original choice. His low affinity for chi forced him to hone skills his party members ignored. The challenge made him the warrior he was even today.

    Now, he could explore all four energy types and retain that martial skill.

    The last notification vied for his attention, so he opened the message.

    You have gained 50m nano for completing a directive.

    He smiled in relief. The fifty million nano windfall would be incredibly helpful. Now that he had a class, he could begin to upgrade his attributes once again. However, he held off on purchasing anything as the faction town may take priority.

    Blake¡¯s stomach growled.

    With a sigh, he closed his interface and opened the singed duffel bag. He reached inside, retrieved a bottle of water, and quickly unscrewed the cap. Blake grimaced as the hot liquid drained down his throat. It tasted like copper.

    Yet, despite the unpleasantness, he drained the bottle dry and sighed in relief as his thirst was quenched. When his stomach cramped once more, he reached into the bag and retrieved a half-melted snack bar.

    For the next two hours, he lay on the cold rock in pain. He emptied the last of his supplies as he waited for the nanomachines to complete their task. Eventually, a message appeared before his eyes and he sighed in relief. The action immediately transitioned into a cough. Once his fit was over, he wiped his mouth clean and ignored the blood which coated his hand.

    Connection to chi energy established.

    Connection to mana energy established.

    Connection to aether energy established.

    Connection to psionic energy established.

    Would you like to select your spells?

    I feel amazing.

    A surge of energy overwhelmed him, despite his heavy injuries. The lethargy he had grown accustomed to over the last month and a half was gone. He no longer felt moody or cranky, and he could now think clearly.

    His body was no longer forced to divert most of his vitality. The new links fed energy to the nanomachines within his body. Without the constant drain, he felt as if he just drank five cups of coffee and had slept for a week straight.

    But, most importantly, he was no longer ravenously hungry.

    I¡¯ll take sore and coughing over starving any day.

    He had agonized over his choices for the past few weeks. Now that he gained greater clarity with the end of his hunger, his hesitation over spell selection disappeared.

    His path was obvious to him, and his mind clear.

    Blake intended to upgrade his elite solo-warrior achievement, and he knew exactly how to accomplish the feat. He was presented with an opportunity to gain even higher attributes, and he could not afford to pass it by.

    I can¡¯t believe I created a faction and got an omni-class in a month and a half. That¡¯s insane!

    What Blake had accomplished in so short a time did not feel real to him. When he first set his goals, he expected it to take the entire six months, and that assumed he succeeded at all before Invasion Day. Fighting scenarios solo was incredibly dangerous, and would be a great way to die.

    Now that he had a class with access to spells, he hoped it would become far safer for him.

    Yes. Select spells.

 Chapter 43 - Choices

    Select a basic chi spell to learn.

    An extensive list of abilities appeared before him. As he glanced through his options, he considered spells such as Hardened Shell, Invigoration, and Alacrity. Blake mentally filed them away as future options. He planned to choose from these and more over the next few levels, as they would greatly improve his fighting capability, but they would have to wait.

    Instead, he focused on a basic chi spell, which he desperately needed.

    Regeneration - Temporarily increase your body¡¯s rate of recovery by a factor of ten. Consumes chi energy while active.

    With his injuries, it would be foolhardy to fight until he healed. The only reason he had continued to fight with a broken hand was because he was so desperate for relief from the constant hunger.

    He had relied upon the kite shield to overcome his broken body. Once it was destroyed, his lungs were seared by a Mander¡¯s Breath of Fire, and he was further exposed to danger.

    I choose Regeneration.

    After the choice was made, he confirmed his selection and immediately activated the spell. Unlike Invigoration, another basic chi spell, it did nothing to his stamina or energy levels, but began working on his injuries.

    He gazed at his broken hand and seared flesh as if he could visualize the repair. The only way he could tell the spell was active, was the constant itching it created as his flesh slowly mended, in addition to the drain on his chi.

    Select a basic mana spell to learn.

    Blake ignored the prompt and instead altered the heads-up display of his interface. On the right side of his peripheral vision, he added four transparent vertical bars. Each of the four represented a separate energy type, and they were all colored so he could identify them at a glance.

    To Blake¡¯s constant disappointment, the Collective did not provide exact numbers to work with, only percentages. However, he ensured each energy type was labeled with those numbers.

    In the future, some of the brainwashed survivors would say, ¡®The Architect works in mysterious ways.¡¯ He hated that excuse, as well as the other beliefs of the ¡®Collectivites¡¯. He felt no one should ever view their conqueror in a positive light.

    Currently, his aether, psi, and mana bars were full, and the note beside them stated they were at one hundred percent. Chi, on the other hand, was missing a small sliver from the top and showed he was at ninety-nine percent.

    Okay, good enough. Now I can get back to the spells.

    When he focused on the spell selection prompt, another list appeared before him. He again considered each. Mana-based abilities could be very powerful, but did not mesh well with his combat style. In order to bring their power to bear, a person must stand frozen while they completed a complex spell form.

    During that time, they were vulnerable.

    I would need my group back for that.

    Breath of Fire, Arc, Shocking Stun, or any of the numerous other spells which damaged his foes directly, could be interrupted. Instead, he required something that would shield him at all times. Something that he could cast before a fight began and could be refreshed afterward.

    Flame Shield - Places a protective barrier around a target which protects them from heat. As this heat is absorbed, it radiates outward from the shield, while the target is immune. Flame Shield uses a small amount of mana energy, and lasts until it absorbs a moderate amount of heat or one hour passes.

    Blake was annoyed by the phrase ¡®small amount of mana¡¯, and ¡®moderate amount of heat¡¯. For the hundredth time, he wished the Architect would list exact values rather than vague words. However, from personal experience, he knew at level one it would consume around a quarter of his mana and would survive a battle against the Manders.

    Montgomery, his previous group¡¯s mana user, had used this spell often. Its existence was the only reason they even bothered to fight against the Manders. Without it, the heat from their world, as well as the fire spells which they were known for, would fry a party to a crisp.

    If Blake wanted to fight in a scenario two levels above him, this spell was key. The Ursa were too physically powerful for a solo fighter and took too long to track down, while the goblins were too numerous. The Manders, however, were easy to find and focused exclusively on fire.

    Flame Shield would serve the same purpose as his broken kite shield. However, unlike that reward, the ability could be resummoned when broken once the cooldown cleared.

    I choose Flame Shield.

    He confirmed his selection and resisted the urge to cast his new spell.

    Select a basic Psi spell to learn.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    He winced.

    Unlike mana, psi spells did not require an extended cast time. Almost all psi abilities took effect instantly, and could be released mid-attack. The ability to attack at range with no cast time and little to no cool down sounded amazing. It was indeed powerful, but psi came with a nasty side effect.

    Deadly migraines.

    If one stacked too many psi abilities within a small amount of time, the caster¡¯s brain would begin to hemorrhage. It would begin as a dull ache behind the eyes that would suddenly escalate to a blinding pain. Blood would run from their nose and the resulting mental agony would effectively prevent further ability use.

    Jeff, his old group¡¯s psi user, never complained. He also hardly ever spoke. However, the rictus grin he held revealed the truth, despite his stoicism.

    Psi spells were painful.

    Blake scrolled through the long list past Soothe, Remote View, Wrench Object, and others until he located his preferred first spell.

    Mental Blast - Focus your psi energy into a mental blast. For a moderate amount of psionic energy, you direct a burst which disrupts the target¡¯s thoughts. Does not harm the target.

    This was the same spell that the Ursa used against him days before. While the last sentence of the description was technically true, it was a bit misleading. When afflicted by Mental Blast, your mind felt like it was on fire. The pain was so intense that it was impossible to concentrate. However, the sensation was fleeting. A few moments later, only a slight headache remained.

    This ability would allow him to disrupt the spell forms of the Manders from a distance, something he currently lacked. Unfortunately, the spell could only affect a single target. However, before he reached level two, he hoped to evolve it so it would become useful against multiple targets. While technically it could be cast repeatedly, he did not wish to fry his own brain to do so.

    I choose Mental Blast.

    Select a basic Aether spell to learn.

    Blake again reviewed the list of available spells. Aether was a bit more complicated than the other energy types. At least, that was what Rajesh, their aether user, claimed. Most aether spells required the user¡¯s focus while the spell was maintained or channeled.

    But it was his highest affinity.

    Technically, nothing prevented an aether user from pinning their enemy down with Amplify Mass while they executed it with a sword. However, in practice, if you were to launch anything more than the most basic of attacks, your concentration would be broken and the spell would dissipate.

    Rajesh had almost never entered into direct combat. Instead, he stood near Montgomery and disrupted their enemies. While out of combat, he also had a plethora of utility spells which were incredibly useful. Blake, on the other hand, would be in the thick of things.

    His first aether spell would be Spatial Shift.

    Spatial Shift - Consume a moderate amount of aetheric energy to shift your position by twenty feet. The targeted destination must be in visual range. Once cast, Spatial Shift may not be used again for sixty seconds.

    Unlike most aether abilities, Spatial Shift¡¯s cast time was short enough that it did not require channeling. He could utilize it to close the gap between him and the Manders and physically interrupt their spells before they could finish casting them.

    Ironically, Rajesh always used the ability for the opposite reason, to escape. When an enemy bore down on him, he would drop whatever spell he currently maintained and shift away to safety. That squeamishness caused a few squabbles in the group, yet kept him alive.

    I choose Spatial Shift.

    Blake finalized his decision through the interface and leaned back to relax while he waited for Kuruk to arrive. After he returned to Earth, he had almost immediately contacted their blacksmith. He knew the drive from Pinetop to Whiteriver would take over half an hour, and wanted to be efficient with his time.

    Why isn¡¯t he here yet? Did something happen?

    It had been over two hours since he contacted the new recruit, far more time than was necessary.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Hey Kuruk, where are you? Is everything okay?

    Kuruk Cosay: Oh shit! Sorry man. Some drama went down and I got distracted. I¡¯ll head out now and be there in thirty minutes.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: What drama? Can you talk over holo-chat right now?

    Rather than respond by chat, Kuruk opened a video and audio connection to Blake so they could communicate easier.

    ¡°Woah, you look rough,¡± the native remarked.

    Blake nodded. The blacksmith leaned against his metal workshop. In the distance, he could faintly hear his mother¡¯s voice. It sounded overly calm, as if she were pacifying an angry person. He had heard her use the same tone with Oliver, right before he left their apartment for good.

    He rotated the video feed until he could see her. She stood next to the now upgraded faction hall. It no longer appeared like a shack. Instead, it resembled a quaint cottage with double doors, glass windows, and pillars which supported a covered entrance.

    Opposite his mother stood an irate older man. He was in his upper sixties or seventies, was thin, and had a pronounced hunch to his back. The old man pointed his finger accusingly at Blake¡¯s mother.

    Although she was obviously in conflict with the man, Blake was pleased to see she seemed more put together than she had been over the past month. He assumed that her new responsibilities had reinvigorated her.

    ¡°Hey Kuruk, can you walk closer, so I can hear?¡± he requested.

    The hologram image of his mother and the unknown man expanded until he could make out his words.

    ¡°...wasn¡¯t part of the agreement!¡± he stated firmly.

    In a calm voice and a sweet smile, Donna explained, ¡°There is nothing on the lease which prevents us from building more than a single structure. I was very clear with the way I worded it. If you did not wish us to build additional facilities, you should have stated that clearly.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I needed to!¡± he argued. ¡°You said you wanted to build a cabin where your renaissance group could meet, not build a whole damn town!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you misunderstood our purpose, Mister Grayburn,¡± she patiently replied. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing in the lease which prevents us from constructing more.¡± The calmer his mother sounded, the more angry their landlord became.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that!¡± he yelled. ¡°You built these things way too damn fast. There¡¯s no way you got a permit for them, did ya! Let¡¯s find out what the county has to say about things, shall we?¡± By the end of his tirade, he held a victorious grin.

    ¡°Of course we filed the permits,¡± Donna lied with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t have the copies on me at the moment. I didn¡¯t expect them to be needed, but if you wait for my husband to get here, I can have him bring them to you for inspection.¡±

    The old man¡¯s grin faded into another scowl. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± He barked and then pointed at the nearby faction hall. ¡°There¡¯s no way that things built to code! Maybe we should call the Sheriff here and see what he has to say, eh?¡±

    The escalation to the Sheriff alarmed Blake, and he immediately sent her a text through chat. She frowned as she read his message. But, a moment later, she sighed. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Mister Grayburn.¡± As she said this, she reached out and pushed his extended hand down and out of her face.

    The old man immediately raised his hand again and yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t you touch me!¡±

    His mother replied calmly to the irate landlord, but Blake did not hear what she said. Instead, he said, ¡°Okay Kuruk, hurry up and come get me. I told her to invite him into the Collective and stall until I get there. It looks like she did.¡± Blake sighed. ¡°I just hope she can keep him there for another hour.¡±

    As Kuruk strode to his old car, he asked, ¡°What you gonna do when you get here?¡±

    ¡°The man wants to get the cops involved.¡± Blake replied. ¡°They can¡¯t know about this place, not yet.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever I have to.¡±

 Chapter 44 - Obstinate

    ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on?¡± Blake muttered to himself from the passenger seat as Kuruk drove through the low gate.

    Three semi-trucks with flatbeds full of wood and other supplies were parked on the field just inside their leased property. It was evening, and the sun was low on the horizon.

    ¡°I dunno,¡± Kuruk answered his rhetorical question. ¡°They weren¡¯t here when I left.¡±

    ¡°Just go ahead and park here,¡± Blake ordered. ¡°I want to see what¡¯s happening.¡±

    He knew his mother planned to order supplies directly from a sawmill, but he expected it to be weeks before they arrived. The timing of their arrival was about as bad as could be, and he was curious what his mother had done with the upset old man as they were nowhere to be seen.

    Blake exited the car and walked around the parked delivery vehicles. As he passed the idling diesel trucks, he inspected the goods his mother ordered and was impressed by the abundance. He found a calm Donna next to three irritated drivers at the rear of the trucks.

    Will this much stuff even fit in the warehouse?

    He glanced between the piles of supplies and the large building in the distance to compare the two. The warehouse looked larger, but only just.

    ¡°How do you not have a forklift to unload?¡± one of the three said.

    A second sighed and muttered. ¡°This is such a cluster¡­¡±, while the last remained silent.

    ¡°Look, ma''am,¡± the first said in annoyance. ¡°Invoice don¡¯t say shit about unloading. That means it''s on the customer to get their crap off the trucks. I don¡¯t see no forklift, which means it¡¯s gonna take all freakin¡¯ night. We ain¡¯t sleeping here.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have that handled.¡± Suddenly, Donna raised her purse and rifled through it. After a moment, she retrieved two crisp hundred dollar bills and said, ¡°You three look hungry. There¡¯s a Mexican restaurant just a half mile down the road, an easy walk. Why don¡¯t you go enjoy yourselves for an hour or so, my treat? By the time you get back, it¡¯ll all be unloaded, and you can be on your way,¡± she promised with her hand extended.

    The closest driver hesitated until his co-worker said, ¡°I¡¯m starvin¡¯ Rick, let¡¯s take her up on the offer. It''s her problem.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I could use a nice strong margarita,¡± the third agreed.

    Rick sighed and accepted the bribe. ¡°Fine, but if they aren¡¯t unloaded by the time we get back, we¡¯re leaving.¡±

    Donna smiled evenly and said, ¡°Deal.¡±

    The three truck drivers turned and walked past Blake, eagerly discussing what they would eat for dinner. They were so distracted, they did not even notice the strange burned armor he wore, nor his poor condition. He strode up to his mother and said, ¡°Good idea.¡±

    When she saw the condition he was in, she gasped. ¡°Blake, are you okay?!¡±

    He raised his hands to calm her. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he insisted. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯ll be fully healed in a couple of days.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ Your face, it¡¯s burned! Are you going to have a scar?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, the nanomachines will make sure I¡¯m back to mint condition in no time.¡± She looked doubtful, so he added, ¡°I finally got my class and unlocked Regeneration. It speeds up my already fast healing by a factor of ten.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°If Oliver gets that, will it cure him?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Sorry, Regeneration won¡¯t cure diseases or genetic conditions. Even Mend Wounds won¡¯t do that. You either need a level twenty-five spell, or a special alchemy potion.¡±

    Donna frowned. ¡°How long will that take?¡±

    ¡°Level twenty-five will take years to get to. As far as the alchemy potion?¡± Blake shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t really know, I wasn¡¯t a crafter,¡± he explained.

    ¡°Then we need an alchemist, soon.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Oh, I know, but there¡¯s no point until we build the Alchemy Workshop.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still not an option I can choose. How long until we can build it?¡± she pressed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Blake sighed. ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t know much about city building. I¡¯ll ask Metal in a bit.¡±

    While his mother fell silent into her own worries about her eldest son, his gaze wandered around the growing town. Kuruk headed for his metal workshop. He saw Jordan in the distance, kneeling next to the beginning of a structure. After a moment, he asked, ¡°So, what happened to our landlord?¡±

    When he glanced back, he saw embarrassment cross her face. ¡°He¡­ uh¡­ didn¡¯t believe us, even after he joined the Collective. When the trucks showed up, we¡­ had to detain him.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?!¡± his eyes widened. After their talk about morals, kidnapping was the last thing he expected from her.

    ¡°He threatened to go to the police!¡± she rushed to explain. ¡°I just wanted to keep him here until you could prove everything to him, but then the eighteen wheelers arrived. I kind of panicked, but then Jordan grabbed him and hauled him over to the faction hall.¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°Level two has a jail? I figured that wasn¡¯t until higher level.¡±

    ¡°Jail?¡± she asked, confused, and then shook her head. ¡°No, Jordan had some duct tape in the back of his truck. He used that to tie him up so he couldn¡¯t move.¡±

    Blake snorted and added sarcastically, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying we have plenty of time to handle other things before I go see him.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ yes,¡± she reluctantly agreed and gestured for him to follow her to the faction hall. ¡°But I don¡¯t like holding him prisoner.¡±

    ¡°Neither do I, but he¡¯s not just being an inconvenience.¡± Blake reminded her. ¡°He¡¯s threatening the survival of the human race.¡±

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Donna¡¯s concerned look turned sour. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bit much?¡± she asked, dryly.

    He shook his head. ¡°Not really. What do you think will happen if he makes good on his threats and goes to the police?¡± When his mother remained silent, he continued, ¡°They already have it out for us. Hopefully that lawyer you got us can buy some time, but we don¡¯t need this guy stirring the pot. The first thing they¡¯ll do is block all access to this property. Then they¡¯ll have someone watch it to make sure we can¡¯t use it, just like they have someone watching you and dad.¡±

    ¡°Actually, they stopped following us two days ago,¡± she corrected him.

    ¡°They did? Wow, and it only took a month and a half before they gave up,¡± he added flippantly.

    ¡°Our lawyer said as much, he¡¯s never seen such a show from the police. He finally had to mention some of his connections to get them to back down.¡± Dona sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, Blake, but this place can only hold so many people. There¡¯s eight billion people on Earth, we can save what, maybe a hundred? Two hundred?¡±

    Blake¡¯s brows rose. ¡°I think you¡¯re underestimating how many people can live in the city we¡¯re making. I want this place to be able to hold at least ten thousand people by Invasion day.¡±

    She shook her head and removed her hand. ¡°That¡¯s just not realistic. There¡¯s not enough room, and it¡¯s only four months away. Even if you pack people in like sardines, what will you feed them?¡±

    ¡°Well, for one, we can eat the Ursa. We have an unlimited amount of meat just three miles away. And two, you haven¡¯t seen how insanely fast crops grow with the help of nanomachines. Not only do they produce way more food, but you can harvest them like once a month.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°That may work, but there¡¯s also human waste to deal with. And, people can¡¯t just be caged. They have to be able to walk around and stretch their legs.¡±

    He grinned. ¡°Waste isn¡¯t an issue. Once a bunk house gets to level two, they get running water and sewage. As far as space goes,¡± he looked toward their burgeoning city and raised his hand. ¡°After Invasion day, this place is going to expand. Very quickly.¡± Blake could tell she wanted to argue further, so he changed the subject instead. ¡°So, what all got built while I was gone?¡±

    Donna frowned, but answered. ¡°Well, we finished the upgrade to the faction hall, and made Brent a constructor. After that, we wanted to build a bunk house and a cookhouse, but a well was required first.¡±

    Blake nodded along.

    ¡°So, we went ahead and built that. Right now, Jordan¡¯s working on housing, while Brent¡¯s building a kitchen for your father.¡±

    He cocked his head to the side in confusion. ¡°How did you get the nano for that?¡±

    ¡°We had enough for the faction hall, barely, but then we were out. So we all decided to chip in and donate so we could build the well. Although, what little we have left won¡¯t last long with the two new buildings,¡± she admitted.

    Blake smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got fifty million nano to spare. Actually, let''s deposit it right now. After that, I¡¯ll have a little talk with our landlord. Can¡¯t keep him tied up too long. It¡¯s not exactly humane.¡±

    She nodded absently and followed behind him as they strode toward the faction hall. Beyond the upgraded building, he saw Jordan kneel down near a large, fuzzy rectangle on the ground. Blake assumed it was the foundation of the bunkhouse and changed direction toward the busy constructor.

    ¡°Hey, Jordan.¡±

    He looked over his shoulder and nodded. ¡°Evenin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Jordan,¡± Donna addressed her worker. ¡°Can you get everyone who can teleport supplies to the warehouse and have them unload the trucks?¡±

    Jordan frowned. ¡°In front of the drivers? Won¡¯t that raise some eyebrows?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°I sent them away for dinner. I figure we have about an hour to get them unloaded before they return.¡±

    The man slowly nodded. ¡°I can make it happen.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Blake waved and headed toward the faction hall.

    Blake opened the double doors, entered the structure, and was surprised at how ¡®homey¡¯ it looked. What was once a bare room with a table in the center, was now twice the size and filled with furniture. The window frames were absent glass, but the shutters were far more elegant in their design.

    His good mood faded when he saw their captive.

    In the back of the expanded room, Mister Grayburn leaned awkwardly against the wall, his mouth taped shut, and his hands and feet bound. After Donna and Blake entered, he began to struggle. He wiggled back and forth as he tried to escape, and yelled into the gag.

    ¡°If you calm down, I¡¯ll take that gag off you,¡± he offered softly. When the man only screamed louder, Blake shook his head and headed toward the ornate desk to his right to allow the man to calm down. Atop the desk sat the familiar pearl globe. Before he could second guess himself, he reached out to touch the management object, navigated the menu, and then transferred all of his nano to the treasury. When the task was complete, he stood up straight and turned to his mother. ¡°Done.¡±

    ¡°Will that be enough to finish both buildings?¡± she asked with a waver in her voice. When Blake asked her to repeat her question, she was forced to raise her voice to be heard over their prisoner¡¯s muffled screams.

    ¡°If it¡¯s not, then they¡¯ll have to wait a couple of days until I¡¯ve recovered.¡±

    Actually, how¡¯s that going?

    Blake used his peripheral vision and checked his heads-up display to see how much chi remained.

    Eighteen percent. Not bad.

    Once Regeneration consumed all of his energy, the spell would deactivate. After, he would need to wait a few hours for his reserves to refill before he reactivated the ability and resumed healing. For the next two days, he would switch between healing and refilling his chi energy every few hours until he was well enough to fight.

    His eyes once more landed on their trussed up landlord, and he took a deep breath. He approached the hogtied prisoner, leaned over, and ripped the duct tape off the man¡¯s mouth.

    A scream assaulted Blake¡¯s ears. The outcry was immediately replaced by curses and threats. ¡°You bastards are all going to jail! When the police get here, they¡¯re gonna lock you up and throw away the key!¡± Suddenly, the man¡¯s eyes widened in recognition. ¡°You! You¡¯re that thug of a kid they¡¯re after! I seen you on the news! I almost didn¡¯t recognize you through those burns.¡±

    Blake sighed.

    I can¡¯t believe he recognized me. Of COURSE, I just happen to run across the ONE person who ACTUALLY watches the news. This is going to make things more difficult.

    ¡°Oh ho ho!¡± he celebrated. ¡°When I turn you in, I¡¯m gonna get a big payday!¡±

    ¡°Do you want to know why we tied you up?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need your excuses, you¡¯re all crazy!¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Want to try again?¡±

    The old man sneered. ¡°I bet you want my money. Well, too bad for you, it¡¯s all in the bank.¡±

    ¡°Nope. We don¡¯t need money. We have plenty of that.¡±

    ¡°Then what could you possibly want with an old man!¡±

    ¡°Shut up for a minute, and I¡¯ll tell you.¡±

    The landlord scowled, but remained silent.

    ¡°Good. Now, I assume my mother explained everything after you joined the Collective?¡± he glanced over his shoulder and saw Donna¡¯s nod of confirmation. ¡°Then, I can only assume you don¡¯t believe her, despite the proof in front of you.¡±

    ¡°More of this cockamamie bull crap?!¡± he protested. ¡°How stupid do you think I am?¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°You saw the words before your eyes, right?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see shit!¡± he disagreed.

    He turned back to his mother and saw her shake her head in frustration. ¡°Oh, he saw them all right. He freaked out so much, he wouldn¡¯t stop yelling until I told him how to get rid of them.¡±

    Blake looked back at the prisoner in disappointment. ¡°So, you¡¯re a liar,¡± he accused.

    The old man reacted strongly to the accusation. He flinched away like he had been struck and looked offended, as if Blake had claimed he kicked babies.

    ¡°I ain¡¯t no liar!¡± he wheezed. ¡°You just showed me some trick is all! And, it won¡¯t work on me no more, that¡¯s for damn sure.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Blake grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot of things to share.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯re you gonna do to me?¡± the old man asked as Blake kneeled down before him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything ¡®to you¡¯,¡± Blake insisted as he adjusted the long sheath of his longsword. He took a deep breath and looked into Mister Grayburn¡¯s eyes. ¡°I have a story to tell you.¡±

 Chapter 45 - Show and Tell

    The doubt on their landlord¡¯s face was telling. Over the last fifteen minutes, Blake had painstakingly detailed past events, while his mother stood silently behind him.

    ¡°And I¡¯m just supposed to believe all this horseshit?¡± Mister Grayburn asked, acerbically.

    ¡°If proof is what you need, I¡¯ve got all you could ever want,¡± Blake said confidently.

    ¡°Uh huh¡­¡±

    ¡°Mister Gray¡­ actually, what¡¯s your first name? Calling you ¡®Mister Grayburn¡¯ is getting ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Robert.¡±

    Blake nodded and stood. ¡°Okay Robert. I want you to keep your eyes on me.¡± As he spoke, he walked away from the irate man until he stood next to his mother across the room. ¡°While you watch, don¡¯t blink, or you¡¯ll miss it.¡±

    For the first time in either life, Blake activated an aether based ability. The AI had downloaded the requisite knowledge to utilize the complex spell directly into his brain, and while it took concentration, it initialized immediately.

    Suddenly, space seemed to warp, and he stood only a foot away from his prisoner. Behind him, his mother gasped, while Robert¡¯s eyes widened. The old man began to sputter. ¡°What¡­ just what the hell kinda drugs did you give me?¡±

    ¡°No drugs, just nanomachines.¡±

    After the statement, Blake absently checked his heads-up display to see how much of his aetheric energy he had used.

    Only seven percent? Is it just that strong of a spell, or does my high affinity make it use that much less?

    ¡°Was that a spell?¡± his mother asked, eyes wide.

    He heard a gasp from Robert, but ignored him while he answered his mother.

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yeah. At level one, I get one spell for each energy type. That was my aether spell, Spatial Shift.¡±

    ¡°What else can you do?¡±

    ¡°Well, I already told you about Regeneration. My mana-based spell is Flame Shield, and my psionic one is Mental Blast.¡±

    ¡°How often can you use them?¡± she pressed, distracted from the present situation.

    He shrugged. ¡°It depends on the spell and how much energy I have left. I¡¯ve been using Regeneration for a few hours now, so I¡¯m almost out of chi, but I can use Spatial Shift every minute until I run out of aether.¡±

    ¡°Is that what you did?¡± Donna asked. ¡°Spatial Shift?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, think of it as a short range teleport,¡± he suggested.

    ¡°Can you show me another spell?¡± she asked, tentatively.

    ¡°Sure, for our guest, of course.¡± Blake grinned as he glanced over to the stunned older man. ¡°I don¡¯t think you want me to use Mental Blast on you, so I¡¯ll try out Flame Shield.¡±

    He raised his hands and began to form a strange sequence of gestures. When a full second passed, and he continued, his mother frowned and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Blake remained silent as he completed the spell form. Finally, a few seconds later, it activated. He felt a strange sensation as his mana was siphoned away, but a moment later, a faint shimmer surrounded him. Once it was completed, he apologized. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s done now. With mana, you have to complete the spell form. If you¡¯re interrupted, you have to start all over again.¡±

    Donna¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t see any flames. You said it was Flame Shield, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded. ¡°The shield protects you FROM flames, it doesn¡¯t project them. But, once it absorbs enough heat, it starts radiating that heat away from you.¡±

    ¡°And that will keep you from getting burned in the future?¡± she clarified.

    ¡°That¡¯s the idea,¡± he confirmed.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think our friend,¡± she nodded to Robert, who gazed at them with increased concern. ¡°Is going to be convinced by a spell he can¡¯t see. Is there something else you can do that¡¯s a bit more obvious?¡±

    Blake cocked his head to the side as he considered the problem. Except for Spatial Shift, none of his new spells were visually appealing. Flame Shield needed to absorb a large amount of heat before it could be seen, and he did not want to accidentally burn down the faction house in an attempt to showcase the spell. Mental Blast was always invisible, and the old man was already in enough discomfort at the moment. His regeneration sped up his healing by a factor of ten, but it was still slow enough that observing it was like watching grass grow.

    He had enough Physical Power that he could move incredibly fast and bend steel, but there was nothing nearby he could use to showcase his strength. Even if he did, Robert would most likely claim it was a trick. Blake needed to do something that would last longer than just a moment.

    I guess Metal gets to save the day again. Well, I had some questions for him anyway.

    He activated his Summon Companion skill, and a portal opened beside him. Almost immediately, the wraith exited out of the swirling spatial distortion. Robert gave a small yelp at the sight.

    Once his companion passed through, the portal closed, and Metal asked in a deep, rumbling baritone, ¡°Is there something you need?¡±

    Blake smiled. ¡°Yes, thanks for coming.¡±

    ¡°I did not have a choice in the matter,¡± his companion reminded him.

    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± he waved the comment away. ¡°I was being polite.¡±

    Blake glanced over to see his prisoner¡¯s reaction. Robert¡¯s eyes were twice their normal size as he stared at the transparent wraith. The longer he observed Blake¡¯s companion, the faster his breaths came, until he began to hyperventilate.

    ¡°Calm down, Robert. Metal won¡¯t hurt you. I brought him here to show you something you couldn¡¯t deny as a ¡®trick¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Our agreement specified that you would only summon me to ask questions.¡± Metal reminded him and then noticed his burns. ¡°Were you playing with fire?¡±

    Blake ignored the dig at him and said, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you worry. I have LOTS of questions. Convincing our prisoner here of the truth is just a nice side effect.¡±

    ¡°The truth?¡± Metal asked.

    ¡°Yeah, Robert here,¡± Blake gestured. ¡°Still doesn¡¯t believe in the Collective, despite all the proof we¡¯ve shown him. He thinks we¡¯re ¡®tricking him¡¯ somehow.¡±

    ¡°That is foolish. I suggest replacing him with a human that is not defective.¡±

    Blake laughed.

    ¡°He¡¯s not defective,¡± Donna defended their prisoner. ¡°He¡¯s just resistant to change. It happens as you get older.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Their prisoner remained silent as they talked about him, still stunned by the sight of the wraith. However, his breathing calmed slightly, and he was no longer in danger of passing out.

    ¡°Okay Metal, while Mister Defective over here convinces himself we¡¯re not lying, I¡¯ve got a few questions for you. Do you know what''s required to build an Alchemist¡¯s workshop?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the wraith replied, monotone. ¡°You must upgrade your faction hall to level three and also construct a glassblower¡¯s workshop.¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°Why is everything called a ¡®workshop¡¯? Can¡¯t the Architect come up with a better term?¡±

    For the first time, he saw his companion hesitate. When Metal finally answered, his voice showed a hint of doubt. ¡°I believe you are referring to the translation. Before a world is assimilated into the Collective, the Architect scans the population¡¯s thoughts, and deciphers the species¡¯ language. The Architect uses terms that the newly inducted are able to comprehend, so there is no misunderstanding.¡±

    ¡°Languages,¡± Blake corrected. ¡°Humans have lots of different languages, not just one.¡±

    ¡°Odd. How is your race able to function as a cohesive whole if you are unable to understand each other?¡±

    He snorted. ¡°We don¡¯t. That¡¯s one of our problems.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. I begin to see why your species failed the Architect¡¯s tests in your original timeline.¡±

    ¡°I see the glassblower¡¯s workshop as an option, but it won¡¯t let me upgrade the faction hall,¡± Donna interrupted, slightly unnerved by the wraith¡¯s statement.

    Metal turned to Blake¡¯s mother and said, ¡°You must first upgrade the metal workshop, wood workshop, and quarry to level two.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised the AI didn¡¯t call it a ¡®rock workshop¡¯,¡± Blake muttered.

    ¡°Why? Is it all just arbitrary?¡± his mother asked the wraith.

    ¡°No. To upgrade the faction hall to level three, specific materials must be obtained. In order to modify those materials for use, your non-combat classes need their requisite structures to first be upgraded.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but WHY does a level three faction hall require specific materials?¡± Donna complained. ¡°It makes no sense when you can just build it out of normal wood.¡±

    ¡°I believe the Architect does everything it can to foster combat growth. In order to expand your faction beyond the five hundred people allowed by a level two faction hall, you need to form combat teams to gather supplies. Level two buildings only require resources gathered from off world, while a level three building requires wood, stone, and metals gained from specific scenarios. This ensures a faction does not stagnate, as growth requires advancement.¡±

    ¡°What about level four?¡± Donna asked.

    ¡°Much the same as three, but with a level requirement attached. Each upgrade after that requires multiple high level scenarios to be completed and harvested.¡±

    Suddenly, a light bulb went off in Blake¡¯s head. ¡°Ohhhh¡­ So THAT¡¯s why they sent me all over the place.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± his mother tilted her head in confusion.

    ¡°Sorry. I just realized why my last faction sent us all over the country to do random scenarios. Any time we asked why we couldn¡¯t just complete an easier one and grind out nano, we were told, ¡®Because I said so¡¯.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Either Bob didn¡¯t know why either, or he was just an asshole.¡±

    When he finished, his mother turned back to Metal and asked, ¡°Is there a reason we need to keep upgrading the buildings, or can we just get to a certain point and stop?¡±

    ¡°Higher level faction halls unlock structures which grant unique benefits,¡± Metal answered.

    ¡°Like the portal room or shield generator.¡± Blake interrupted.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Metal confirmed. ¡°The Architect also limits the size of your faction to the level of your faction hall. To grow beyond one hundred members, you must upgrade the hall to level two. Level three allows you to invite up to a thousand members, and four, ten-thousand.¡±

    ¡°What if we just build like a thousand faction halls all over the place? Would that get past the limits on membership?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the wraith answered simply. ¡°The limit is determined by the highest level faction hall.¡±

    Blake sighed and then muttered under his breath, ¡°Of course it is.¡± In a louder voice, he asked, ¡°So, what kind of ¡®special materials¡¯ are required for level three?¡±

    ¡°Unknown,¡± Metal replied. ¡°Every species has different requirements. You must first unlock the ability to upgrade your faction hall before you can see the list of requisite materials.¡±

    ¡°That list will tell us where to get them?¡± Donna clarified.

    ¡°No. It will only identify the materials. You must then discover which scenarios contain the necessary supplies.¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°If we show you the list, can you describe what they look like?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Metal confirmed.

    He absently nodded to himself. ¡°Then, depending on what we need, I might already know where to find them.¡±

    ¡°Why make things so difficult?¡± Donna complained.

    ¡°As I stated before, I believe the Architect wishes to foster exploration and combat capability. In order to expand, a faction must foster many combat teams.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and I want to be able to invite up to at least ten thousand people by Invasion day,¡± Blake replied. ¡°Which means we need to figure it out fast. So, after the bunkhouse and cookhouse are done, we need to upgrade our workshops and quarry to level two. Of course, that means I need to do another Ursa scenario, so we can harvest the materials.¡± He ran his fingers through his long, greasy, dust-filled hair and let out a grunt of annoyance. ¡°And here I thought I was going to get a nice two-day break.¡±

    His mother frowned. ¡°You can still rest.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no time. Too much to do.¡±

    ¡°Blake, you¡¯re killing yourself. You can at least take a single day off. How does a shower, and a nice meal with your family sound? The police aren¡¯t following us anymore, remember?¡±

    Damn¡­ That does sound good.

    He considered the offer. It would be another two days before the bunkhouse and cookhouse were finished. He could easily gather all the supplies they needed tomorrow, so no time would be wasted. He was still healing after all.

    You know what? She¡¯s right. I DO need a break.

    Blake smiled. ¡°Actually, you''re right. That sounds amazing.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    With a sigh, he dismissed Metal and turned back to their prisoner. ¡°Now we just need to get this figured out. Are you convinced now that it''s not all some ¡®elaborate trick¡¯?¡±

    The old man slowly nodded.

    ¡°Okay, so does that mean you aren¡¯t going to go straight to the cops as soon as I untie you?¡±

    Robert swallowed and then croaked out, ¡°Why not tell them yourself? Show them what you showed me?¡±

    Blake sighed. ¡°Like I told you, they¡¯re corrupt. The sheriff and his deputies are the last people I want in my faction. I¡¯d rather just avoid them until Invasion day. After that,¡± he shrugged. ¡°They¡¯ll be too busy trying to survive to bother me anymore.¡±

    The landlord nodded and added with a waver in his voice. ¡°I understand. But¡­ what¡¯ll happen to me?¡±

    ¡°That depends, do you want to join us?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see as I¡¯ll have a choice if I want to live.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s always a choice,¡± Blake replied. ¡°But, sometimes your options just suck. I have no problem inviting you, but you¡¯ll have to contribute. No freeloading allowed.¡±

    Robert appeared offended. ¡°Boy, I¡¯ve worked hard all my life to get where I am. Do you know what it¡¯s like waking up before the sun rises and working until after it sets? You ever plowed a field? Huh?¡±

    ¡°So, you know how to farm,¡± he smirked. ¡°How would you like to be a farmer again for us?¡±

    Robert shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m too old for that now. I can barely lift a hoe, and bending over would break my back.¡±

    ¡°What are your attributes at?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    He explained to the old man how to access his status and then how to share it with others. Once Robert figured it out, the attributes displayed before him.

    ¡°Physical Power is three, Stamina is two, and Resistance is also two,¡± Blake read off. ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll give you enough nano to increase all of your attributes to five. That will make you strong enough to farm again. How does that sound?¡±

    Robert frowned. ¡°It¡¯ll make me young again?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, but you¡¯ll feel like you were fifty years younger.¡±

    ¡°Fifty years?¡± the man harrumphed. ¡°How old do you think I am, young man?¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ eighty?¡±

    His mother snorted while Robert scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, I am sixty-seven years old.¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Blake shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re still old, but after you enhance yourself, you won¡¯t feel like it anymore.¡±

    ¡°Kids¡­¡± the old man muttered. ¡°Fine. You fix my body so it stops falling apart, and I¡¯ll gladly help you grow some food.¡±

    Blake bent down to their prisoner and ripped off the duct tape. Once his limbs were free, Robert shook them out and then extended his hand. He clasped hands with their newest member, invited him to the faction and said, ¡°Deal.¡±

 Chapter 46 - The Power of Spells

    Blake held his spear at the ready as he was ejected from the void and onto the Ursa¡¯s world. He immediately surveyed his surroundings to ensure he was alone. Once his safety was confirmed, he searched the surrounding terrain for the supplies they needed.

    Well, there¡¯s plenty of rock. Hopefully there¡¯s some wood around here too.

    The sun beat down onto his position at the bottom of a gorge. The gray rock sides were almost vertical and rose over thirty feet above his head, while a trickle of water cascaded down the boulder field. A drop of sweat dripped down his forehead and he absently wiped it away.

    Yeah, that¡¯s enough of that.

    Blake immediately began the complex chain of gestures required to summon his Flame Shield. His left hand¡¯s range of motion had improved greatly during his break. Ten seconds later, the heat dissipated with the completion of the spell form.

    So much better. And I¡¯m not even hungry!

    The temperature was nowhere near high enough to harm him, as it was far cooler than the Mander caves. However, it was uncomfortable, and was something he could easily remedy.

    The night prior, Blake had taken a shower, had a nice home cooked meal with his family, and then slept in a nice bed. After that luxury, he was unwilling to suffer without a good reason. He almost felt like a normal human again, rather than some savage in survival mode.

    Almost.

    He also did not mind increasing the spell¡¯s experience. He would need to cast it quite a bit before it could be evolved.

    Okay, now how the hell do I get out of here now?

    After a moment, Blake realized he would be forced to scale the rock walls. ¡°Of course I do,¡± he muttered as he searched for a potential line to the top.

    Wait a minute!

    Suddenly, Blake grinned and eagerly rubbed his hands together with glee. He had gone years without access to anything but chi, and almost forgotten his new shiny teleportation spell. With but a moment of concentration, he focused on a two-foot ledge around fifteen feet above him and activated Spatial Shift.

    The world blurred, and he suffered a brief moment of vertigo as his surroundings dramatically changed. He placed both hands against the cool rock surface to steady himself.

    Woah, that was way different.

    Not only had he traveled much farther than he had in his test within the faction hall the day before, but he also changed his elevation. When the rock wall appeared just inches before his eyes, he almost panicked, lost his balance, and fell backward.

    Blake waited impatiently on the outcropping for his spell¡¯s cooldown to expire. Once the sixty seconds passed, he searched for a good location to teleport to and reactivated the spell. His world shifted and then opened up before him. This time, he remained balanced.

    Thank God. Trees.

    He feared he would need to complete two separate scenarios to gather all the necessary materials. Without higher attributes, he did not dare go against level two Ursa. And, against the level ones he would face here, he would receive five times less nano.

    The ten million or so he would gain from killing everything within the scenario was not even enough to upgrade a single attribute. It felt like a waste of time to him, but he reminded himself that it was the materials he was after, not nano. The tree cover was not thick, but would provide plenty of lumber for their needs.

    He would need to figure out how to get his faction members up above the portal level.

    With great caution, he set off through the sparse forest. While the burns on his face and arms had healed, his left hand had yet to recover fully. It was tender, and could not yet support his old buckler. Regardless, if he could spot his enemy and remain unseen, he could utilize his new spells to perform a devastating ambush.

    Unfortunately, a few minutes later, despite his caution, a distant roar dashed his hopes.

    It sure would¡¯ve been nice to have Fade or Mind Sense right about now.

    Blake had chosen his new spells to counter the Manders, not Ursa. While they would still aid him in his fight, he would not have an overwhelming advantage.

    With a shake of his head, he spun around and searched for the source of the howl. Movement appeared in his peripheral vision, and he located the Ursa. It galloped toward him at full speed as it circled around the distant arbors. Immediately, he inspected the monster and confirmed it used chi.

    Okay now, what¡¯s the plan?

    He paused as countless options flashes through his mind. However, by the time the Ursa was thirty feet away, he had already decided on his plan of action and tightened his painful grip on the shaft of his spear.

    Blake activated Spatial Shift and teleported directly in front of the charging Ursa. Instantly, before he even recovered from the sudden change of location, he cast Mind Blast for the first time. The spell took effect instantly and assaulted the Ursa¡¯s mind.

    He confirmed the spell¡¯s success when his target let loose a howl of agony.

    It did no damage to the creature, but that was not his intent. Instead, it distracted the beast long enough for Blake to plant his spear into the rocky ground and ready himself. Despite a brief flinch, the monster¡¯s charge continued unabated until it impaled itself directly through the chest.

    Blake was barely able to maintain grip on his spear as it pierced through thick hide and slipped between its ribs. However, that mortal wound was not enough to immediately kill the monster. It roared and blindly swiped with its front claws as it fell on its side and slid.

    He released his spear and deftly leapt away from the dangerous creature. The Ursa¡¯s sharp talons raked through the empty air, and came within an inch of his skull.

    Blake unsheathed his longsword as the monster¡¯s head slammed into a boulder. He raced forward with his weapon raised high above his head, and unleashed another Mind Blast just as the blade descended.

    A sharp pain flared within his own mind, and he felt hot liquid drip from his nose. However, he ignored the pain as his sword bit into the toughened hide of the beast¡¯s neck and continued on until it became lodged against its spine.

    Immediately, the creature slumped to its side and lay still. No update appeared in his display.

    Wary of a trap, Blake sawed his long sword back and forth as he checked his logs. Once its death was confirmed, he breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the blood from beneath his nose.

    Much easier this way. Although, I don¡¯t think the second Mind Blast was necessary. Damn that hurt.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Blake winced and rubbed his temples to relieve the built-up pressure. He wiped the blood from his upper lip. The first Mind Blast was effortless, and created no side effects. However, without sufficient time between casts, the second caused an instant migraine.

    Now I know how Jeff felt. No wonder he barely talked, he was probably in constant agony.

    His friend had dealt with the pain from overuse of Psionic energy without complaint for years. Each and every time his nose began to bleed, he waved away Blake and Montgomery¡¯s concerns. This new appreciation for Jeff¡¯s resolve only increased the respect Blake had for the man.

    I really do need to recruit my old team sooner rather than later. Maybe I¡¯ll take a trip to Phoenix in a few days and find them.

    With a heave, Blake retrieved his spear from the monster¡¯s corpse and set off through the woods to find his next prey. His new spells had proven themselves against the level one Ursa, and as a result, his confidence soared.

    <hr>

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    No.

    Blake grunted with effort and shifted the heavy Ursa off of his leg with his good hand. His plan to defeat the last monster had worked almost flawlessly. Almost, however, was the key word.

    I can¡¯t believe it tried to crush me.

    Blake had been forced to run the empowered Ursa out of chi before he could safely confront it. With prodigious use of Spatial Step and Mind Blast, he barely avoided the Alacrity fueled monster until its reserves were run dry. Only then did he fight it head on.

    He wiped the blood from his nose.

    I¡¯m going to have this headache for weeks.

    When he mortally wounded the large monster, it expended the last of its energy to crush him beneath it. Luckily, Blake was able to react in time and only ended up with a bruised shin.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Okay guys, you can come through the portal now. I¡¯ll meet you at the entrance.

    With the message sent, he retrieved his spear from the dead Ursa before him and set off at a jog towards the canyon where he entered this world.

    Ten minutes later, Blake heard a rhythmic clanking as he neared the exit back to Earth. When he approached the edge and looked down, he saw Kuruk and Jason below, gathered around Owen as the man exhausted himself against the hardened stone. Their voices echoed across the stone walls.

    Owen slumped down and panted to recover his breath. ¡°How the hell am I supposed to break a chunk off this stone? It feels like it¡¯s harder than steel.¡±

    ¡°Ya gotta put your back in it, fam,¡± Jason advised, sagely.

    Owen threw the pick on the ground. ¡°Okay BRO, you try it and see what happens.¡±

    Jason shook his head and grinned widely. ¡°No can do. I¡¯m a woodworker,¡± he pointed at the chipped stone cliff. ¡°And that¡¯s not wood.¡±

    Blake announced himself with a yell as Owen muttered curses under his breath. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I figured I¡¯d have to mine everything anyway.¡±

    Every head shot up in surprise as people were finally made aware of his presence.

    ¡°How the hell did you get up there?¡± Jason asked.

    ¡°Dude, he obviously climbed,¡± Owen replied.

    ¡°Actually, I teleported up,¡± he replied.

    ¡°No cap?¡± Jason blurted.

    Blake snorted at his childhood slang and then confirmed, ¡°No cap.¡±

    ¡°Actually, stand back a bit,¡± Blake ordered. ¡°I want to try something.¡±

    When they cleared the area, he took a deep breath and then focused on Spatial Step. Everything blurred as he appeared twenty feet below his previous position.

    However, that was not the bottom of the canyon. He quickly picked up momentum as he fell the remaining ten feet and then slammed into the hard rock. Blake did his best to soften his landing by bending his knees, but he could only do so much. The joints in his legs were strained, and he already regretted his decision.

    The gravity on this planet is insane.

    ¡°Holy shit! That was a superhero landing!¡± Jason yelled.

    ¡°Badass!¡± Owen agreed.

    Kuruk rolled his eyes and muttered, ¡°Show off.¡±

    Blake stood slowly, careful to hide the pain, pleased at their response. ¡°Hey Kuruk, please tell me you made that pick and Jason¡¯s ax.¡±

    ¡°Yup,¡± the native affirmed.

    ¡°Good, then hopefully it won¡¯t break this time.¡± He extended his hand toward Owen. ¡°Hand over the pick, I want to speed this up.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Owen gratefully agreed. ¡°You said it¡¯s safe now, right?¡±

    Blake nodded.

    ¡°Cool, then I¡¯m gonna go explore. No offense, but it¡¯s not every day I get to see an alien planet.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m coming too,¡± Jason agreed.

    The two men set off down the canyon floor, while Kuruk silently trailed behind. As they navigated the boulders, he could clearly hear their wheezes. The increased gravity dramatically increased the effort required to traverse the rocky ground, and they were not considered ¡®in-shape¡¯ to begin with.

    Whatever, the quicker I can break off this rock, the quicker we can get out of here.

    He swung the pick with his full strength, despite his still injured hand,  at an outcropping, and grinned as it produced a spider-web of cracks. After three more attempts, a large section the size of his torso fell to the ground. The newly exposed rock was lined with a reddish hue.

    Nice! Some good luck for once.

    Blake recognized the veins of iron layered within. Unlike the original buildings, their upgrades required iron mined from off world. They could not use a collection of sledgehammers and other implements purchased from Builder Depot as they tried before. It was the only reason Kuruk was present. As a metalworker, only he could teleport the material back to the warehouse on Earth. Otherwise, Blake would be forced to carry the heavy supplies by hand.

    His pick nicked the vein and bounced away with a hard vibration.

    This is harder than it looks. How did they mine so quickly when they¡¯re so much weaker than me? Does the Architect assist them in some way?

    In his past life, he had never used a pick or ax himself and mined resources. When the scenario was safe, they messaged the non-combatants and left once their job was done. He had never stayed behind to watch. The call of a cold beer was too strong.

    Distant screams suddenly alerted him. He could not make out what was yelled, so he immediately sprinted toward the noise. When he hurdled over a particularly large boulder, he was finally able to decipher their voices.

    ¡°... telling you, there¡¯s something special about this rock!¡± Owen insisted.

    ¡°Of COURSE there is,¡± Jason rolled his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s on another planet!¡±

    Owen shook his head. ¡°No, I mean special compared to all the others,¡± he insisted.

    Jason snorted. ¡°Sure it is, sure it is.¡±

    Owen¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Don¡¯t act like you know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°Like you do?!¡±

    Blake sighed and interrupted. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Owen glanced over his shoulder and then pointed down at a rock near his feet. ¡°Maybe you can tell me why this rock looks so much different than the others.¡±

    Blake stepped forward and leaned down to examine the large stone. As far as he could tell, it was identical to its neighbors. He glanced up and shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything different about it.¡±

    ¡°See! I told you!¡± Jason gloated. ¡°I think the sun¡¯s getting to ya, man.¡±

    ¡°I swear! It has a soft glow to it or something,¡± Owen insisted.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s see what happens if I take a pick to it. You may want to move,¡± he advised.

    After they backed away, he hefted the tool into the air and slammed it into the rock Owen claimed was special. The metal head shattered the stone into hundreds of pieces and a cavity was revealed.

    What the hell?

    Blake reached down into the now exposed cleft, and retrieved a small, hard object. After he wiped away the dirt which coated it, a gold, shiny object was revealed. He immediately inspected the treasure.

    ¡°Wow! Nice find, Owen.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± the skinny man rushed over.

    ¡°It looks like you found a hidden treasure¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± However, when he laid his eyes on the earring, he frowned in disappointment. ¡°Oh. I thought it¡¯d be something special.¡±

    ¡°It IS special,¡± Blake corrected. ¡°If you wear this thing, it¡¯ll increase your Physical Power by two.¡±

    ¡°Wait, that stupid earring will make me stronger somehow?¡±

    Blake nodded.

    Owen grinned. ¡°Then I love it!¡± He reached out to accept his prize.

    ¡°Hey! Why does he get to keep it?¡± Jason complained.

    ¡°Because he found it. If you ever find a tree that looks special, let me know. It may be a hidden treasure.¡±

    ¡°You never told us we could find crap like this!¡± Owen complained.

    He shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you guys could see them. I never stayed behind to watch people work.¡±

    I wonder what else I¡¯ll learn. How much of what I know is wrong? How much else is there to discover?

 Chapter 47 - Back to Work

    ¡°You know, I haven¡¯t seen your mother this enthusiastic in years,¡± Peter beamed as he dodged a particularly large pothole on the county road. Blake relaxed in the passenger seat as he listened to his father talk. ¡°Not since she got laid off and started helping out at the restaurant, at least.¡±

    ¡°Mom always did like organizing things,¡± Blake agreed.

    His father nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m ashamed to admit it, but I didn¡¯t realize she was depressed before this. Any time I asked if something was wrong, she kept saying she was fine. You know, your mom, always wanting to be helpful and not bother anyone.  But, with how much energy and effort she¡¯s putting into this faction stuff¡­¡± Peter shook his head. ¡°The difference is like night and day.¡±

    ¡°She always said you only pay attention when it comes to cooking.¡± Blake teased. ¡°What about you? How are you doing since the restaurant closed?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    He stared deadpan at his father.

    After Peter glanced over and saw his son¡¯s silent disbelief, he insisted, ¡°No, no, no. I really am fine. I¡¯m actually kind of excited to see what it¡¯s like cooking with nanomachines. Your mother said the cookhouse will be finished this afternoon. As soon as it¡¯s done, I¡¯m going to make a big meal. I want everyone in the faction to eat dinner together tonight!¡± He then glanced over at Blake. ¡°That includes you.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Sure, sounds good.¡± After a moment, he smiled. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re inviting Mister Grayburn?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­.. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s busy¡­¡± his father trailed off.

    ¡°A retired widower is busy, huh?¡± Blake added dryly. ¡°You know you¡¯ll be working closely with him, him being in charge of farming and all.¡±

    Peter sighed, and then changed the subject. ¡°So, your brother wants to know when he can start working on his cure.¡±

    ¡°It might be a couple of weeks or so. Metal says that we can build the alchemist workshop after we upgrade the faction hall to level three and build the glassblower shop.¡±

    ¡°It takes that long to upgrade the faction hall?¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°Actually, I have no clue how long it¡¯ll take. But, I¡¯m more concerned with the materials required. He said we can¡¯t just get them from anywhere, only certain scenarios will work. And, we won¡¯t even know what we¡¯ll need until we upgrade the quarry and the metal and wood shops. Oliver just needs to be a bit more patient. I know it''s difficult, but this really will cure him.¡±

    Peter turned onto the gravel road and frowned. ¡°Are you sure you can trust Metal? Doesn¡¯t that thing have a conflict of interest?¡±

    ¡°We came to an agreement,¡± Blake replied. ¡°And everything he¡¯s said about the faction town has been true.¡±

    ¡°It just seems so weird to go from wanting you dead to helping you.¡±

    ¡°Why? He just wants to spend time with his family. Every time I summon him, I pull him away from them. I promised not to summon him for combat, and rarely for advice. As long as I keep my side of the deal, he¡¯ll keep his. Also, if I die, he has to go to another ¡®master¡¯, per his contract. If I¡¯m the lesser of the evils, he¡¯ll want to stick with me.¡±

    ¡°You HAVE heard of white lies, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Of course I have. That¡¯s one of the reasons I made the deal in the first place. He can¡¯t lie to me directly, but he can definitely mislead me.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay. I just wanted to make sure you¡¯re being careful, is all.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I am. I know how much is riding on our success.¡± After the car turned the corner, he said, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    His father slowed to a stop and searched the area. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.¡±

    Blake opened the door and then pointed. ¡°It¡¯s down that canyon under an overhang. Don¡¯t bother trying to find it, the portal¡¯s still invisible.¡±

    ¡°Can I watch you enter it?¡± Peter asked.

    Blake opened the back seat and retrieved the duffel bag of supplies. ¡°Sure, knock yourself out. But, whatever you do, don¡¯t follow me.¡±

    His father exited the vehicle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I remember. Unlike our newest recruits, I can recognize that I¡¯m just a cook.¡±

    They traveled down the small gorge until they reached his destination, a little over a hundred feet in. Blake dropped the pack and glanced back at his father. ¡°Well, this is it.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°Right there,¡± he pointed and then threw out his arm. ¡°No! Don¡¯t get closer!¡±

    Peter froze, eyes wide and nostrils flared.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s over a hundred and thirty degrees in the Mander caves, dad. Even hotter if you get near the edges. And, that ignores the Manders themselves.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s that hot, how do you survive?¡±

    ¡°Well, I have a spell to help, but my body is literally superhuman now. Another level or two and I¡¯ll be bulletproof. Well, at least to pistols,¡± he qualified. ¡°Not that I want to test it.¡±

    His father shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s all so unbelievable.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s our new life.¡± After he answered pragmatically, he began to cast Flame Shield. His father watched as he made strange gestures with his hands for a full ten seconds before the spell was completed. When he was done, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll see ya tonight, dad.¡±

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    ¡°See ya,¡± he waved and slowly backed away from the portal. ¡°And, be safe.¡±

    Blake confirmed his father was beyond the portal and then stepped  inside. Everything went black. He entered the void and chose to fight against level one Manders.

    Since the scenario was the same level as himself, he would only receive around ten million nano for completing it, just as he had in the Ursa scenario the day prior. However, he decided to continue his caution and wanted to test the new spells against the monsters. He needed to ensure they worked exactly as planned before he attempted a higher difficulty.

    Suddenly, the void disappeared, and he was spat out onto the cave floor. Immediately, he unsheathed his longsword as he searched for immediate threats. As expected, the area was safe, but he did not lower his guard.

    Blake¡¯s Flame Shield emitted a dull orange glow as it siphoned the environmental heat away from him. The shield¡¯s stored heat would normally harm any creatures that came near him. However, the Manders were almost immune and would not be affected. He retrieved his buckler shield from the loop on his back and began to scout along the tunnels while he flexed his left hand.

    I¡¯m so glad I waited.

    When he woke, two hours before, his fingers were finally healed. Now, he had complete mobility in the digits and was confident he would perform at full efficiency.

    Blake slowly rounded the corner and a group of five Manders hissed in alarm. Their long tongues began to gyrate through spell forms, and Blake activated Spatial Step to appear among them.

    His first thrust of the sword pierced the back of the closest throat, while his shield bashed into the monster beside it. He withdrew his blade from the now dead first Mander, ignored the stunned monster his shield impacted, and charged the next creature in line.

    As he passed, he swung his sword sideways and cut deep into the exposed scales on its neck. The wound was not immediately fatal, but it still screamed in agony. Its spell was interrupted, so he ignored the injured creature to attack the last two Manders.

    While his longsword still trailed behind from the brief engagement, he slammed the buckler into the next Mander¡¯s snout. It flew backward, into the glowing hot wall.

    Before he could move his sword in position, the last monster finished its cast. Flames erupted from its mouth. Blake immediately used Mind Blast to disrupt the monster¡¯s channeled spell, and ignored the heat which licked against his Flame Shield.

    The creature reeled from his psionic attack. Blake followed through with his sweeping strike and ended the monster¡¯s life. He whirled around and searched for the next greatest threat.

    Two were dead, one was heavily injured, and two had yet to recover from his shield bashes.

    The injured one.

    Blake pushed off the ground before it could finish its spell. Just as he reached his prey, the monster finished, and a glow surrounded it.

    Blake bared his teeth in victory.

    You picked the wrong spell.

    His blade pierced through the unprepared Mander¡¯s throat. The two Flame Shields slammed into each other, and immediately began to absorb the other¡¯s heat. They were quickly overwhelmed by the feedback loop and both spells dropped.

    Stifling heat once again washed over him, yet he ignored the sensation to finish off the last two monsters. The first Mander he bashed finally recovered. Rather than cast a spell, it launched itself toward him, mouth wide open and fangs extended.

    Thanks, saves me the trouble.

    To an unenhanced human, the move would be too fast to follow. Blake, however, had his Physical Power over twenty-five. The creature sailed through the air, and left itself open to his counter-attack. He readied his blade and braced himself, to use its own momentum against it.

    His weapon disappeared as the creature seemed to swallow it whole. Its momentum was only halted when its long fangs slammed into the crossguard of his sword.

    By the time it dropped to the ground, it was already dead.

    Just one left.

    The final Mander finally recovered from its stunned state and began to cast a spell.

    Blake never let it finish.

    The edge of his blade sliced cleanly through its neck, and severed its head. When the battle was finally over, Blake observed the surrounding carnage, barely winded.

    ¡°That was easy,¡± he said aloud.

    Even though he faced five enemies, he was completely unharmed.

    Although, this heat is uncomfortable.

    He began to weave his hands through the spell form to conjure a new Flame Shield. Ten seconds later, it slid into place and the heat no longer bothered him.

    Much better.

    He checked the cooldown on his Spatial Step and was surprised it was still not available. His aether spell required a full sixty seconds between uses, which meant the battle took only twenty.

    Just think how much faster it¡¯ll be once I upgrade my attributes to the max.

    He considered the issue as he waited for the cooldown to end. Unfortunately, at level one, it cost twenty million nano per attribute rather than ten. That meant he would need to gain two hundred and forty million nano before he reached his limit. At level two, which he hoped to reach in the next month or so, it would cost thirty million.

    Just as every level raised the nano required to enhance attributes by ten million, each new level required eight hundred million additional nano to unlock. Blake would need to gain one point six billion nano to reach level two.

    At level one, he will only receive around ten million nano for completing his current scenario. If he wanted to reach his goal before Invasion day, he would need to increase the difficulty and fight higher level monsters. The higher difficulty would grant him five times the nano and allow him to gain power at a frenetic pace.

    Blake rubbed his hands together in glee at the prospect before he set off down the corridor to find his next victims.

    <hr>

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    Yes.

    Four pieces of equipment were suddenly presented to him by the Collective. As each of the objects were copies of equipment he already owned, he selected the smallest. The chosen reward was a ring which granted increased Magical Power, and would only take a few minutes to assemble.

    While he waited, he checked his status and saw that he held just over twenty million nano.

    Time to upgrade.

    His current attributes filled his vision, and he admired his progress.

    Attributes - Increased by 42%

    Physical Power - 22.7[2]

    Physical Stamina - 15.6

    Physical Resistance - 12.8[2]

    Magic Power - 12.8

    Magic Stamina - 12.8

    Magic Resistance - 14.2[2]

    Each piece of jewelry he wore raised their respective attributes by two. Unfortunately, he was unable to focus on a single attribute and raise it by six.

    Every attribute could only be augmented by equipment a single time. If both his ring and necklace raised his Magic Resistance by two, one of the enhancements would be ignored.

    Because of this, he had focused on his Physical Power, Physical Resistance, and Magic Resistance, through his necklace, ring, and gaudy earring, respectively.

    Since he had already decided to counter the Manders, he did not hesitate to increase his Magical Resistance. As long as he was careful, the level ones he just defeated were no threat to him. At seventeen, his Magic Resistance was significantly higher than their Magic Power. Even if they used a non-fire based attack, the majority of the damage would be resisted.

    However, once he increased the difficulty of the scenario, that may no longer hold true. It was why he had already decided that his first four attribute enhancements would increase his resistance to their spells.

 Chapter 48 - Increasing the Difficulty

    You have re-entered a combat scenario you have already completed. Would you like to increase the difficulty?

    Yes.

    Blake shot out of the void, Flame Shield active, as he landed hard on the dim cave floor. The high temperature of the Mander¡¯s home only served to empower it.

    Once he confirmed the area was clear, he navigated the narrow corridor, longsword and buckler in hand. He was fully rested, rejuvenated, and recently raised his Magical Resistance from seventeen to eighteen and a half. While the Manders were a magically focused species, Blake doubted even they could penetrate his high resistance.

    After he rounded a corner, a chorus of hisses greeted him.

    Excellent.

    Blake teleported with Spatial Step directly into the group of four Manders. His first swipe of the sword severed a tongue, while a bash interrupted another¡¯s spell form.

    He quickly killed the two disrupted monsters, while the remaining two continued to cast. He shifted his focus to the farthest Mander and activated Mind Blast.

    It reeled from the mental assault, and he thrust forward with his sword. Simultaneously, the closest Mander finished its spell and a pillar of flames materialized. The fire engulfed Blake¡¯s body, yet did no damage as his sword sank into the monster¡¯s open mouth.

    Immediately, the flames sputtered out.

    He unsheathed his sword from its head and whirled to face the last creature. As he turned, his Flame Shield suddenly dissipated. Intense heat buffeted him, and he almost lost focus.

    The last Mander launched itself from the ground toward him. He quickly raised his shield to intercept the living projectile, and felt a thrill of elation when he felt it thump into the metal barrier.

    The monster bounced off his shield and landed hard on the rocky ground. Before it recovered, he leaned forward and thrust his sword through its neck. Once he checked his logs to confirm all four creatures were dead, he immediately tried to renew his expired Flame Shield.

    What the hell?

    According to his interface, the spell could not be recast for another four minutes. He shook his head in disbelief and shifted uncomfortably in the heat, as he pulled a water bottle from his storage and relished the cool drink.

    Did I really just find and kill the first group in less than fifteen minutes?

    Once summoned, his Flame Shield remained active until it absorbed a moderate amount of heat, or an hour passed. However, once used, it could not be recast for fifteen minutes.

    Blake absently wiped the sweat off his brow and reconsidered how dangerous the level two Manders were. Against level ones, his Flame Shield was capable of absorbing an entire group¡¯s fire spells. He felt incredibly powerful as he ended their lives with little to no risk. Of course, the relatively small amount of nano he received for doing so reflected the lack of peril.

    The higher level Manders, however, were very different. A single, interrupted Breath of Fire destroyed his Flame Shield.

    It must have increased its Magic Power by a ton.

    For the hundredth time, he wished his Analyze was higher so he could see exactly how his enemy¡¯s attributes compared to his own, and what spells they had learned. Not that he had time to use it on the monsters. If he tried to stand back and Analyze them, he would likely die.

    Unlike the Ursa and goblins, there was no way to sneak up on the hyper alert Manders. At least, not without utilizing a spell to mask his footfalls. The moment they became aware of his presence, a timer started. He had just seconds to disrupt and eliminate the threat. Despite the somewhat close call, his current strategy remained his best option.

    He shook his head and waited.

    When his Flame Shield¡¯s cooldown period finally expired, he recast the spell. Ten seconds later, the barrier settled around him, and he sighed in relief.

    Much better.

    With his protection renewed, he paused to drain a water bottle from his spacial storage. Once satiated, he stalked down the corridor, eager to eliminate the Manders which remained.

    Ten minutes later, he got his chance. After he turned a corner, five Manders greeted him. They hissed and immediately began to cast their spells.

    Blake teleported forward until he was only a step away from the nearest enemy. His sword sliced into the monster, while his shield interrupted the next¡¯s cast.

    Another Mander had foregone a spell and launched itself off the glowing wall. He raised his sword to intercept the airborne creature, but was taken by surprise when his weapon failed to pierce through the creature¡¯s scales.

    Shit, it must be a chi user with Hardened Shell. What¡¯s its other spell?

    Despite its protection, physics remained active. The monster bounced hard off his weapon and tumbled to the side.

    Blake focused on the next Mander and rushed forward. His sword easily pierced its throat, and he used Mind Blast against another to interrupt its cast.

    Unfortunately, before he could reach the fifth creature, it completed its spell form. A blast of air slammed into him and swept him off his feet. His back slammed into the hard ground, and he slid backwards with a grunt.

    When his momentum finally faltered, he saw the chi user launch itself toward him once again. This time, its claws glowed. He raised his sword to intercept the monster and grinned when his blade sank deep into it.

    Should¡¯ve waited for your Hardened Shell before you attacked.

    Unfortunately, his elation was short-lived.

    The Mander he blasted with Psi recovered and finished its spell. An intense light was followed by a crackling, and his left arm suddenly went numb.

    Electrocute?!

    Despite his surprise and injury, Blake pushed off the ground and charged the last two mana users. As he sprinted forward, he checked the cooldown on his Spatial Step and cursed.

    It was nowhere near ready to be recast.

    Just before he reached the two Manders, a Gale once again slammed into him and sent him tumbling backward. When he came to a stop, he quickly gained his feet.

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    Screw this!

    Rather than repeat his previous move, he turned and fled down the tunnel. Both Electrocute and Gale were powerful, but had a limited range. They also required their target to be in their line of sight.

    Blake sprinted through the corridor and turned a corner. Once he was out of sight, he paused to recover. He sank to his knees, activated Regeneration, and caught his breath.

    Only then did he inspect his wound.

    Well, it could be worse.

    His leather bracer was blacked. Through a small hole in the armor, he could see his cauterized skin below. The electricity bored through the toughed hide and burned him. Now, a dime sized chunk of flesh was missing, almost a quarter of an inch deep. He grimaced at the wound.

    Hopefully it¡¯s healed by tomorrow.

    Luckily, only two Manders remained alive within the group. Only they stood in between him and his reward. He checked his interface and grinned. Spatial Step was no longer on cooldown.

    Let¡¯s try this again. Focus on the Gale Mander first.

    He rounded the corner at a sprint. They hissed and began to cast their spells. When he was twenty feet away, he used Spatial Step to close the distance and immediately ended a monster¡¯s life.

    Before the last creature could either Electrocute him or cast its other spell, he hit it with a Mental Blast. He extracted his blade from the corpse before him, and a moment later, his sword swept through the last monster¡¯s neck.

    What good are two spells if you die before you finish casting them?

    Blake sank to the ground and materialized a bottle of water from his Spatial Storage. Curious, he checked the skill¡¯s experience level on his interface and noted that it was at one hundred percent.

    Maybe once I get my attributes upgraded.

    It would consume ten million nano to upgrade the skill to level two. At level two, the stored mass would be doubled, but that would not yet help him in battle. As his last battle showed, he needed higher attributes as soon as possible.

    Blake checked his accumulated nano.

    Nano - 20m

    Just enough to upgrade one attribute.

    Blake immediately increased his Magic Resistance and reviewed the result. According to his interface, once the nanomachines finished their enhancement, his Magic Resistance would be at seventeen point six.

    Hopefully that¡¯s high enough to partially resist their spells. This is getting annoying.

    While the wound on his forearm was relatively mild, it alarmed him that a level two Mander could injure him through his already high resistance. Their Magic Power was far higher than he expected. He hoped the increase would be enough to blunt the damage or effect of any new spell used against him.

    I need to get stronger before I attempt a level three scenario.

    This increase was only the second of twelve total attribute enhancements he was allowed at level one. Once he hit that hard limit, he could only increase them further by gaining another level or utilizing equipment and achievements.

    Blake¡¯s immediate goal was to grow strong enough in this level to fight Manders two levels higher than himself. He hoped it would grant him an upgraded achievement and further increase his attributes.

    All in good time.

    An hour and a half passed as Blake waited for the nanomachines to finish their job. During his break, his Flame Shield expired, and he quickly renewed the spell. The extreme heat would not harm him, but he had no desire to wait in furnace-like temperatures unless it was absolutely necessary.

    Okay, time to go. Hopefully the next group is easier.

    Blake¡¯s battle against the next group of Manders settled much the same as the first. There were no surprises, and the only spell he failed to interrupt was fire-based. His Flame Shield easily absorbed the heat before it overloaded. Once the battle was completed, he renewed the barrier and moved on.

    The final cluster of creatures was more difficult, yet he never truly felt in danger. His only surprise was a Mander capable of utilizing aether. It cast Amplify Mass, which Blake partially resisted. At half strength, it increased the weight of his body by fifty percent, and slowed his movement.

    That¡¯s it? That¡¯s barely more than the Ursa planet¡¯s natural gravity.

    Blake interrupted the Mander¡¯s channeled spell with a Mental Blast and executed it before the creature could recover.

    When the last Mander died, he was presented with a prompt.

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    Yes.

    Blake grinned when he saw the four level two rewards which were presented to him. Every single one of them was an upgrade.

    Finally, some real options.

    The first was a spear capable of channeling chi. Chi abilities could harm their opponent''s body directly, but required direct contact. This spear would eliminate that condition. With it, he could utilize a chi-based spell through its tip.

    Unfortunately, his only chi spell was Regeneration. It would be very useful in the future when he reached level two or three, especially against Ursa. However, he needed something that would help him now.

    The second reward was a pair of gloves that increased the owner¡¯s Physical Power by one point. In addition, they would repair any damage they received. However, they offered the same protection as his current gloves, so he passed.

    Next was a pair of boots. Like the gloves, they repaired over time. They provided the same defense as his current boots, but would also increase his Physical Stamina by a single point. The attribute was not as important to him as his Physical and Magic Resistance. However, none of his current gear raised it. It would essentially be a free attribute point.

    Maybe.

    The last choice was a ring that would increase his Magic Stamina by three.

    Damn¡­

    He had hoped he would receive an upgrade to his current jewelry. Unfortunately, Magic Stamina was almost useless to him at the moment. In fights, he was limited by spell cooldowns, not by a lack of energy.

    I guess I get a new pair of boots.

    Blake accepted the reward and checked his available nano.

    Yes!

    He had just enough to increase his Magic Resistance again. He quickly enhanced the attribute and checked to see how high it would be after his achievements and jewelry were taken into account.

    Nineteen. Should I increase my Physical Resistance next?

    He idly inspected the wound on his forearm.

    No, I need to stick to Magic Resistance until it gets above twenty-five.

    While he waited for his reward to assemble, he contacted his mother for a ride home. It was well after lunchtime, and he did not have time to complete another scenario today.

    At least, not if he wanted to keep his word and join his family for dinner.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Hey mom, can you send someone to pick me up?

    Donna Summers: Sure, I¡¯ll send your brother out to get you.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Wait, Oliver doesn¡¯t have a car. Are you actually going to let him drive yours?

    Donna Summers: No chance. I bought him an old diesel truck for a couple grand. I figured he should be useful and drive you around until the parts get in for the retrofit. Kuruk is too busy upgrading everyone¡¯s tools now.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: You found a mechanic that can install a crank start?

    Donna Summers: Yep. He said the parts should arrive in a couple of days, and he¡¯ll start working on it immediately.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Nice! Thanks, Mom.

    Donna Summers: No problem, Blake.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Do you think we should invite him to the faction?

    Donna Summers: Eventually, yes. But, I want to see his work ethic first.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Yeah, that¡¯s probably a good idea.

    Donna Summers: Anything else?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Naw, we can talk at dinner tonight.

    Donna Summers: Then, I¡¯ll see you there.

    Blake said goodbye and waited for his brother to arrive.

 Chapter 49 - Family

    ¡°Thanks for the ride, Oliver.¡±

    ¡°No prob, Bro,¡± Blake¡¯s brother replied, nonchalantly. ¡°I was running out of internet anyway.¡±

    Blake snorted and shook his head. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his brother¡¯s arm shaking as Oliver gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles.

    Should I take over driving?

    After a few seconds of silence, where Blake remained undecided, Oliver broached a new subject. ¡°So¡­ How long until I can start leveling up and stuff like you?¡±

    He glanced up to his brother¡¯s eyes. ¡°You won¡¯t, at least not like me. Non-combat classes are different, remember?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah,¡± Oliver dismissed his concern. ¡°That¡¯s what I meant.¡±

    ¡°Well, Metal, my companion, said we can build an Alchemist¡¯s Workshop after we upgrade the Faction Hall to level three.¡±

    ¡°The floaty guy, right. How long is that gonna take?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem, we don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°How do you not know?¡± Oliver complained. ¡°Aren¡¯t you from the future?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I never dealt with any of this in my past. I just fought monsters with my team. After we were done, we all hung out at the bar.¡±

    ¡°Sounds great,¡± Oliver smiled.

    He shook his head. ¡°Not really. Sure, there were some good times. But, you, mom, and dad were all dead. Most people¡¯s families were,¡± he trailed off.

    ¡°Yeah, I can see how that¡¯d suck.¡±

    After that, the conversation stalled. Once Oliver left the reservation and entered Pinetop, Blake asked, ¡°Is the bunkhouse finished yet?¡±

    ¡°How the hell should I know?¡±

    Blake sighed and messaged his mother through the interface. A moment later, he was informed that it was, indeed, completed.

    ¡°Okay, change of plans. Drive me to the fire tower.¡±

    Oliver glanced over. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Now that the bunkhouse is finished, I¡¯m going to move in. I¡¯ve got a lot of gear stored at the fire tower that I need to transfer over before it gets stolen or something. It¡¯s kind of just sitting in there.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s this fire tower at?¡±

    Blake gave his brother directions to his temporary housing. Oliver grumbled under his breath at the redirect, but complied.

    Once they arrived, he opened the passenger door of the old diesel truck and stepped out to the ground below. ¡°Can you help me carry stuff down?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± his brother agreed.

    As they navigated the metal stairs, Blake heard Oliver slip behind him. When he asked if his brother was okay, he received a curt reply to mind his own business.

    Touchy.

    When they climbed through the trap door entrance in the floor to enter the enclosed area, Oliver whistled. ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding, there¡¯s a lot of crap here. You trying to start your own ren-fair?¡±

    Blake snorted and then gestured toward the overflowing pile. ¡°No, this is to outfit our combat teams so they don¡¯t die before they reach level one.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we rich now? Shouldn¡¯t we be buying riot gear, Kevlar, and guns?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, this is way better, trust me.¡±

    Oliver reached down and picked up a recurve bow. He looked over and stated, rhetorically, ¡°You expect me to believe this thing is better than a machine gun?¡±

    ¡°If you mean for killing? Then no, a machine gun will work better. But, the machine gun won¡¯t get you any nano either. It¡¯s doing all the work, not you.¡±

    His brother frowned and sat the bow down. ¡°What about the armor?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, this stuff is kind of on par with riot gear and Kevlar. Almost all of it is level one stuff and either gives you attributes or has stuff like self-repair.¡±

    ¡°Wait, this can give you stats?¡± Oliver¡¯s interest piqued as he turned over a pair of gauntlets in his hands. ¡°Like, in a video game?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s NOT like a video game,¡± Blake barked, suddenly upset with his brother¡¯s comparison. ¡°That kind of thinking gets people killed.¡±

    Oliver raised his hands defensively. ¡°Chill out, bro. I was just askin.¡±

    Finally, Blake conceded. ¡°Yes, if you put on a ring that gives you Physical Power, you¡¯ll get stronger and faster.¡±

    ¡°Can I have a set, then?¡±

    ¡°This is for fighters, not non-combatants,¡± Blake replied.

    ¡°You sure about that?¡± His brother glanced around the small room and added quietly. ¡°Looks more like it¡¯s for collecting dust.¡±

    You know what, why not. It won¡¯t hurt, and it¡¯ll make him happy.

    ¡°Sure, you can have some gear. But, if one of the combat teams needs it, you¡¯ll have to give it back.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± his brother easily agreed and dove into the pile. After considering multiple pieces, he suddenly stopped. He retrieved four separate rings, slid them on his fingers, and raised his hand into the air. In a faux deep voice, he stated, ¡°Now I have ultimate power!¡±

    Blake laughed and then corrected him. ¡°Not really. Only one of those rings is working.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Check out your status,¡± Blake urged him.

    Oliver frowned. ¡°That¡¯s lame. It only raised my Magic Stamina. Who the hell designs a system like that?¡±

    ¡°The Architect.¡±

    ¡°Why does he only allow one ring to work when I got ten fingers?¡±

    ¡°It, not he. It¡¯s an AI, remember?¡± Blake corrected him. ¡°And I have no clue why. I¡¯ll be sure to ask it next time we meet up for drinks,¡± he added sarcastically.

    Oliver grasped his chest as if he were wounded. ¡°Don¡¯t be a hater,¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes. ¡°What you want is one earring, a necklace, and a ring. Each one needs to give you a different attribute. Since you don¡¯t have spells, I¡¯d go with Physical Power, Stamina, and Resistance.¡±

    ¡°What about the armor?¡±

    ¡°You planning on fighting any monsters any time soon?¡±

    ¡°No, but it can give stats too, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but you can only raise an attribute once. You could raise one of your Magic attributes, but you¡¯d never notice it. There¡¯s no point.¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°Lame¡­¡±

    Blake helped his brother sift through the pile until they found jewelry that increased all three of his physical attributes. Once they were equipped, Oliver gasped.

    ¡°Holy crap! This is fire! I feel like I can run ten miles and lift a car!¡±

    ¡°You might be able to run ten miles, but it¡¯ll take a LOT more to lift a car.¡±

    ¡°You sure I can¡¯t fight like you?¡±

    Blake reached down and retrieved a long sword from the pile of weapons and handed it over, hilt away from him. ¡°Here, hold this out.¡±

    Oliver frowned, but complied. He extended his arm, directly out from his body. ¡°Done.¡±

    Blake watched as his brother tried to hold the weapon still. At first, Oliver¡¯s hand was somewhat steady. However, after a few seconds, the light tremor transitioned into a chaotic shake, and he was forced to drop the weapon.

    ¡°Okay, you made your point,¡± he said, bitterly.

    ¡°Sorry, Oliver, but I don¡¯t want to lose you again. You don¡¯t want to fight monsters anyway. It sucks.¡±

    ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s just get this crap downstairs.¡±

    For the next thirty minutes, he and his brother transferred equipment to the truck bed in silence. Oliver¡¯s increased attributes were a great boon to the effort, even if Blake carried the majority of the weight. Once they were finished, Oliver drove them to their property, three miles away, and parked on the field, next to the completed bunkhouse.

    Jordan kneeled next to a vent off his father¡¯s new kitchen, with some sort of tool. When Blake exited the truck and slammed his door, the constructor gave a brief wave of greeting before he returned to work.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna live in this piece of crap?¡± His brother asked in disbelief.

    He glanced first at Oliver, and then the primitive building before he answered, ¡°Yeah. I was sleeping in a fire tower, after all.¡±

    The bunkhouse resembled an unstained, two-story log cabin, with thatch for a roof. It was forty feet long and twenty wide, with a single entry. Windows were spaced evenly along the side, yet no glass fit inside them, only slatted shutters.

    ¡°Why, when you can sleep at mom and dad¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°This is just what it looks like at level one. Trust me, it gets nicer later on.¡±

    ¡°If you say so¡­¡±

    ¡°Here, grab some gear and help me bring it inside. I¡¯ll want to show you something.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    Oliver removed a jerkin and pair of bracers, while Blake retrieved a bundle of weapons. He held the heavy implements in his left arm effortlessly as he strode over to the front door and opened it.

    When he glanced back, he noticed that Oliver moved with greater confidence and ease than before.

    Inside, the floor of the small foyer was lined with planks of rough wood. Two hallways split off, one per side, which led to four bedrooms each. Opposite them was a stairwell, which climbed to the second floor.

    Blake climbed the wooden steps, his brother directly behind him. Once upstairs, he strode down the hallway until he came to a stop before the last door. He reached out, grasped the doorknob, and opened his interface.

    After a brief pause, he smiled and opened the door.

    The room was small, only eight feet by eight feet, and was empty of furnishings. He knew that their woodworker, Jason, could fashion him furniture, but there was no point when they could purchase anything they needed from the store.

    Blake entered the room and sat his bundle of weapons down against the far wall.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Oliver grunted. ¡°What the hell! Why can¡¯t I come in?¡±

    ¡°THIS is why I wanted to store the stuff here. You aren¡¯t on the approved visitor¡¯s list, so you can¡¯t enter,¡± Blake informed him, as Oliver tried and failed yet again to walk through the doorway. His brother dropped his load of armor and raised his hands to the entrance. They slid smoothly over an invisible barrier.

    ¡°Crazy¡­¡± he whispered. His face displayed his shock at the advanced technology.

    Blake focused on his interface and added his brother to the list of people allowed to enter. Suddenly, Oliver fell forward when the field meant to keep him out disappeared.

    He stumbled into the room and gave Blake a dirty look. ¡°Not cool, bro, not cool.¡±

    Blake laughed.

    ¡°You¡¯re really gonna live here? There¡¯s not even a bed here!¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Once we get the gear up here, I¡¯ll claim the room next door. Then we can go to the store, buy a bed, maybe a chest of drawers and a nightstand, then bring it up here.¡±

    ¡°And what about a bathroom and shower?¡±

    He grimaced. ¡°No shower yet, but there¡¯s one privy per floor.¡±

    ¡°Privy? What¡¯s that, like a pit toilet?¡±

    ¡°Essentially.¡±

    Oliver wrinkled his nose in disgust. ¡°The future sucks.¡±

    ¡°It does,¡± Blake agreed.

    <hr>

    ¡°This is amazing!¡± Blake announced, mouth full of food, as he devoured the roast chicken breast.

    ¡°Bussin,¡± Oliver agreed.

    ¡°Yeah, thanks for the food, Mister Summers,¡± Jason added, while his friend Owen nodded enthusiastically.

    Jordan swallowed and added in a southern accent, ¡°Appreciate the invite.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡± Peter grinned broadly, happy to get back to work.

    After gratitude was shared, the table grew silent as everyone focused on their food. Almost every faction member sat around a long table within the newly constructed cookhouse. Only Mister Grayburn, their landlord, and Brent, their second constructor, were absent.

    Kuruk nodded his thanks as he consumed a plate full of potatoes and carrots. The native was the only one present without chicken on his plate. He had informed them that he was a vegetarian and politely declined the offered meat.

    ¡°So, this stuff will boost our stats?¡± Oliver asked.

    Their father shook his head. ¡°No, I need to use monster meat and add nano for that to happen. I want to try it out, but Blake will have to bring some food back first.¡±

    ¡°Next time,¡± Blake confirmed and took another bite.

    ¡°Besides, all this food was sitting in storage at the restaurant.¡± Peter gestured around the table. ¡°I didn¡¯t want it to get freezer burned or go bad.¡±

    Donna frowned. ¡°If you have to use nano every time you make food, where will it come from?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get some from directives,¡± Peter replied, unsure of the answer.

    Blake swallowed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Once we get enough people living here, we¡¯ll have a working economy and people will start paying for food.¡±

    ¡°What if they can¡¯t afford it?¡± his mother asked.

    ¡°Unless they lie around every single day doing nothing, they¡¯ll make plenty of nano to eat,¡± Blake responded. ¡°Every non-combat class has directives that give nano, and they can sell anything they make to someone else who wants it.¡±

    ¡°What about stone?¡± Owen asked in concern. ¡°Not many people want blocks of rock from the quarry.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the faction will pay for everything you mine once we switch over.¡±

    ¡°Why not start now?¡± the stonemason pressed.

    ¡°We¡¯re already paying you cash, that was the deal,¡± Blake reminded him. ¡°Besides, we don¡¯t even have taxes set up yet. Don¡¯t worry about it. We have plenty of time to set up the economy before Invasion day. That¡¯s still over four months away.¡±

    ¡°You mentioned we can bring our families.¡± Jordan began in his southern twang. ¡°When does that happen?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d suggest on Invasion day. Monsters won¡¯t start appearing for a few days afterward, and they¡¯ll be more likely to move if they see the proof in front of their eyes.¡±

    ¡°My Ex will likely need to see a monster face to face,¡± He agreed. ¡°Does that mean my son can¡¯t come by until then? I have custody this weekend,¡± Jordan explained.

    ¡°No, that should be fine,¡± Blake responded, and then realized he did not know when that was. ¡°What day is it?¡±

    ¡°Friday,¡± his mother informed him.

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re going to bring him by tomorrow morning?¡± Blake asked in confirmation.

    Jordan nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re working on the weekend.¡±

    Jordan nodded toward Donna. ¡°Your mother mentioned how important getting the faction hall upgraded is. I figure the faster I can help build up this town, the more people we can save when it all goes to hell.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, I appreciate that.¡± Blake said quietly.

    ¡°Me, too,¡± Oliver added, while Donna smiled.

    ¡°How long until we can upgrade?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°Well, if I work through the weekend and Brent comes back on Monday, I figure on Tuesday we¡¯ll see what we¡¯ll need.¡±

    The faction hall upgrade required specific off world materials, which could only be gained by completion of scenarios. Unfortunately, the upgrade option was grayed out and provided no information.

    According to his companion, when the upgrade was finally available to them, the town interface would provide a list of materials required. Once that list was detailed, Metal was confident he would be able to describe those materials in great detail.

    Blake could only hope he recognized them and remembered which scenarios they appeared in. Otherwise, it could take weeks of trial and error before they gained the resources required.

    I¡¯ll worry about that next week. In the meantime, I have some grinding to do until I max out my attributes.

    At twenty million nano per attribute enhancement, he would need to gain one hundred and eighty million before he hit his level one cap. If all went well, he could complete two level two Mander scenarios per day, and hit the maximum in two days.

    Afterward, he would begin to save up to evolve each of his spells. Each evolution required fifty million nano, as well as the requisite experience in their use. Only after all four spells were evolved would he attempt a level three Mander scenario.

 Chapter 50 - Special Materials

    Blake bashed his shield into the level two Mander¡¯s face, while he simultaneously cut off another¡¯s tongue. Both monsters were stunned and unable to cast. He focused on the last, and ignored its jet of fire as he rushed through the heat plume, shield first.

    When he bowled over the immobile creature, its flames immediately sputtered out. With his vision no longer occluded by the blaze, he found the dazed Mander and quickly finished it off.

    He quickly scanned the tunnel for the last two creatures. One was missing its tongue and appeared frozen in indecision, while the other had recovered from Blake¡¯s attack and had begun to cast a spell.

    No you don¡¯t!

    Blake rushed the Mander and skewered its open mouth. The nearby tongueless monster recovered and launched itself at Blake, its maw extended.

    He whirled, shield in hand, and knocked the living projectile from the air. As it tumbled, Blake pursued. By the time it came to rest, his sword chopped through its neck, and its head rolled from its body.

    Although the fight was over, he reflexively searched his surroundings to ensure he was safe.

    Good, now do I have enough?

    Blake checked his status.

    Nano - 20m

    With twenty million nano in his reserve, he held just enough currency to increase an attribute one last time. Once the twelfth and last enhancement was purchased, he would not be able to upgrade his attributes again until he leveled.

    Blake opened his status and admired his power.

    Attributes - Increased by 42%

    Physical Power - 24.1[3]

    Physical Stamina - 18.5[1]

    Physical Resistance - 17[2]

    Magic Power - 12.8

    Magic Stamina - 12.8

    Magic Resistance - 21.3[2]

    Over the last three days, Blake increased his Physical Power by one, Physical Stamina by two, Physical Resistance by three, and Magic Resistance by five. He had also upgraded his necklace. Unlike his old one, which only granted him two Physical Power, his new golden chain increased his Physical Power by three.

    Once the three points on his necklace were added to his natural Physical Power, it was raised to a staggering twenty-seven point one. Unfortunately, he had yet to find upgrades to his earring or ring.

    Blake shook his head.

    I¡¯m as strong at level one as I was at level five in my past life. AND, I still have another attribute to raise. That¡¯s insane!

    As he reviewed his attributes, his attention repeatedly returned to his Physical Resistance, which sat at seventeen. Even with the bonus from his jewelry, it was only raised to nineteen. To feel safe, he needed it above twenty. That was the point at which he could survive most small-arms fire.

    Any pistol bullet impacts would leave heavy bruising, but would not puncture his skin. That assumed, of course, they did not use armor piercing rounds. Even then, he might shrug them off. By his estimation, he needed to raise his Physical Resistance to over thirty before he was all but immune to gunfire.

    Screw it, I want to be bulletproof. Never know when those cops will start in on us again.

    Blake spent the twenty million nano to raise his Physical Resistance. With his forty-two percent bonus, once the nanomachines finished their work, it would be increased to twenty point five.

    Nice.

    Although another group remained before he finished the scenario, he did not bother to wait for the change to complete. By this point, the level two Manders were a minimal threat to him. Only the occasional aether or psi user posed a challenge to him, as their spells were harder to resist.

    Should I increase the difficulty to level three next time?

    The reckless side of Blake wanted to see if he could upgrade his Elite Solo Warrior achievement. He felt that he had a good chance of doing so, as long as there were no surprises within the higher level scenario. But, if he did run into a curveball, he might die.

    Don¡¯t get cocky.

    At this point, his death would likely lead to the destruction of humanity. Without his foreknowledge and power, history would likely repeat itself. Everyone he cared about would perish within just a few years.

    No, I need to evolve my spells before I take the risk.

    But, to evolve his spells, he first had to master them. Once mastered, the upgrade would consume fifty million nano per spell. Luckily, his Combat Connoisseur achievement cut the cost in half.

    In his past life, he had only evolved a few of his spells. The cost was prohibitive. It was far more efficient to increase his level and attributes than to enhance a spell by ten to twenty percent.

    Now, however, he had a different objective. He was not trying to rise in power as quickly as possible. Blake was attempting to do something he once thought impossible, solo clear a scenario two levels above him in hopes of upgrading his achievement.

    If he were successful, he expected to gain another five or even ten percent bonus to his attributes. It would make him even more overpowered than he already was.

    Hopefully it¡¯s enough to defeat the Koza.

    Lord Zeleck, the leader of the goat-like alien incursion, was a monster, and their last encounter weighed heavily on his mind. Blake needed every bit of power he could grasp if he wanted to defeat him and his faction.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    <hr>

    Muffled voices startled Blake awake. He sprang to his feet from his comfortable bed before he realized he was safe. Morning sun spilled into his room through the wooden shutters which covered his single window. He remembered he was in his claimed bunkhouse room on the second level, furnished with minimal furniture and comforts.

    Blake cherished these protected days, as once Invasion day came he was sure he would not sleep soundly.

    The voices came from outside.

    ¡°He would want us to wake him up to hear the news,¡± Donna argued.

    ¡°Blake¡¯s been working himself to death,¡± His father disagreed. ¡°Let¡¯s let him sleep in. We can tell him in a few hours. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s an emergency.¡±

    Blake decided he needed to speak for himself, and yelled, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m already awake. I¡¯ll be right down.¡±

    Just a minute later, he stood outside the bunkhouse next to his parents. ¡°So, what¡¯s the news?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Brent finished upgrading the Quarry,¡± his mother answered. ¡°Now, the faction hall upgrade is available.¡±

    Blake grinned. He liked good news before coffee.

    He had hoped Brent and Jordan would finish their upgrades before he once again left to challenge the Manders. Blake anxiously wanted to know what off world materials were required to advance.

    ¡°So, what do we need?¡± Blake pressed.

    His mother¡¯s eyes crossed. A moment later, she shared her interface with him.

    Upgrade Faction Hall to level three.

    Requirements:

    All materials must be gained through scenario completion.

    Granite - 1.5 tons

    Marble - 100 pounds

    Breshian Broadleaf - 2 tons

    Iron - 200 pounds

    Bronze - 500 pounds

    Nano - 500m

    Blake¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Holy shit! That¡¯s a lot!¡±

    His mother nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, it is. Everything¡¯s pretty obvious except the Breshian Broadleaf. Do you recognize that name?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, but it sounds like some kind of tree. I¡¯ll see if Metal knows what it is.¡±

    Blake used his skill and summoned his companion. A moment later, the wraith floated through the small portal, which closed behind him.

    ¡°Hey Metal, how¡¯s the family?¡±

    The wraith responded in a deep, rumbling voice, ¡°They are well, as am I. With the increased time available to me, I have been able to construct more clothing. My skill and wealth have grown.¡±

    Blake grinned widely. ¡°That¡¯s great! I¡¯m glad things are working out for you.¡±

    Metal floated above the ground, transparent, with no reaction to his words.

    Seeing that the small talk was not welcomed, he got down to business. ¡°I¡¯ve got a question for you. The faction hall upgrade is available now. It requires us to get two tons of something called, ¡®Breshian Broadleaf¡¯. I assume that¡¯s some kind of wood. Have you heard of it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It is found on low gravity planets and is extremely tall. It has broad leaves, as the name suggests, which are colored a distinctive azure hue.¡±

    ¡°How big are the leaves?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°They can be as small as four feet long and two wide, and as large as eight feet long and four feet wide.¡±

    Blake¡¯s eyes lit up when he recognized the tree.

    ¡°Metal measures things in feet, too?¡± Donna interrupted, confused.

    His companion turned to address his mother. ¡°The Architect automatically converts all measurements to whatever unit the listener is most comfortable with.¡±

    Blake ignored the interruption, and said, ¡°I think I know where I can find it.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± his father responded. ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°In Phoenix. There¡¯s a scenario that takes place on a world with half our gravity. The Stoltar¡¯s world has huge trees that are hundreds of feet high, way taller than redwoods.¡±

    ¡°Stoltar? What are they?¡± his mother asked.

    Metal answered her. ¡°The Stoltar are an avian race which make their homes in the canopy of the trees. Like the goblins, they failed their integration test and are now forced to participate in combat scenarios.¡±

    ¡°Integration test?¡± Peter frowned.

    ¡°It is what you humans will soon go through. From what Blake has told me, it sounds like your race is doomed to failure as well.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen,¡± Blake stated adamantly.

    Metal met his declaration with skepticism.

    ¡°Are these¡­ Stoltar¡­ intelligent beings?¡± Donna asked.

    ¡°Yes, they are sapient,¡± Metal confirmed.

    ¡°And, you¡¯re supposed to fight and kill them to get the materials?¡± she pressed.

    Blake nodded.

    ¡°That feels wrong. Are you sure there isn¡¯t another way?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know any other place where we can find those trees. Trust me, if there was anywhere else, I¡¯d go there in a heartbeat. They aren¡¯t exactly the easiest people to fight.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve fought them before?¡± His father asked.

    ¡°Yeah, once. After that, my team and I decided it was way too dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Why are they so dangerous?¡± Peter leaned forward, interested.

    ¡°Well, like Metal said, they live in trees. They have wings, but can¡¯t really fly, only glide.¡± He then corrected himself. ¡°Well, a few can fly, but only if they have a wind spell or something.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Anyway, unlike the Manders or Ursa, they have a good mix of all four energy types. They also work together in small teams.¡±

    ¡°Family units,¡± Metal corrected.

    Blake winced.

    Just what my conscience needs.

    ¡°If they¡¯re so strong, how did you beat them?¡± his father asked.

    ¡°My team did most of the work. Montgomery blasted them with fire, while Rajesh and Jeff dropped them out of the sky.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I mostly just stood there, useless.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should buy you a gun,¡± Peter suggested. ¡°That would work against them, right?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯d work, unless they had a spell that could block it. But then I¡¯d get pretty much no nano for killing them.¡±

    ¡°But we don¡¯t need the nano, only the wood, right?¡± His mother reminded him.

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± he admitted. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not used to thinking like that. You¡¯re right, I¡¯d get way more nano from killing level two Manders anyway.¡± Blake turned to Metal. ¡°We can get the other materials from any scenario, right? It doesn¡¯t have to be from the Stoltar planet?¡±

    ¡°You are correct,¡± his companion confirmed.

    Blake grinned. ¡°Then yeah, a gun sounds like a good idea. And, if we can¡¯t find one of the other materials there, we can always get it back here.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you need to go through a background check and register the gun?¡± His mother asked. ¡°That will take some time.¡±

    Her husband shook his head. ¡°Not in Arizona. We can buy it used from a private seller, and we don¡¯t have to worry about any of that.¡±

    ¡°Do you know anyone that has one we can buy?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No, but I can ask around, maybe someone in the faction has an old rifle.¡± He grinned. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s always the internet. You can find pretty much anything online.¡±

 Chapter 51 - Phoenix

    Almost two days passed before Peter found a rifle for his son. His online foray was a bust. Every listing in the local area pointed to a gun store, which required a background check and registration. After the failure, he enlisted Kuruk in the endeavor. The native had an uncle that was willing to part with his old hunting rifle.

    For the right price.

    That price was set at twice the value of a similar piece. The rifle shot .338 Lapua ammunition, and could hold five additional rounds in the magazine. It was semi-automatic and was mounted with a scope capable of eight times magnification.

    Blake inspected the rifle closely in the back seat of Kuruk¡¯s old sedan, careful to note where the safety was. They were almost to Payson, the halfway point between Blake¡¯s home and Phoenix. The small town was another mountain getaway for those in the valley. The forested city was an escape from the dry, hot desert below. Even in late March, Phoenix would be well over eighty degrees at the high of the day. Blake was not looking forward to it, although Phoenix on a summer day was cooler than the Mander tunnels.

    Owen sat restlessly beside him in the back seat. He glanced over, noticed Blake focused on his new rifle, and said, ¡°I still say you should¡¯ve gotten an AR-15.¡±

    Blake sighed as they began a new argument.

    Jason snorted from the front passenger seat. ¡°That¡¯s cause you don¡¯t know anything about guns.¡±

    ¡°And you do?¡± Owen challenged.

    ¡°More than you,¡± Jason argued.

    ¡°Bullshit.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Jason grinned, a glint in his eye. ¡°Then, what does AR stand for in AR-15?¡±

    Owen scoffed. ¡°Assault Rifle, obviously. Everyone knows that.¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡± Jason said smugly. ¡°It stands for Armalite Rifle, the name of the manufacturer.¡±

    ¡°What? No way.¡±

    ¡°Look it up!¡± Jason urged.

    ¡°I can¡¯t! We don¡¯t have any internet,¡± Owen complained as he stared angrily at his phone.

    They had just descended from the Mogollon Rim, the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau, into an uninhabited forest. There were no cellular towers for miles.

    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Kuruk spoke up from the driver¡¯s seat.

    Jason¡¯s grin widened. ¡°See. I told you I know more than you. My dad and I go hunting all the time.¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes at their antics.

    For friends, they sure argue a lot.

    They had been at it for the last hour, non-stop. Their arguments only ended each time Kuruk finally spoke up and sided with one or the other. The quiet man seemed to act as the referee between the two. Which was probably the reason they hung out with him, despite the fact that he was mostly silent.

    ¡°Then why would you want a gun that can only hold five bullets?¡± Owen asked in exasperation. ¡°The AR-15 can hold like thirty!¡±

    ¡°It holds six,¡± Jason corrected. ¡°One in the chamber, and five in the magazine.¡±

    Owen raised his hands. ¡°Oh never mind, I didn¡¯t realize it holds six. That¡¯s way more than thirty. Right?¡± He added sarcastically.

    ¡°It¡¯s not about how many rounds it can hold,¡± Jason explained and turned. ¡°Blake, you have two extra magazines, right?¡±

    Blake nodded in confirmation.

    ¡°See. All you have to do is swap the empty out, and you¡¯re good to go.¡± Owen opened his mouth to argue further, but Jason raised his hand to forestall him. ¡°BUT, that¡¯s not what matters. AR-15 rounds are too small to kill anything big unless you pump a LOT of bullets into it.¡± He nodded toward Blake¡¯s rifle. ¡°That shoots bullets fifty percent bigger with waaay more stopping power.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s so good, why doesn¡¯t everyone use that,¡± he gestured toward the rifle in question. ¡°Instead of an AR-15?¡±

    Jason rolled his eyes. ¡°They DO. A .223 bullet is only good for varmint and deer at close range. This thing will take out a bear or moose!¡±

    Blake was comforted by the knowledge that Kuruk and his uncle did right by him, even if he had to learn it through the heated argument. Like Owen, he and his father knew little about firearms. In his past life, he had used them a few times, but they were mostly avoided. Those who became reliant upon them inevitably died when they could not keep up with the monsters.

    ¡°Hey Blake, we should¡¯ve all gotten rifles,¡± Jason said, suddenly recognizing there were others in the car. ¡°Then we could¡¯ve gone with you.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, that¡¯s a terrible idea.¡± When he saw the hurt look on the young man¡¯s face, he explained, ¡°First of all, since I¡¯d be in the group, they¡¯ll be level one with spells. They can glide around through the air and shoot fireballs down at you. Then there¡¯s the nano. Even if I don¡¯t use the gun, just having it reduces the nano I get from kills. And finally, these aren¡¯t some animal-like creatures. They¡¯re intelligent and can talk. You really want to kill something that''s begging you for its life?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± Jason admitted, then frowned. ¡°Why are you doing it, then?¡±

    Blake sighed. ¡°Because I have to. It¡¯s the only way to grow the faction. If I don¡¯t, we can only invite up to five hundred people, and we won¡¯t be able to have alchemists, portal rooms, shield walls, or any of the other stuff we need.¡±

    ¡°Do we really need all that stuff?¡± Jason complained.

    ¡°Yes. For one, my brother needs an alchemist to heal him.¡± Blake responded. ¡°Then, if we don¡¯t want to drown in monsters, we need the shield wall.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Owen replied. Jason and Kuruk nodded their agreement.

    Silence descended on the car as everyone contemplated the grisly task ahead of them. While they would not take part in the fight, they would be there afterward and would observe the dead bodies of the sapient beings.

    A few minutes later, Jason could no longer stand the silence. He asked, ¡°So, I know we¡¯re going to Phoenix and all, but where¡¯s the portal?¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°North-west of Scottsdale, somewhere near a golf course,¡± Blake replied.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Owen¡¯s draw dropped in disbelief. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®somewhere near a golf course¡¯? Don¡¯t you know where it is? Phoenix has a lot of golf courses.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jason agreed. ¡°That¡¯s kinda important.¡±

    ¡°I only went there once,¡± Blake admitted. ¡°And I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll look different with all the buildings still standing.¡±

    Jason¡¯s brows wrinkled. ¡°What happens to the buildings?¡±

    ¡°The nanomachines happened. They¡¯re everywhere, or at least they will be. After Invasion day, non-Collective based buildings start breaking down. It¡¯s why we have to build our town with nano. If we don¡¯t, in a year or two, it¡¯ll all disappear.¡±

    ¡°What happens to the people still living in them?¡± Owen asked.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not really a problem. By then, anyone not in a faction town is dead.¡±

    ¡°Dark¡­¡± Jason trailed off.

    Jason and Owen¡¯s bickering continued for the next two hours as they descended through Payson, Rye, and into Phoenix proper. Once they reached the city, vehicles and people were everywhere.

    So many of these people are going to die. I wish I could somehow save them.

    Well over a million people resided within Phoenix. Blake knew it would be impossible to induct even a fraction of the population into the Collective before Invasion day. If he were to loudly proclaim the future to all, he would be seen as yet another crazy person.

    Even if I show them proof, most people won¡¯t believe it.

    Blake once more considered going to a news station and summoning Metal before a large group of journalists. In person, he might convince them, but no one who saw an alien on their television or smartphone would believe it. It would be deemed fake and a hoax.

    And that¡¯s the best case scenario.

    Blake was mostly concerned about the government. In his past life, there were numerous theories about the unlucky people who stumbled into a portal before Invasion day. Thousands of people survived and joined the Collective before the end of June. Yet, he had never met someone who had.

    Montgomery, his old group mate, believed that the government quarantined anyone they found that was ¡®infected¡¯ with nanomachines. Most likely, they performed experiments and tried to extract the alien technology.

    The theory bothered him. While Blake was strong enough now to resist small arms fire, he did not want to press his luck against rifles, explosives, or even tanks. If he were to be captured, millions more would die and humans would have a much lower chance of surviving what was to come.

    Better to keep quiet and save who I can.

    Kuruk interrupted his musing. ¡°Blake, we¡¯re in Scottsdale. Where to from here?¡±

    Blake searched the horizon until he saw a familiar mountain in the distance. He pointed toward it and said, ¡°Go that way. The portal is at whatever golf course is at the base of that mountain.¡±

    Kuruk nodded and turned onto a new road.

    ¡°The Phoenician!¡± Owen blurted beside him. When Blake glanced over, he saw the man glued to his phone. Owen glanced at him and then leaned over to show him the screen. ¡°Is this where it is?¡±

    Blake inspected the digital map. After ten years of no smartphones, he was used to navigating by sight. It never occurred to him to look up his destination. ¡°Yeah, probably so,¡± he agreed.

    ¡°Place looks pretty bougie, they gonna let us in?¡± Owen asked.

    Blake shrugged.

    Twenty minutes later, they pulled up to the fancy country club entrance. Green grass, a rare sight in the desert, blanketed the ground beneath palm trees. Fountains were everywhere, and sprayed water into the air like it was plentiful, despite Phoenix¡¯s water crisis.

    ¡°This seems wasteful,¡± Kuruk noted as he observed the opulence.

    Jason sneered. ¡°Rich people.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll get lucky, and they¡¯ll all get taken out in a few months,¡± Owen said.

    Blake frowned. ¡°That¡¯s a horrible thing to say.¡±

    Owen looked back in disbelief. ¡°Why? They¡¯re all evil. They¡¯re the real monsters.¡±

    ¡°For real,¡± Jason agreed.

    He shook his head. ¡°Maybe some of them, but I knew three wonderful people who were rich before Invasion day. Their generosity and kindness saved a lot of lives.¡±

    Owen snorted. ¡°What, did they donate point one percent of their income to the poor or something?¡±

    ¡°No. One of them ran into a collapsing building to save two kids. They ended up breaking multiple bones and lost two fingers in the process. Another ¡®rich person¡¯ went door to door through an entire neighborhood, to save people. He shared his food, water, and guns with people he just met and escorted them to the safety of a nearby faction town. His own family was already safe. He had no reason to go back out and risk his life for others. I judge people by their actions, not their possessions.¡±

    After Blake finished his diatribe, Jason and Owen remained silent. Whether they changed their mind, or just kept their thoughts to themselves, he did not know. He hated to come off as preachy, but it bothered him when an entire group of people was judged by the actions of a few.

    He had met a few rich people who were pure evil as well. However, he was not going to mention that and destroy his own argument. Blake also met poor individuals on both ends of the spectrum.

    After all, money did not matter past Invasion day.

    ¡°Which way?¡± Kuruk asked, breaking him out of his reverie. They were stopped at an intersection, just a few hundred feet into the resort property.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Blake leaned forward and searched both directions. ¡°Right, I think.¡±

    Kuruk nodded and turned.

    After another few hundred feet, Blake recognized the familiar shape of the large pond used as a water hazard on the course. ¡°There!¡± he pointed, confident he could now locate the portal.

    Blake was pushed forward into the seatbelt as Kuruk braked and then reversed. He continued backward until he reached the parking garage on their left. The car stopped once more and then pulled into the self-parking area.

    ¡°So, are you just gonna walk across the street and through the golf course with a big ass gun in your hands and a sword hanging from your belt?¡± Owen asked after the car was parked.

    ¡°You might look a bit sus,¡± Jason noted. ¡°What if we distract everyone?¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Owen asked. ¡°You gonna streak?¡±

    Blake snorted and then glanced at the open road. He watched as a security vehicle passed. In the distance, he saw two carts drive down the wide paved sidewalk to search for their balls.

    ¡°Actually, the portal¡¯s at the end of the lake. It might be better if you drop me off closer to it. With any luck, I can rush out of the car and jump in before anyone sees me. Then, you guys can bail and go have lunch or something.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Owen¡¯s brows rose. ¡°The portal¡¯s in the water?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, above it. You need to get a running start and then jump.¡±

    ¡°What happens when you leave the portal?¡± Jason asked.

    ¡°Right now, I guess you get wet and have to swim out,¡± he admitted. ¡°But, in the future, people dump dirt in it so you can just walk there. And, it¡¯s not like this little lake lasts long in the desert.¡±

    ¡°Lucky us,¡± Owen sardonically replied.

    Kuruk pulled out of the small parking garage and back onto the side road. When he reached the end, Blake said, ¡°That¡¯s good enough,¡± and invited everyone to his party. Once the three joined, he reminded them, ¡°When I finish the scenario, and it¡¯s safe, I¡¯ll message you. Then you can come back with the picks and axes.¡±

    As he opened the door, he glanced over his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to watch where I jump.¡± When he finished his instructions, he exited the vehicle, grabbed the duffel bag with food, water, and spare magazines, and sprinted toward the lake.

    With his high Physical Power, he ran at the speed of a vehicle cruising down the interstate. He hoped he would look like a blur to the people that saw him. By the time he reached the lake, he noticed four golfers on the course yell and point at him.

    It did not matter. They would soon come up with an excuse as to why what they witnessed was impossible, and then keep it to themselves. Blake leapt off the shore and soared above the lake for five feet before the world went dark around him.

    He entered the portal.

 Interlude - Despicable Measures

    Captain Jeremy Jackson was pissed.

    Over half of his team was missing in action and presumed dead, yet Scott Peters, his CIA handler, wanted to send them in for a third time.

    He glanced at each member seated around the medium-sized table in the dining room of a small apartment. He assumed it was one of the many properties the CIA owned. Beside his boss, Scott, sat three others from the CIA he did not recognize. They held blank expressions on their faces throughout the debriefing and had yet to speak.

    The strangest part for Jeremy, however, was that there were no recording devices in the room. This was obviously intentional, as cell phones were also not allowed within the apartment. They were surrendered at the front door, and everyone was scanned with a detection wand to ensure compliance.

    Debriefings were usually recorded for oversight.

    I should¡¯ve never accepted this position.

    Jeremy was a ¡®by the book¡¯ kind of person. He cared about his team and took the responsibility for their welfare seriously. The people seated around him obviously did not, and the fact that this debriefing was not being recorded set off alarm bells for him.

    He breathed deeply through his nose, slowly let out his breath, and then dodged the question his superior posed to him.

    ¡°Sir, as I¡¯ve stated previously, I highly recommend we pause before attempting another mission. We do not know enough about the other world or the technology used to get us there. My men are still MIA, and our team is short on manpower.¡± He resisted the urge to clench his fists in a futile attempt to hide his fury.

    ¡°Noted,¡± Scott replied absently, hardly glancing up from the dossier in his hands, ¡°Now, please answer the question. From your experience on the other side, can you think of anything that would increase the chances of our success?¡±

    ¡°Sir, our greatest problem is that we are always separated upon entry into the spatial anomaly. We end up alone in an alien world without working communication equipment. It¡¯s why I¡¯m suggesting we hold off on further manned missions through the anomaly until we learn how to maintain the cohesiveness of our team.¡±

    Mister Peters shook his head. ¡°Captain, I¡¯m looking for solutions, not more problems. If you are unable to offer any, we might as well end this conversation right now.¡±

    Jeremy¡¯s contempt threatened to seep through the polite, respectful front he used when addressing a superior. His eyes darted around the room as he froze his expression.

    ¡°Sir,¡± he began respectfully after regaining his composure. ¡°I do not know enough about the issue to offer a solution. As I¡¯ve said before, holding hands did not work. As soon as we entered the void, our electronics were disrupted, and we were all separated.¡±

    Mister Peters nodded absently. ¡°Yes. Do you think it is a grip strength issue? A rope tied between you and your team might be one solution.¡±

    This asshole wants to send us through that thing again?

    Jeremy¡¯s temper erupted and replied sarcastically, ¡°Why not just handcuff us together?¡±

    Instead of the flare of anger he expected in response, Mister Peters scratched his chin and replied, ¡°That might be even better.¡± He turned to the woman beside him and ordered, ¡°Procure a supply of cuffs for the next mission.¡± When the unknown woman nodded, the CIA man focused once more on Jeremy.

    What the hell is wrong with him?

    Jeremy¡¯s first impression of Scott Peters turned out to be completely inaccurate. He initially presented himself as an affable, agreeable person who only wanted to research the possible threat to America the anomalies posed.

    However, after the first failure, when four of his men were lost, the man''s true colors showed. He dismissed all concerns about the missing men, and ignored Jeremy¡¯s protests. Instead, after a short debrief, he sent the now smaller team out again the next day.

    With the same result.

    ¡°Now, on to the NHIs,¡± Scott changed the subject to the Non-Human Intelligent beings. ¡°You said you were unable to establish contact again. Could you tell if this was the same group, or another?¡±

    Jeremy shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but I doubt it was the same group of aliens. I¡¯m pretty sure that wherever I was transported was nowhere near my first mission. My first entry was to a desert, while the second was a jungle. The aliens looked the same, though. They were all between seven feet and eight feet tall with thick, red skin, black horns, and black hair on their heads. They even spoke English, which is crazy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s talk about that,¡± Mister Peters shifted in his seat. ¡°Did you attempt to de-escalate the situation with diplomacy?¡±

    Jeremy sighed. ¡°Sir, the moment they became aware of my presence, they called me an ¡®enemy¡¯, and ordered an attack. I raised my hands and yelled that I came in peace, but they ignored me. If I hadn¡¯t opened fire, I have no doubt I¡¯d be dead.¡±

    ¡°Pity, I would¡¯ve liked to open a dialogue.¡±

    Screw you!

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Now, did you find any trace of their technology? Any way to disable the anomalies?¡±

    Jeremy slowly breathed out through his nose to bleed out his anger. When he felt calm enough to reply, he answered, ¡°No sir. And, I don¡¯t believe they¡¯re responsible for the anomalies.¡±

    Mister Peters frowned. ¡°How so?¡±

    He hesitated. ¡°They seemed very primitive. They used spears and swords with animal hide armor. There were no vehicles or advanced technology involved at all. After the attack was over, I inspected their camp. It was just grass huts with a fire ring. They didn¡¯t even dig a latrine, they just pissed and shit right outside their camp.¡±

    ¡°Do you think they are a lesser race used to guard the anomalies? If so, how would they know our language?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, sir,¡± Jeremy admitted. ¡°Every time I tried to leave the immediate area to investigate, I felt excruciating pain. It¡¯s like there was some invisible field preventing me from getting too far from the anomaly.¡±

    ¡°For how long did you attempt to break through this field?¡±

    Jeremy squeezed his hand into a fist as he replied, ¡°I attempted to leave the area five separate times in five different regions. Each attempt was unsuccessful.¡±

    ¡°So you gave up?¡±

    Captain Jackson¡¯s nostrils flared, and he gritted his teeth until his jaw was sore. Despite his obvious temper, Scott Peters and the other CIA agents remained unconcerned. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± he barked. ¡°I felt if I remained outside the boundary, I would either be rendered unconscious or killed.¡±

    ¡°Your team held similar beliefs and turned back early, despite my orders.¡± Mister Peters replied. ¡°Can you explain why not a single member of your team attempted to break through the field?¡±

    ¡°Sir, I believe Nolan and Roberts did. Which is why they did not return.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s speculation. As you¡¯ve stated before, you had no contact with them. For all we know, they went AWOL.¡±

    Jeremy¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! They barely had enough food and water for a few days! What possible reason could they have to stay on an alien planet?!¡±

    Scott shrugged. ¡°While it does seem unlikely, we can¡¯t discount the possibility.¡±

    The CIA man¡¯s casual disregard for his men¡¯s honor was repugnant. However, despite his burning anger, Jeremy had questions that he wanted answered. ¡°Sir, why aren¡¯t we using drones to scout? You said at our first meeting that we have advanced technology that was hidden from the public. Why haven¡¯t we used it instead of just throwing lives away?¡±

    For the first time, the CIA man looked annoyed. ¡°That¡¯s need to know. Now, stick to the questions.¡±

    Bullshit! I bet his precious tech doesn¡¯t work over there either, just like our cams and comms. Assuming it even exists!

    ¡°On your next mission, I want you and your men to capture one of the NHIs.¡±

    Next mission?!

    ¡°Sir, as my team and I have reported, the anomaly remains closed, and we are unable to return to Earth, until all the aliens are eliminated.¡±

    ¡°Hogwash. The aliens are obviously disrupting the anomaly in some way. All you need to do is capture one of them and force them to cease their disruption.¡±

    ¡°Sir, I tried to question an NHI while it was injured. It refused to engage in dialogue, and attacked, despite its injuries. I was forced to end its life.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be a highly trained soldier? You¡¯re telling me some primitive with a spear was too much for you to handle?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re giants! They¡¯re eight feet tall with the muscles to match! How do you expect me to contain them?! It took half a mag to put each of them down!¡±

    ¡°Captain Jackson,¡± Mister Peters stated severely, ¡°Due to your obvious emotional state, I have given you a lot of leeway. However, you will keep your tone civil, do you understand me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Sir,¡± he replied through gritted teeth. He allowed his fists to clench.

    ¡°Now, you will order each of your men to capture an NHI and force them to re-enable the anomalies. If that is not possible, they will question the NHI themselves before terminating them. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    Screw that! This asshole doesn¡¯t give a shit about us! I quit!

    He tempered his actual words. ¡°Sir, I would like a transfer. I do not believe I am capable of completing the mission objectives and could better serve elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°Request denied,¡± Mister Peters narrowed his eyes. ¡°Now, did I make my orders clear?¡±

    ¡°I quit,¡± Jeremy growled. ¡°I¡¯m not going back through the anomaly. Neither are my men. Not until you can figure out a way to keep us together or show up with some of that ¡®advanced tech¡¯ you told us about,¡± he added derisively.

    ¡°Captain Jackson, you have been unprofessional and belligerent this entire meeting. I find it disturbing that you can not reign in your temper and operate with sense and decorum. Furthermore, due to the extreme threat these anomalies pose, I have been granted great leeway with how I operate.¡± Scott Peters leaned forward. ¡°That means my superiors aren¡¯t going to ask questions about casualties. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    ¡°Are you threatening to kill me?¡± he asked in disbelief.

    SOCOM is gonna hear about this. He isn¡¯t gonna get away with this shit.

    Jeremy suddenly had a realization.

    Shit! They took my phone.

    Not only was he without a means of communication, but he and his team were in ¡®quarantine¡¯ as well. None of them were allowed outside their apartment for the foreseeable future, and he had no way to contact anyone.

    The CIA spook¡¯s reply broke him out of his panicked thoughts. ¡°Of course we won¡¯t kill you. At this point, your body is riddled with alien technology. While the saturation isn¡¯t nearly as high as Mister Miller¡¯s, you are far more valuable alive as a subject of study. Although,¡± he added offhandedly. ¡°It may be years before you are cleared of quarantine, for safety, of course.¡±

    Jeremy grit his teeth. ¡°So you¡¯re saying my only choice is between becoming a lab rat or going on the next mission.¡±

    Mister Peters grinned. ¡°Good, I¡¯m glad we understand each other better. Now, are we going to have a problem, or will you do your duty?¡±

    His nostrils flared when he heard the last word, but he was somehow able to reign in his temper.

    He¡¯s going to give the same ultimatum to my team. If I agree, we might at least be able to stick together.

    As much as it pained him, he replied, ¡°Yes sir.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± the CIA man responded with a nod. ¡°Then you¡¯re dismissed. These two men will escort you back to your team, where you can brief them on their next mission. They will remain with you until your next mission.¡± Scott gestured behind Jeremy at two large, unshaved men.

    No way these guys are military.

    He was confined to the apartment overnight with his three remaining men. After Jeremy detailed their next mission, morale was predictably low, and his team remained silent.

    The next morning, he was escorted to the nearby invisible anomaly, which was cordoned off from the public. They were ushered through two separate checkpoints before they were finally allowed entry. Once he arrived, he and his team were subsequently handcuffed, and ordered to enter the portal.

    With no real choice available to him, he complied.

    Immediately upon entering the spatial anomaly, the world around him went black. His head swiveled left and right in hope that his team remained with him, yet he saw nothing but darkness. He glanced down at his left wrist, and cursed.

    Not again!

    The handcuff was gone.

 Chapter 52 - The Stoltar

    Blake entered the void, the warm Phoenix sun was replaced by endless nothingness. A moment later, a message appeared before his eyes.

    Protect the flock of Stoltar to complete the scenario. If more than two of your charges die, you will fail.

    He cursed.

    Thank God I brought the gun.

    While protection scenarios were easier for his morals to digest, they had one of the highest failure rates. Since he was on his own, this mission would be even more difficult. In his past life, Jeff and Rajesh stayed close to their charges to protect them, while Montgomery and Blake went on the offensive.

    This time, Blake had to do everything himself.

    Suddenly, the void was replaced with light, and he tumbled out of the portal onto a wooden floor, rifle cradled in his arms. Once he recovered from the rough transition to low gravity, he stood and surveyed his surroundings.

    He walked to the edge of the wooden platform, and took an involuntary step back. He was high in a forest canopy, and estimated his position to be at least two hundred feet off the ground. Blake temporarily closed his eyes and breathed deeply to overcome the vertigo.

    When he reopened his eyes, towering trees filled his vision. Even from his current height, their trunks seemed to be the diameter of houses.

    That fact was evident, as the Stoltar utilized the trees for the residences. He studied the community. Doors, eight feet high and four wide, were placed regularly throughout the trunks. They were all connected by a series of wooden platforms and bridges. In the distance, avian-like beings traversed the pathways.

    From his previous experience on the planet, he knew that the massive tree trunks were hollowed. The living space within utilized almost the entire interior of the tree and contained stairs to navigate between levels.

    Above each doorway, signs were hung prominently, and were labeled with words he could not read. Yet, the crude drawings beside the foreign language made their purpose obvious. This small town in the sky contained taverns, tailors, general stores, and everything a thriving community needed to survive. It was a far cry from the goblin¡¯s ramshackle villages, and proved that the Stoltar were on par with human intelligence.

    And that made them dangerous.

    An abrupt scream behind him distracted him from his observations. He whirled and saw a feathered creature frozen in the nearby door. At seven feet, it was much taller than his five-eleven frame. Its long beak was open, and he saw its thin tongue curling within. Bright eyes the size of tennis balls stared at him in surprise, while the feathers of its wings bristled in alarm. Its plumage was bright blue mixed with patterns of red and yellow.

    Montgomery liked to call them ¡®Toucan Pams¡¯, despite the fact that their beaks were entirely black, not multicolored like the cereal box¡¯s cartoon mascot. That, and they were clothed in linen and leather. Unlike their plumage, the colors of their wardrobes were surprisingly muted. This Stoltar had an off-white tunic that did not cover its wings nor arms, and tan pants for its stilt-like legs.

    I should probably calm it down before it freaks out.

    Blake cleared his throat and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here to protect you from the invading flock.¡±

    The intelligent avian creature blinked.

    A moment later, it recovered from its shock and stammered, ¡°Good, good, good. That¡¯s good.¡±

    Blake frowned at the words.

    The only other time he entered this scenario was to eliminate a flock. Blake did not interact with the Stoltar, and only heard their shouted commands and coordination. From the commands he overheard, they seemed highly intelligent.

    Maybe this one¡¯s a bit slow?

    The avian remained still and stared at him.

    ¡°Can you take me to your leader?¡± Blake winced the moment the words left his mouth. Yet, the phrase was accurate. He needed to talk to someone in charge to coordinate their defense and hopefully discover the timeline of the attack.

    Its head bobbed up and down repeatedly, and it replied, ¡°Yes, yes, yes. Follow.¡±

    The creature shuffled cautiously past him along the platform and entered the rope bridge to the next tree over. He watched as the bridge swayed from its motion, yet the timid being did not grasp the rope railings to keep itself steady.

    Must be nice to have wings.

    Blake followed his guide and entered the bridge, hesitantly at first. The wooden slats beneath his feet held firm, and after the first few steps, he increased his speed. Despite his renewed confidence in the integrity of the structure, he grasped the guide ropes firmly.

    No reason to fall to my death.

    He momentarily glanced down through the gaps in the wooden boards and confirmed he was at least two hundred feet above the ground. A wave of vertigo washed over him, and he forced his vision to return to the swaying bridge he traversed.

    Blake trailed his guide across the first bridge, circled a residence on its outside platform, and then traversed multiple subsequent connections, until he paused at a tree with a large double door.

    Above the door was a sign with more illegible writing. It always confused him that the AI did not translate the avian¡¯s written language. Posted on each side were two obvious guards. They wore much sturdier armor than his escort, fashioned from treated hide with metal studs, shields, and long spears.

    From the moment they saw him on the opposite platform, they tensed in alarm. Yet, despite their obvious agitation, they allowed him to approach

    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± The guard on the left growled at his guide. ¡°Who is this creature, and why is he here?¡±

    ¡°Protect us,¡± it squawked. ¡°Here to see Head.¡±

    The guard¡¯s head swiveled to Blake. ¡°Is that true? Did the Architect task you with protecting our flock?¡±

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Blake nodded, glad to converse with someone more capable of communicating. He feared that all the avians used the same stilted speech as his guide. Verbally, he confirmed the guard¡¯s assumption. ¡°Yes, it did.¡±

    His words did not seem to sway the guards. They remained at the ready with spears angled forward.

    Fine. I wouldn¡¯t trust me, either.

    He focused on his interface and forced the scenario instructions to become visible before him. The guard¡¯s large eyes focused on the words. A moment later, the tension left them.

    The guard on the left nodded to itself and let out a chirp. ¡°Praise the Architect. We may stand a chance after all.¡±

    Blake bristled at the overt worship of the AI.

    Easy Blake. You¡¯re just here to finish the scenario.

    Blake held back his acerbic reply. Instead, he repeated, ¡°Can you take me to your leader? I need to discuss strategy,¡±

    The guard bobbed its bulbous head and agreed. ¡°Yes, come with me.¡± It then turned to its fellow guard. ¡°Stay here.¡±

    Once its subordinate bobbed in agreement, the head guard opened the double door and entered the tree. Blake followed behind and used Analyze on his escort.

    Stoltar Level 1

    Chi

    I really need to upgrade Analyze. Actually, why don¡¯t I do that now?

    Blake had the nano to spare. He had entered the Mander scenario twice more while his father tracked down his rifle. Those two expeditions had netted him a tidy sum of ninety-five million nano, or ninety-five mega-nano.

    They required only ten million nano per skill to evolve, unlike his spells. He also needed more experience with his combat spells before he could evolve them.

    As the guard led him through the tree¡¯s entrance and into a large room, Blake quickly spent the ten million nano and upgraded Analyze to level 2. Unlike attributes or levels, skill and spell upgrades were instant.

    Blake was immediately notified that he completed another directive. He dismissed the message, confirmed he gained five million nano, and reused the spell on the guard before him.

    Stoltar Level 1

    Chi

    Physical Power - High

    Physical Stamina - Average

    Physical Resistance - High

    Magic Power - Low

    Magic Stamina - Low

    Magic Resistance - Low

    Blake grinned.

    The level two Analyze allowed him to see a rough estimate of his target¡¯s attributes. In his past life, Rajesh informed him that high, average, and low were relative to the enemy species¡¯ level, not the person that used Analyze on them.

    I wonder what my attributes would look like. Oh well, let¡¯s see what my new directive is.

    Upgrade a spell.

    Of course, that¡¯s the next step. Hopefully, I can evolve one my¡­

    Blake¡¯s introspection was cut short when the guard opened another door and announced him. ¡°Head Jenthores, the Architect has sent our flock a protector.¡±

    ¡°Praise the Architect!¡± Jenthores shouted from his wooden throne.

    ¡°Praise the Architect!¡± the guard replied in what seemed a ritual response.

    Blake grimaced in disgust, yet remained silent.

    Once the ceremonial observance was out of the way, the leader of the flock inspected Blake carefully and then addressed him. ¡°Impressive, you have been blessed by the Architect with all four forms of his magic.¡±

    Blake scowled and clenched his fist once more at the mention of the AI.

    ¡°However, as impressive as that is, you are but one Human. Are you alone, or did you bring others to fight alongside you?¡±

    ¡°Just me, but I don¡¯t need anyone else. I have achievements that let me fight higher level scenarios by myself.¡±

    Jenthores squawked. ¡°Humorous. Very well, then I will add you to our defense. With the Architect¡¯s blessing, your help may be enough to save the flock.¡±

    The leader¡¯s praise of the Architect needled him, and he could not keep the derision out of his voice. ¡°The ¡®Architect¡¯,¡± he emphasized. ¡°Has nothing to do with it. ¡®I¡¯ will save you and your flock by myself.¡±

    Both the guard and Jenthores squawked in response.

    ¡°Actually, it would be best if you gathered the entire flock and barricaded yourselves in here. That way, I can take care of the invaders without having to worry about accidental casualties.¡±

    His statement was too much for the head of the flock, who was now visibly angry. He shouted, ¡°You dare blaspheme that Architect?!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit about the Architect or protecting you,¡± Blake sneered. ¡°I¡¯m just here for the wood.¡±

    ¡°Confine him!¡± the flock¡¯s head ordered. ¡°But be careful that he lives. We do not want to anger the Architect.¡±

    The guard dropped his spear and approached Blake warily with his shield raised. Meanwhile, Jenthores began to weave his hands through the air. Most likely, the head intended to cast a mana-based spell to restrain him.

    Yeah, good luck with that.

    Blake unsheathed the dagger at his waist, used Spatial Step to teleport behind the seated leader, whirled around, and rested the blade¡¯s edge against his throat, while his left held his rifle.

    Jenthores¡¯ spell form was immediately interrupted by a croak. The guard, alarmed by Blake¡¯s sudden disappearance, spun around at his leader¡¯s involuntary vocalization and froze.

    ¡°I was trying to play nice with you people,¡± Blake growled. ¡°But, you just had to be fanatics. Now, here¡¯s how things are going to go, Jenthy. You are going to order your entire flock inside, and barricade the doors. Then, I¡¯m going to kill every single invader by myself. If you don¡¯t comply¡­ well, the scenario stated I¡¯m allowed two casualties. One of them will be you.¡±

    The leader remained in its frozen position for long moments before it finally asked, ¡°Why must you fight alone?¡±

    ¡°Because only two of you are allowed to die, or I¡¯m stuck here forever. I¡¯m not going to take that chance. And, with this,¡± Blake moved his rifle forward, into the leader¡¯s vision. ¡°I can easily take them out.¡±

    ¡°What is that?¡± The guard asked, confused. ¡°I can not read its description.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because it wasn¡¯t created with the Architect¡¯s help. Humans made it BEFORE that bastard invaded our world. Now Jenthy, are you going to obey, or does your flock need to find itself a new leader?¡±

    The leader seemed to deflate and was offended at the word he used to describe their deity. Finally, it replied, ¡°Very well, my flock and I will comply. I pray you are as capable as you believe.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, I am,¡± he assured the defeated avian. ¡°Now, on to business. How long before the invaders arrive?¡±

    ¡°It is believed they will attack within the day,¡± Jenthores answered.

    ¡°Good, I didn¡¯t want to be stuck here twiddling my thumbs for weeks. Now, I¡¯m going to put away my knife so you can gather your flock. If you disobey me, there won¡¯t be a second warning. I will just end you. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the leader rasped.

    ¡°Good,¡± Blake utilized Spatial Step to appear on the opposite side of the room. He turned, so his captive was in sight, sheathed his dagger, and carefully aimed his rifle at the seated leader, safety off.

    Your move.

    Luckily, the head of the flock had some sense. He turned to the guard and ordered, ¡°Rally the guards and gather the flock. It seems we will take shelter during the coming storm.¡±

    The guard bobbed its head and replied, ¡°Yes, Head, it will be done.¡± After he confirmed the order, the avians exited the door and left Blake alone with his leader. With tensions eased, he finally had time to check the notification that appeared after his last Spatial Step. Blake opened his interface and read the message.

    You have gained mastery over a spell. Spatial Step is ready to evolve.

    Blake grinned.

    Finally!

 Chapter 53 - Evolution

    After he reviewed the notification, his eyes focused on Jenthores once again. The leader sat on his wooden chair and stared at Blake silently.

    I should really Analyze him.

    Blake assumed that mana was the only energy type the avian held. He was used to fighting the monstrous, barely sentient creatures such as the Ursa or Manders. However, the leader was intelligent, capable of choosing multiple classes.

    He used the skill on the captive leader.

    Stoltar Level 1

    Mana

    Physical Power - Low

    Physical Stamina - Low

    Physical Resistance - Low

    Magic Power - High

    Magic Stamina - High

    Magic Resistance - Average

    Good, he¡¯s not a threat.

    As a mana user, the avian¡¯s hand movements would reveal any intent to attack, long before it could finish the spell form. Even if he got a spell off, the ability would likely be resisted. Jenthores was also not a physical threat to him. It was unlikely an attack by the leader could do more than bruise him, even if he was taken unaware. As long as Blake did not fall asleep, this was a safe location to evolve his spell.

    How should I evolve it, though?

    Unlike skills, spells could be altered in almost any manner. He would not be limited to a preset path of growth. Instead, the process was almost free-form.

    Blake was not exactly sure what the limitations were, but the process was relatively straight forward. When he chose to evolve the spell, he would focus on the change or changes he wanted to make. Then, the Architect would determine the cost of the change.

    However, he could not just double the spell¡¯s effect for double the cost. For whatever reason, the Architect only allowed relatively small changes.

    Probably just to screw with us.

    Blake dismissed the errant thought and considered the possible evolutions to Spatial Step.

    Well, obviously I could make the spell teleport me further, but that¡¯s not really that useful.

    He wanted to focus on evolutions that would aid him against Manders two levels above him, as he intended to upgrade his ¡®Elite Solo Warrior¡¯ achievement. While twenty feet did not seem like much, in their tunnels, it was adequate.

    I have plenty of aether, so making it cheaper is pointless. Maybe I should reduce the cooldown.

    Blake had never evolved an aether spell in his past life. However, his friends had shared the results of their spell evolutions with him. That knowledge, combined with his own experience working with chi, told him that at most, he could expect a ten percent reduction. As Spatial Step required sixty seconds between casts, that evolution would likely reduce that time to fifty-four.

    I guess it¡¯ll have to do. For now.

    Out of the corner of his eye, he saw partially concealed movement from the seated avian. Blake glanced up and saw that the leader¡¯s hands weaved through the air, as he attempted to cast a spell.

    Oh, no you don¡¯t.

    Blake briefly considered aiming the rifle and pulling the trigger. However, he was unsure of their anatomy and not certain he could hit the avian in a non-lethal area. Leg and arm shots were far more difficult to pull off than people expected, and he was out of practice.

    Instead, he dropped his rifle, unsheathed his sword, and activated Spatial Step. Blake teleported across the room, directly beside the seated avian. Unfortunately, he was faced in the wrong direction.

    With a growl of frustration, he pivoted counter-clockwise with his sword raised. Their eyes met, and Blake saw the sense of satisfaction they contained.

    Either he¡¯s about to finish the spell, or he wants to die.

    Blake did not care which, and lashed out with his sword. His blade cleaved through a thin, feathered arm, and severed its hand. Simultaneously, a blue flash erupted from the bloody stump, but fizzled out before it could fully form.

    Loud squawks echoed across the room as Jenthores cradled his stump. The avian¡¯s eyes were wild with panic as he searched for something to stop the bleeding. Simultaneously, the door burst open, and a guard rushed in.

    Almost lazily, Blake said, ¡°You may want to get a healer before he bleeds out.¡±

    The guard froze as her eyes darted back and forth between Blake and the head of her flock. The Head frantically gestured with his good hand toward the door. Finally, reason triumphed. She turned and fled in search of a healer.

    Blake examined the leader¡¯s severed limb.

    ¡°Huh, I expected your bones to be hollow. No wonder you can¡¯t fly.¡± When the loud squawks were dampened into low moans, Blake said conversationally, ¡°You know Jenthy, I have to thank you for trying to attack me. You gave me a great idea for my spell evolution.¡±

    The avian looked at him in disbelief, yet Blake continued.

    ¡°See, I was going to shorten the cooldown on the spell. Useful, sure, but not exactly game changing. Now, though, I realized how annoying it is to face the wrong way after I teleport. Let¡¯s see if I can change it, so I can come out of the Spatial Step facing any direction I wish. Your people better hurry, you don''t look so good.¡±

    While the avian leader continued to bleed, Blake navigated through his interface and chose to evolve his Spatial Step ability. Fifty mega-nano immediately disappeared, leaving him with only forty to spare. Blake focused intently on his intended transformation, and grinned when a message appeared before his eyes.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Spatial Step has successfully evolved.

    Multiple notifications appeared, but he dismissed them and quickly checked the level two spells'' description.

    Guided Spatial Step - Consume a moderate amount of aetheric energy to shift your position by twenty feet. The targeted destination must be in visual range. You may adjust your body so it faces any direction upon arrival. Once cast, Spatial Shift may not be used again for ninety seconds.

    Blake winced internally at the fifty percent increased cooldown. He had hoped it would increase the energy required, not the time between casts.

    Oh well, time to test it out.

    Blake ignored the mortally injured leader and focused on the wall opposite him. As he activated Spatial Step, he visualized the direction he wished to face once he appeared. The short range teleport activated, and he appeared on the opposite side of the hollowed out tree.

    This time, however, he faced the open room rather than the wall.

    Yes!

    The evolution would allow him to teleport behind his enemies and strike them immediately. There would be no need to reorient himself and allow a monster time to react. It was fully worth the cool down penalty.

    Actually, if I can change which way my body faces, can I change the position of my arm as well?

    He checked the cooldown of Spatial Step, eighty seconds remained. As Blake impatiently waited to test out his new theory, the double doors burst inward and a group of people hurried inside.

    Two guards immediately located Blake and warily approached him, while the rest of the avians rushed to their fallen leader. The healer kneeled before the injured Head, and expertly inspected the wound. A moment later, the medic reached into their satchel and retrieved bandages and a bottle of liquid, which they poured over the seeping stump. The leader grunted but remained still for the treatment.

    While he observed their healer¡¯s response, one of the two guards found the courage for words. ¡°The Architect¡¯s decree may prevent us from killing you, but it said nothing about taking your own hand in justice.¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Your Head attacked me first. I think ¡®justice¡¯ is already served,¡± Blake replied drolly. ¡°Besides, the only reason he¡¯s even alive is because of mercy. I could have easily killed him at any point.¡±

    The talkative guard ignored him and said, ¡°We will detain you until Head Jenthores gives us our orders.¡±

    ¡°Of course you will¡­¡± Blake sighed.

    Okay, time to prove they can¡¯t hurt me.

    A moment later, Spatial Step finished its cooldown period. Blake immediately visualized where and how he wanted to exit from the teleportation and activate the spell. A split second later, he disappeared and then reappeared next to the fallen leader.

    Yes! It worked.

    The room erupted in panic as Blake suddenly appeared beside the injured leader. His dagger was perched a centimeter away from the Head¡¯s throat, while his sword was now sheathed in its scabbard. Blake was ready to instantly end the bird¡¯s life if the flock refused to follow his orders.

    Squawks of alarm echoed off the wooden walls, while everyone nearby, including the healer, skittered away. While they recoiled in fear, Blake felt the leader slump in his arm.

    He announced in a loud voice, ¡°He¡¯s not doing too good here. If you want your leader to live, then follow his orders. Gather the entire flock and barricade yourselves within one of your trees. I will defeat the threat on my own.¡±

    The room fell silent as they digested his words. A moment later, the medic boldly broke the silence. ¡°What about Head Jenthores? Without healing, he will perish.¡±

    ¡°If I release him, will you all follow orders?¡±

    The healer¡¯s head bobbed enthusiastically. ¡°Yes, yes, of course!¡±

    ¡°Honor your word.¡± Blake warned as he withdrew his blade. ¡°Get to work.¡±

    When the room remained frozen at his action, he yelled, ¡°NOW!¡±

    The frightened avians erupted into a frenzy of activity. The healer once more knelt before their patient and ignored Blake¡¯s presence, while the guards and attendants fled the room to gather the rest of the flock.

    Over the next ten minutes, Blake waited with his back to the carved, wooden wall, rifle in hand. He watched the entire flock trickle inside. When the last avian entered and closed the doors, Blake announced over the soft murmur of conversation, ¡°Until I return, you will all remain within the tree. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    A spattering of affirmation reached him.

    Good enough.

    He activated his new favorite spell and appeared at the entrance to the room. With a quick motion, he opened the door and strode out of the shelter to patrol the walkways. Once he was assured that the flock would remain behind as ordered, he checked his notifications for any he may have overlooked.

    You have gained fifty million nano for completing a directive.

    Hah!

    With the rewarded nano, Blake essentially received a free spell upgrade. Curious to what the next directive was, he opened his status.

    Upgrade all Level 1 spells.

    That makes sense. Now what¡¯s the last notification?

    For completing ten directives, you have been awarded an achievement. - [Directive Follower]

    The [Directive Follower] achievement increases your attributes by 2%.

    The achievement was one of the many he had gained in his past life. Blake hated the name, as it implied he was a good follower of the Architect. However, a two percent increase to his base attributes helped assuage his indignation.

    Every little bit helps.

    Blake closed his interface and began a circuitous route around the elevated town. At first, he remained alert and anxious for battle as he searched the horizon for attackers. However, eventually, his focus strayed as the invader failed to appear.

    An hour later, he was bored.

    He sat on the swaying rope bridge with his rifle beside him. His feet dangled off the side, while his butt was stationed on the wooden slats. As he sat, idle, his mind wandered. He momentarily wished he could order Metal to maintain the watch, but he was unwilling to break his promise.

    I should see how long I have before I can evolve my other spells.

    Eager to alleviate the boredom, Blake reviewed his status.

    Spells -

    Chi -

    Regeneration - 82%

    Mana -

    Flame Shield - 73%

    Psi -

    Mind Blast - 91%

    Aether -

    Guided Spatial Step - 1%

    Looks like Mind Blast is next.

    After he completed the last directive and received the reward, he held ninety million nano in reserve. That was enough to upgrade his next spell when it was complete, and only ten mega-nano short of a second evolution.

    Since he had not increased the scenario¡¯s level, he calculated at best, he would receive ten million for completing it. Unfortunately, he also held a rifle. Even if it remained unused, its presence would cut his gains in half. Any enemies he killed with the firearm, would net him next to nothing.

    Well, I¡¯m not here for nano anyway, I¡¯m here for the wood.

    Blake had to remind himself that his goal was not to farm nano, it was to gather special materials so they could upgrade their faction hall.

    Owen Yates: Hey Blake! You almost done in there?

    Happy for the distraction, he replied.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: No, I¡¯m supposed to defend the village, but the attackers haven''t shown up yet.

    Jason Karesek: That sucks.

    Kuruk Cosay: Should we get a motel room? It¡¯s getting late.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Yeah, that¡¯s probably a good idea. They said the attack should happen soon, but honestly, I could be stuck here for days.

    Jason Karesek: There¡¯s no time limit?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Nope. It¡¯s one of the reasons I like fighting monsters. You never get defend missions with them, just straight forward elimination. I know a group who had to wait a whole month for an attack to finish before they could leave. Wait, I hear something. Gotta go.

    A faint noise found his ears. He immediately climbed to his feet and collected his rifle to investigate. The distant clamor grew as Blake continued to search for the source.

    Finally, the origin revealed itself. A flock of avian invaders glided through the air toward the platforms. Leaves rustled, and branches snapped as they barreled through the growth to reach their destination.

    Finally!

    Blake shouldered his rifle and aimed carefully at the approaching flight.

 Chapter 54 - Bird Season

    Blake peered through his rifle¡¯s scope at the avians as they approached. The rifle was supposedly sighted in for a hundred yards. Unfortunately, the Stoltar were much closer than that. At only fifty yards, they overwhelmed the eight times magnification.

    However, it was child¡¯s play for him to hold the rifle steady and manually adjust as they glided directly toward him. When he felt the timing was right, he held his breath and gently pulled the trigger.

    The crack of the rifle was deafening, and reverberated off the trees. Through the scope, Blake saw the targeted Stoltar flinch from impact. Its azure chest feathers turned crimson, and it began to twitch as it struggled to maintain its glide.

    Unlike Hollywood¡¯s portrayal of gunfire, his target was not blown backward, nor did it immediately die from a shot to the chest. The avian struggled to maintain its elevation as it slowly bled out, confused by its sudden injury. He wished he knew more about their anatomy, as the bullet would have pierced a human¡¯s heart.

    Blake smoothly shifted targets, lined up the crosshairs, and gently squeezed the trigger once more. This time, his bullet impacted the avian¡¯s head, and immediately ended its life.

    As the second gunshot resounded through the canopy, the rest of the flight became aware of the threat he posed. The uninjured avians broke away from their formation and scattered to the sides into the canopy. Meanwhile, Blake¡¯s first victim struggled to land on the platforms, while the second tumbled lifelessly to the forest floor.

    Unfortunately, his targets now moved too erratically for him to line up another shot. Blake lowered his weapon and searched the skies for the other flight. A single flight of ten was far too few to be his only enemies in this scenario.

    Sure enough, the second offensive had already landed. They rushed along the wooden slats in the distance and barreled into the doors to force them open. As they attempted to locate their quarry, Blake re-shouldered his weapon and fired four additional shots.

    The rifle¡¯s magazine was fully expended, and three avians stumbled from impact. Only one of his shots went wide. Blake ejected the magazine and snatched a spare from his belt.

    As he reloaded, he watched one of the injured Stoltar slump against a nearby wooden door. He noted the location of the shot for the future. The other two, however, remained combat worthy. They scanned the area until their eyes locked on Blake, and immediately rushed his way.

    The two avians sprinted from the wooden platform and leapt into the air. Their wings spread wide, caught the wind, and they glided toward him.

    With the magazine replaced, Blake racked the slide and injected a round into the chamber. He raised his rifle, looked through the sights, and squeezed the trigger.

    Suddenly, a wave of audible force washed over him, and his shot went wide.

    Damnit!

    Even though Blake almost fully resisted the Sonic Blast, the surprise distracted him and left him slightly disoriented. He shook off the disruption and lined up his next shot.

    Before he could release another round, a flash of light temporarily blinded him. He blinked his eyes repeatedly in an effort to regain his sight.

    Okay, that one was only partially resisted.

    When his vision did not immediately return, he blindly laid his rifle on the wooden platform and unsheathed his sword. After the spots cleared, he found the two avians almost upon him.

    He dodged to the side and slid his blade along the first¡¯s ribs as it soared past him. The second avian glided just behind the first. Its long talons glowed with chi, and Blake barely had time to duck before it impacted him.

    I hate the smart ones.

    As the wind from its swift passing still swayed his chin length hair, he snatched his rifle from the ground and quickly used Analyze on his opponent.

    Stoltar Level 1

    Aether, Chi

    Physical Power - High

    Physical Stamina - Low

    Physical Resistance - Average

    Magic Power - Average

    Magic Stamina - Low

    Magic Resistance - Average

    That¡¯s what I thought! This one will be a pain.

    The avian held a dual class, something incredibly rare for an enemy in a scenario. Its form receded from his vision and gently circled around for another pass. When it was far enough away, he raised his rifle and located it through his scope.

    Blake carefully aligned the shot and squeezed the trigger. At impact, its graceful glide devolved into a death spiral, and Blake internally celebrated his accuracy.

    Unfortunately, he had been focused on the immediate battle for too long. The remainder of the flight closed ranks. As they encircled him, he once again placed his rifle on the planks and collected his dropped sword from the wooden pathway.

    ¡°Pin down the Human!¡± a Stoltar shouted. ¡°Let the mana users take him out!¡±

    Blake was glad for the AI¡¯s automatic translation.

    Across the short bridge on the opposite platform, two avians initiated their spell forms, while three others cornered him with their spears. Two of the nearby Stoltar glowed with chi, but Blake ignored their threat. Instead, he focused on the opposite platform that held the mana users.

    Blake activated Spatial Step and appeared behind the two confused enemies. He quickly slashed with his sword and ended their lives, before they were even aware of his presence.

    God, I love that spell.

    ¡°By the Architect¡¯s grace!¡± An avian swore. ¡°It can teleport!¡±

    Blake scowled at the phrase and sprinted across the bridge toward the three chi users.

    ¡°Retreat!¡± An avian shouted. ¡°It¡¯s too strong! Gather reinforcements!¡±

    Shit!

    The last thing Blake wanted was to be surrounded by fifteen enemies, and the victim of a coordinated assault. As they leapt off the platform, Blake switched his long sword for his discarded rifle. He aimed at a shrinking silhouette, fired, shifted his aim, and then fired again.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Damnit!

    Two Stoltar were mortally injured, yet one escaped. The living avian was careful to remain hidden behind the giant trunks of the trees as it gathered its reinforcements.

    That¡¯s not good.

    Until this moment, the battle had been relatively easy. He was able to surprise the enemy with his high attributes and martial skill. Unfortunately, they would now be aware of the threat he posed and would be far more wary of him.

    Well, at least they don¡¯t know about Mind Blast.

    His Regeneration would have no effect on this battle. Likewise, his Flame Shield was only capable of blocking heat from fire-based spells. The two spells were not chosen with this particular enemy in mind, but to specifically counter the Manders.

    His Mental Blast, however, would be very useful against the Stoltar.

    While he impatiently waited for his enemies to arrive, Blake cast Flame Shield on himself and reloaded his rifle. There was no reason for him to ignore the spell, regardless of how unlikely it was to help in his fight.

    A few minutes later, his enemies returned.

    They combined flocks and surrounded him with an en masse, coordinated assault. Blake was able to fatally shoot two of the closing enemies before he was forced to set down his rifle and switch to his sword.

    Four avians rushed him on the platform, while three others dove through the air. Far above, two more gently drifted in circles while they cast their spells.

    Suddenly, his movements became sluggish as his body was affected by a Slow. A spear was thrown at him, and he dodged to the side as he struggled against the aether spell.

    To his surprise, a psi user maintained telekinetic control over the projectile. The spear tracked his movement, and he was forced to use Spatial Step to avoid injury.

    Once line of sight was broken, slow no longer affected him. Blake appeared behind a nearby avian and quickly executed it. Its dying squawks immediately alerted the flock to his new location, and he was only able to kill one additional avian before the two nearby set a defense stance.

    While they hesitated, he glanced up and disrupted one of the mana users with a Mind Blast. He briefly considered using another on its partner, but decided against it. A crushing migraine would likely hinder him more in battle than whatever spell it would release.

    The second mana user finished its spell, and a Water Blast shot from its extended hand. A jet of water instantly threw him to the ground. Blake remained uninjured, but was unable to rebuff their attacks. After the stream of water ceased, he immediately raised his sword to parry a spear¡¯s thrust.

    Unfortunately, the second jab connected.

    Blake felt a sharp pain in his shoulder as the tip of a spear pierced through his armor and into his flesh. He immediately pulled on the spear, rolled to the side, and dropped his sword while he activated Regeneration. The move surprised his opponent and the avian stumbled forward.

    Blake swept its legs with his own, unsheathed his dagger, and slammed the small blade into its throat as it fell. Before he could retrieve his sword, another Slow washed over him.

    Annoying.

    The last remaining avian on his platform charged with his spear raised. At the last second, its movement faltered as it activated Hardened Shell.

    Fine, let¡¯s see how you like this.

    Rather than continue to reach for his weapon, Blake snatched the approaching spear and pulled. The avian stumbled forward, unable to regain its balance, as Hardened Shell slowed its own movements. While on his back, Blake lifted his feet, caught the avian as it fell atop him, and kicked.

    Aided by thirty percent lighter gravity, the last nearby Stoltar soared through the air and over the edge of the platform. It would glide to safety once the Hardened Shell faded, but was out of the fight for now.

    Suddenly, the Slow no longer restricted his movement, and he scrambled for his fallen rifle. After he snatched the weapon, he rolled to his back, and sighted in on an airborne avian.

    Blake fired, and the bullet pierced cleanly through its neck. Its spell form was interrupted, and he rapidly switched targets to the nearby mana user that had hit him with a Water Blast. After two more shots, it fell dead, and his rifle was empty. He replaced the magazine as the avians glided cautiously above him. With the greatest threats eliminated, the final four Stoltar were easy to finish off with his rifle.

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    No.

    Blake rolled to his feet and gathered his discarded longsword. After he sheathed the blade, he checked his status to determine how much nano he gained.

    Nano - 90m

    That¡¯s what I thought. Pathetic.

    Blake shook his head. He had gained so little from this scenario, that the interface still showed his original ninety mega-nano. For what seemed the hundredth time, Blake had to remind himself that nano was not the goal of this scenario, Breshian Broadleaf was. He needed to harvest two tons of the wood and have Jason transport it to the Storehouse.

    Or do I?

    Blake grinned as an idea suddenly occurred to him. He messaged his friends to head through the portal and then stalked over to the nearby double doors where the incumbent avians waited.

    ¡°The threat¡¯s over!¡± he yelled. ¡°You can come out now!¡±

    The doors remained closed.

    Fine, then I guess I¡¯m coming in.

    Blake tried the handle, but it was barred from the inside. Annoyed, he leaned back, and kicked the door with his full strength.

    The door flew off its hinges and into the room. Sawdust filled the air as furniture used as a barricade snapped into kindling. When the air cleared, he saw the flock huddled in fear, wary of his approach.

    ¡°Like I said before,¡± he reiterated in an even voice. ¡°The threat¡¯s over, and you can come out now.¡±

    Wearily, the brave medic from before replied bitterly, ¡°Then why are you still here? Why have you not returned to your home?¡±

    Beside the healer was the still body of their leader.

    I guess they couldn¡¯t stop the blood loss. At least I only lost one.

    As callous as it seemed, he found that he could not find it in himself to care. He had been attacked, gave them a second chance, and was then attacked once more.

    ¡°Who¡¯s in charge now that your leader¡¯s dead?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± a nervous spear-wielding guard stepped forward. ¡°Until another is chosen, I lead the flock.¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Then we need to discuss my payment.¡±

    ¡°Payment?¡± It squawked in confusion. ¡°Were you not compensated by the almighty Architect?¡±

    He clenched his fist at the mention of the evil AI and breathed deeply. ¡°Yes, I was. But YOU haven¡¯t compensated me yet,¡± Blake pointed at the newly promoted leader.

    It swallowed in fear. ¡°What is it you want?¡±

    Blake grinned. ¡°The entire reason I¡¯m here is for the wood your homes are burrowed out of. I assume your furniture is made from this too?¡± He gestured to the bare walls around him.

    The leader hesitantly nodded.

    ¡°Great! Then I¡¯m going to need two tons of it.¡±

    Its eyes widened in shock, and it stuttered in protest, ¡°That is ridiculous! You ask too much!¡±

    He narrowed his eyes and said darkly, ¡°I don¡¯t think I do. Your leader attacked me. I was kind enough to give him a second chance, and then he BROKE HIS WORD and attacked me again.¡±

    The interim leader opened its beak to protest again, but Blake cut it off, ¡°This IS going to happen. The question is, how many leaders does your flock have to go through before I find one that¡¯s willing to listen?¡±

    His threat was met with silence from the interim leader.

    ¡°My people are here to harvest the wood, I could have them choose the trees your homes are in.¡±

    The leader¡¯s eyes widened and he replied. ¡°We will do as you ask.¡±

    ¡°Holy shit, fam! This place is fire!¡± Jason announced from a platform outside. The avians flinched at the sight of the additional humans.

    I¡¯m glad I made a strong impression.

    ¡°Check this out!¡± Owen said excitedly, and then jumped high into the air. ¡°I can totally dunk on you now.¡±

    Blake chuckled at their enthusiasm, and his anger abated. He strolled out of the cramped room, and met up with his friends. Kuruk kneeled down beside the corpse of a Stoltar with a frown, while Jason and Owen were distracted by the reduced gravity.

    ¡°Hey Kuruk, see if you can send that spear back to the Storehouse.¡±

    After a moment, the blacksmith nodded absently and lifted the spear. After it disappeared, Blake contacted his mother.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Hey mom, I finished the scenario and sent back some metal. Did that count towards the materials we need?

    Donna Summers: Yes, it did. Although just a tiny bit. Are you going to be able to find enough?

    Blake grinned as he replied.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Oh, don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s not going to be a problem. I¡¯m going to get the locals to do our work for us.

 Chapter 55 - Rajesh

    To Blake¡¯s delight, the Stoltar not only helped them harvest more Breshian Broadleaf than they needed, but aided them in retrieving all the other off world materials as well. The last thing Blake expected on an arboreal, low gravity world was vast stores of granite, yet they found a vein capable of easily supplying their short-term needs.

    Despite the additional help, they worked through the night and late into the next day before they were finished. Unlike his friends, Blake had yet to sleep. He relied upon Regeneration and now gas station coffee, provided by Kuruk, to keep him awake.

    The Stoltar were glad to see them leave.

    Once they finished and swam through the golf course¡¯s lake back to the car, they parted ways. However, before Kuruk drove Jason and Owen home, Jason called a Ryde for Blake. Since he would be in public, he left his rifle and weapons behind with them.

    After the middle-aged taxi driver arrived, she was presented with a stack of bills. Blake asked her to chauffeur him for the rest of the day. From the way her eyes lit up at the sight of so much cash, Blake knew she was more than happy to drive him around, despite his strange attire.

    His personal taxi pulled into the public lot off University Drive and parked. ¡°This is the place,¡± she announced.

    Blake nodded as he sipped his coffee and then winced as the heat burned his tongue.

    You know what, what good¡¯s magic if it can¡¯t make life more convenient.

    He sat his coffee down and began to weave his hands with the strange motions required to cast a Flame Shield. The driver stared at him through the rearview mirror in disbelief.

    ¡°Uh¡­ everything okay back there?¡± she asked in concern.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just a little good luck ritual I made up,¡± he lied and continued the spell form.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ uh¡­ good luck with admission,¡± she replied. ¡°Although, you may want to change into a button down shirt. Unless you¡¯re trying to be memorable?¡±

    The spell activated, and he felt the invisible Flame Shield settle around him. Blake retrieved the coffee, and tried a sip once again. When it failed to burn his tongue, he drained the entire twenty-ounce cup.

    ¡°Ahhh,¡± he sighed. ¡°That hits the spot.¡±

    To his amusement, the heat from the coffee was enough to create a faint shimmer in his Flame Shield. He addressed the driver, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not here to apply. I¡¯m looking for an old friend. The problem is, I don¡¯t know where on campus he is, so it may take a while to track him down. That¡¯s why I need you to wait in the parking lot for me to get back.¡±

    She shrugged in disinterest and turned up the air conditioner. ¡°Whatever. You¡¯re paying.¡±

    Blake exited the vehicle, and basked in the muted heat of the sun. Flame Shield turned the ninety degree heat of late March into wonderful room temperature.

    I take it back. Flame Shield might be my favorite spell.

    After he finished his stretch, he strode toward the Electrical Engineering building at Arizona State University. The Tempe campus was large, and he knew he was unlikely to stumble randomly across Rajesh.

    To his embarrassment, he did not remember his friend¡¯s last name. It was Indian, long, and unpronounceable to him. No matter how often he tried, Rajesh continuously rebuffed his poor pronunciation. Eventually, he gave up. He knew it started with a K, and thought he may recognize it on sight, but that was as close as he could get.

    On Invasion day, Rajesh was a grad student in the Electrical Engineering program at ASU, shared an apartment with friends off campus, and worked as a Teacher¡¯s Assistant. Unfortunately, that was all the useful information regarding the past Blake could remember. That, and his appearance.

    Blake entered the building and glanced around for guidance. On the far wall near the elevator bank, he saw a directory. The Electrical Engineering department was on the fourth floor, so he pushed the call button and waited for the elevator to arrive.

    A professor stared incredulously at Blake¡¯s leather armor as he walked past, but refrained from comment. When the doors opened, he stepped inside and pressed the button for the fourth floor.

    A young student, just a year older than Blake, rushed toward him and yelled, ¡°Wait!¡±

    Blake quickly held the doors open with his hand as the young man slipped inside, out of breath.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± the overweight man said before his eyes caught on the leather armor. ¡°That¡¯s freakin¡¯ awesome! Did you make that yourself?¡±

    Blake shook his head and wished he had a change of clothes. He was going to remain silent when it occurred to him that he should be probing everyone on their knowledge of his friend. ¡°Hey, do you know someone named Rajesh? He¡¯s a grad student here.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± the man replied. ¡°I¡¯m just a freshman, super late for class.¡±

    ¡°Thanks anyway. I figured it was a long shot, but you never know.¡±

    The doors to the third floor opened, and the heavy man rushed out with a parting, ¡°Good luck.¡±

    When Blake arrived at the fourth floor, he ignored the full classrooms and explored the long, tiled hallway. The majority of the office doors which lined each side were closed, however, he stopped at the first open door and poked his head inside.

    The older, Asian man inside was focused on his computer, so Blake knocked to get his attention. His eyes briefly flicked up toward Blake and then back to his screen. Then, suddenly, he did a double take and stared openly at the strange attire.

    ¡°Can I help you, young man?¡± he asked in a thick accent.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m looking for Rajesh. He¡¯s a grad student and TA here. Have you seen him?¡±

    ¡°Which Rajesh?¡± the man asked.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Blake was confused. ¡°There¡¯s more than one?¡± At the man¡¯s nod, Blake replied, ¡°Uh¡­ his last name starts with a ¡®K¡¯.¡±

    The professor frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know that one. What professor does he TA for?¡±

    Blake winced. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know that either.¡±

    The older man¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Perhaps you should check with security then,¡± he said dismissively and returned to his work.

    Blake sighed and resumed his journey down the hallway. For the next thirty minutes, he questioned everyone he met. No one knew his friend, and they had no useful advice for how to track him down.

    His name was more common than Blake realized.

    Eventually, when he began to lose hope, a professor left the elevator in a hurried manner. Blake matched pace with the harried, middle-aged man, and began the conversation as he usually did. ¡°Excuse me, do you happen to know a TA named Rajesh?¡±

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Which Rajesh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, his last name starts with a K.¡±

    ¡°Kshetrapal?¡± he asked as he unlocked his office.

    I think that¡¯s it!

    ¡°Yeah, that''s him,¡± he grinned, excited that someone knew his friend.

    The professor entered his office and dropped his briefcase on the messy desk. ¡°I believe he¡¯s Doctor Gupta¡¯s TA. Why do you ask?¡±

    As the professor relaxed into his chair, Blake said, ¡°I¡¯m trying to track him down, but I don¡¯t have his cell phone number.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t give out personal information,¡± the man warned.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine,¡± Blake assured him. ¡°I don¡¯t have a cell phone anyway.¡±

    The professor frowned and gave him a curious look. The glance then turned into a full-blown stare when he finally saw Blake¡¯s leather armor. ¡°Then, I don¡¯t really know how to help except to say, talk to Doctor Gupta. Although, he¡¯s not in today, so you¡¯ll have to come back tomorrow.¡±

    I don¡¯t have that kind of time.

    Blake sighed and rubbed his temples. ¡°Is there a way you can look up when his next class is? Rajesh said he gives lectures all the time.¡±

    ¡°TAs don¡¯t lecture,¡± the man said, annoyed.

    Did Rajesh lie to make himself sound more important?

    Blake snorted.

    That sounds like Rajesh.

    ¡°Can you look it up anyway?¡± After a moment, where the man continued to stare at him in annoyance, Blake added, ¡°Please?¡±

    ¡°Fine, but after that, you need to leave. I have work to do.¡±

    Blake waited while the man searched the schedule. After a few minutes, the professor announced, ¡°There¡¯s a recitation right now that¡¯s about to end. He¡¯s probably leading it.¡± Then, he added pointedly,  ¡°It''s in room 514.¡±

    ¡°Thanks!¡± Blake gushed and waved goodbye.

    Blake took the stairs to the fifth floor and strode through the hallway until he found a small classroom labeled 514. He stretched his neck to peer sideways through the small window set in the door, but was unable to see the front of the room.

    However, that did not matter. The moment he heard the TA speak, Blake knew it was his friend.

    ¡°Then, if there are no more questions, I have labs to grade,¡± he said in his thick Indian accent.

    After the terse dismissal, the students gathered their belongings and filed out of the room.

    ¡°What an asshole,¡± a student muttered as he left the room.

    ¡°Yeah, he didn¡¯t even answer the question. Just told Josh to look it up. I swear, what¡¯s the point of a TA who doesn¡¯t know what they¡¯re talking about? And, even if he did, you can¡¯t understand a word that comes out of his mouth anyway,¡± another student ranted.

    Good ole Rajesh. Making friends wherever he goes.

    It had taken Blake quite a while to warm up to Rajesh¡¯s sour attitude. Blake¡¯s initial impression of the aether user followed the student¡¯s comments.  The man was self-centered and acted superior. However, after numerous battles where they fought side by side, they developed a friendship, despite their differences.

    After the line of students disappeared, Blake slipped inside and softly closed the door. Rajesh sat behind the teacher¡¯s desk, focused on his laptop¡¯s screen. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, with dark skin, short, black hair, and brown eyes. Rajesh was also a little overweight, which surprised Blake, as he had always known the man to be thin.

    He looks so young without his beard.

    Blake approached the desk with a smile, ¡°How¡¯s it going, Rajesh?¡±

    The TA never looked up. He recited, almost by rote, ¡°I don¡¯t accept late assignments, and if you need notes, ask another student.¡±

    ¡°Damn, no wonder your students hate you.¡±

    Rajesh finally reacted, and anger flared across his face. He opened his mouth to reply, but froze when he saw Blake¡¯s attire. Finally, Rajesh recovered from his surprise and said, ¡°If you are not my student, what do you want? I¡¯m busy.¡±

    Blake extended his hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m Blake.¡±

    Rajesh continued to stare.

    ¡°You know, if someone offers their hand, it¡¯s rude not to shake it,¡± Blake chided playfully. He enjoyed having the upper hand on Rajesh for once.

    Rajesh narrowed his eyes. ¡°I am not the rude one. Tell me what you want or leave.¡±

    Blake leaned forward, quicker than Rajesh could react, and grabbed his wrist.

    Invite to the Collective.

    The TA recoiled in fear and ripped his arm away. Blake let him. The nanomachines had already transferred and began their integration.

    ¡°I will call the police,¡± Rajesh stood in outrage.

    ¡°No you won¡¯t,¡± Blake replied confidently. ¡°I have something to show you. Watch me carefully, and don¡¯t blink.¡±

    When Blake was sure the man¡¯s eyes were on him, he glanced over his shoulder and activated Spatial Step. He utilized the spell¡¯s evolution, and teleported within a desk, two rows back in a seated position.

    Rajesh¡¯s eyes widened, and he slumped back into his chair.

    ¡°Pretty cool, right?¡±

    ¡°Did you drug me?!¡±

    ¡°No, but I did transfer some nanomachines to you.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ what?¡± Rajesh said, clearly confused.

    ¡°Nanomachines. You know, microscopic little robots?¡±

    ¡°I know what they are, you imbecile!¡± Rajesh shouted. ¡°That is not how they work.¡±

    ¡°Sure it is,¡± Blake disagreed. ¡°See, these nanomachines aren¡¯t made by humans. They¡¯re way more advanced than anything we can make.¡±

    Rajesh pointed toward the door. ¡°Get out before I call the police.¡±

    When Blake remained seated, the Indian reached for his phone.

    Nope. Can¡¯t have that.

    Blake checked his status and saw that Spatial Step was available. He activated the spell and appeared beside his old friend, his hand extended. Faster than Rajesh could react, he ripped the phone out of his hand and held it out of reach.

    Fear flashed briefly across his friend''s face. However, it was immediately replaced by surprise. Rajesh stared through him in shock as he read the welcome message.

    ¡°Welcome to the Collective,¡± Blake announced. ¡°That¡¯s the interface you¡¯re seeing. When you finish reading the message, you probably want to check out your status. Just think ¡®status¡¯ and it¡¯ll open up.¡±

    ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡±

    ¡°I told you, I transferred nanomachines to you.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ is this Professor Teller¡¯s project?¡± He immediately shook his head. ¡°No, that¡¯s stupid. There¡¯s no way he got this far.¡± Rajesh looked Blake directly in the eye. ¡°What is going on?¡±

    ¡°Get comfortable,¡± he advised. ¡°This is going to be a long story.¡±

    For the next half hour, Blake summarized past events. He explained that he came from the future, that they were friends, and detailed his trip back in time.

    Rajesh at first was silent, but about ten minutes into Blake¡¯s tale he began to interrupt with questions and challenges. Blake patiently answered each. True to form, his old friend focused more on AI and how the nanomachines worked than the fact that the world would end.

    Blake ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. ¡°Look Rajesh, how many times do I have to tell you? I don¡¯t know how they work. YOU didn¡¯t know how it worked in the future, either,¡± he reminded the man.

    ¡°I have a doubt.¡±

    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Look, it doesn¡¯t matter anyway. Like I said, Invasion day is in a little over three months. At that point, everything that uses electricity stops working.¡±

    ¡°You contradict yourself. Our brains use electricity. Without it, we are dead.¡±

    Blake took a deep breath. He had forgotten how frustrating conversations with Rajesh could be. ¡°Obviously, the AI allows some electricity to function. Look, I¡¯ve told you my story. We need to join up with Montgomery and Jeff, get you all geared up, and start running scenarios so you can earn more nano.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean no?¡±

    ¡°As I said, no. Your story has too many inconsistencies, it is clearly fiction. I do not know how you came across this technology, but you do not know how it works. It is clearly not yours.¡±

    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t know how it works, it''s alien!¡±

    ¡°So you say.¡±

    Blake threw his hands into the air. ¡°This is unbelievable! You can see the interface! You¡¯re just going to stick your head in the sand and hope the world doesn¡¯t end?¡±

    ¡°I will not travel with a crazy person I do not know. And, you contradict yourself. By your own words, the world WILL end.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not crazy,¡± Blake insisted. ¡°I know about your sister, Chandrika. Your dad is a professor in Mumbai, and your mom is constantly bugging you to get married to some Indian girl back home.¡±

    ¡°Are you stalking me?!¡± Rajesh yelled in outrage.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not stalking you! You told me all of this!¡±

    The door to the small classroom opened and interrupted the exchange. A student walked in and froze at the heated words. She glanced between the two in concern.

    ¡°Quickly! Go call the police! This man assaulted me!¡± Rajesh urged.

    What the hell is going on?

    The girl quickly turned and fled the room.

    Well, shit. This isn¡¯t going well.

    Blake turned back to his old friend and tried one last time to persuade him. ¡°Look, Rajesh. This is important. If you don¡¯t come with me, you¡¯ll probably die.¡±

    Rajesh sneered. ¡°If what you say is true, I survived for two years before you ever met me.¡±

    ¡°Do you really want to take that risk?¡±

    ¡°Yes, now I suggest you leave before the police arrive.¡±

 Chapter 56 - Rejection

    Blake shuffled to the parked Ryde in shocked disbelief. He had not only failed to convince his friend to join him, he had narrowly avoided the authorities as well.

    I can¡¯t believe he told me no.

    It never occurred to Blake that Rajesh may refuse him.

    Was I too familiar with him? Maybe I should¡¯ve treated him with more respect. Ugh. I¡¯m not groveling for him.

    The moment Blake heard Rajesh¡¯s trademark rudeness, he could not help but fall into old patterns. Rajesh would say something insensitive, and then Blake and Montgomery would call him out for it. That repartee took many awkward months to establish, and transformed a reluctant group mate into a friend.

    Donna Summers: Hey Blake, got a moment to talk, or are you busy?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Sure, give me a call.

    Blake was glad for the distraction, he needed something to get his mind off his failure. He leaned against the sun baked building and accepted the call. His mother appeared before him. She was seated behind a laptop placed on a desk inside one of the bunkhouse rooms.

    Odd. Why isn¡¯t she in the faction hall?

    Ever since it was upgraded to level two, she had made the faction hall her office. Not only was the town control orb present, it was also a visual reminder of her authority. His mother explained to him multiple times that optics mattered. The reminder almost always came when his hair was matted from sweat or blood stains remained on his armor.

    Each time she needled him, he nodded agreeably. He concurred with the sentiment, but felt she focused on the wrong area. Blake and his former group mates had always looked derisively toward the coiffed, clean faction leadership. None of them pushed through blood, sweat, and tears like Blake and his group had.

    They had people for that.

    Now, Blake saw the blood on his armor as a visible reminder of the sacrifices he made for them. He vowed to lead from the front, and refused to hide behind others.

    I¡¯m not going to be one of those shitty leaders people hate.

    His mother opened their conversation with an aphorism. ¡°So, I have good news and bad news.¡±

    The moment Blake heard the dreaded words, he knew he was in for a long conversation. He redirected himself away from his parked taxi and began a circuitous route around the engineering buildings while he replied.

    ¡°Hit me.¡±

    ¡°The good news is Jordan and Brent started work on the Faction Hall. It¡¯s why I¡¯m working from the bunkhouse instead of my office. We have all the materials we need, and then some. Good job, by the way.¡±

    Blake nodded warily.

    Well shit. If that¡¯s the good news, how bad is the bad?

    ¡°The bad news is that it¡¯s going to take a LOT longer than we expected, even with both of them working on it together. It¡¯s also going to require far more nano than the other buildings.¡±

    Blake winced. ¡°How much more?¡±

    Donna hesitated. ¡°At least two hundred and fifty million.¡±

    His jaw dropped.

    How the hell am I supposed to level if all of my nano goes to the town?!

    Blake quickly checked his balance. He currently held only thirty-five mega-nano, and was nowhere near his preferred scenario. He had based his level one spells and attributes around the Manders. Once he fully evolved the rest of his class abilities, he planned to attempt a level three scenario and upgrade his Elite Solo Warrior achievement.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We still have a little nano in the treasury, and everyone here has contributed more to it. But, we still need to come up with another two hundred million in the next couple of days, or we¡¯ll have to halt construction.¡±

    Blake frowned. It was not as large of a setback as he feared, and he could easily keep up with demand. It would, however, delay his personal progress. He could only hope that the reward from his directive to upgrade the faction hall to level three was substantial.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll probably be back this evening. I can start earning nano in the morning.¡±

    His mother smiled. ¡°Thanks, Blake. I just wish we could earn money as easily as nano.¡±

    ¡°Uh, aren¡¯t we rich now? Why would we need more money?¡±

    ¡°Everything¡¯s relative,¡± she explained. ¡°Sure, we still have three hundred grand, but that¡¯s going to go quick.¡±

    ¡°We had seven hundred grand a month ago! Where the hell did it all go?¡±

    He saw his mother focus on the laptop and click her mouse. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ we have five thousand in legal fees, forty thousand in salaries, another forty-two thousand for supplies. And then we have your fleet of old diesel trucks. So far, we¡¯ve purchased twenty-eight of them. We¡¯re running out of room fast on the property, so most of them are in storage right now, which also costs us money,¡± she pointed out. ¡°But, those trucks alone cost us over three hundred thousand by themselves.¡±

    Blake¡¯s pacing stalled as he stared at his mother in shock.

    That¡¯s just one month! How are we going to make it last another four?!

    He took a deep breath and considered their priorities. While the vehicles would be convenient, it was the conversion kits that were important, and they already had a hundred of those. After Invasion day, they could tow any old diesel they found back to the base and change it over at their leisure. Kick-start motorcycles would also be necessary, but they did not need to be retrofitted and could be scavenged after Invasion day.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Okay, twenty-eight trucks will have to do.¡± After she nodded her agreement, he continued, ¡°I¡¯d say from now on, we prioritize supplies and salaries.¡±

    ¡°Blake,¡± his mother interrupted. ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much, I¡¯ve got the finances covered. You focus on making us strong enough to survive the apocalypse, and I¡¯ll handle the rest. It''s not like you really had experience with money, the world ended before you had to deal with that.¡± Then, she smiled and said, ¡°Unless you know a millionaire or two. That¡¯d be convenient.¡±

    Why didn¡¯t I think of that before!?

    ¡°Actually, I do,¡± he replied to her surprise. ¡°Although, it might be difficult to track her down. I only know her first name, but she owns a chain of nail salons all over Phoenix¡±

    Donna sat up straight in her chair and leaned forward. ¡°What¡¯s the name of the salons?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Blake cocked his head to the side as he tried to recall. ¡°I think it¡¯s, ¡®The Polished Nail¡¯, or something like that.¡±

    He heard typing, and his eyes focused back on his mother. After a moment, she said excitedly, ¡°Found it. There¡¯s one in Scottsdale, Tempe, Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, and a bunch of other locations around Phoenix. Although,¡± she frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t see any mention of the owner. What was her name?¡±

    ¡°Jessica. She¡¯s an Asian lady in her sixties. Although, now that I think about it, she might be in her upper fifties right now. Either way, she¡¯s a good woman. She¡¯d actually make a good chancellor when we expand with a second faction town, which we need to do soon. That was her job back when I knew her.¡±

    His mother nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll track her down and find out where she lives. Then you can make a surprise visit.¡± She looked up from her laptop into Blake¡¯s eyes. ¡°How goes the search for your old friends?¡±

    He grimaced. ¡°I found Rajesh, and invited him to the Collective.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great! Why hasn¡¯t he joined the faction yet?¡±

    Blake hung his head. ¡°He told me to get lost. Even called the police on me.¡±

    Her eyes widened. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I left before they showed up. But¡­ I just didn¡¯t expect him to turn me down. Especially once I showed him my spells.¡±

    ¡°Oh, honey,¡± she said sadly. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll come around after he has more time to think about it. I bet he was just overwhelmed.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Maybe. I dunno, he was more, well, calculating than I remember.¡±

    ¡°What about your other friends?¡±

    Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a campus police car flash its red and blue emergency lights as it drove down the road. He stepped quickly behind a large shrub, until he realized the cop was pulling someone over for speeding. He let out a breath he did not realize he held and laughed.

    ¡°That¡¯s where I¡¯m going next.¡±

    ¡°Well, I hope you have better luck with them.¡±

    ¡°Same,¡± he replied as he angled toward the parked taxi. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ll talk to you later. I¡¯ve gotta get going if I want to find them today.¡±

    ¡°Okay, honey. Take care.¡±

    ¡°You too, mom.¡±

    Blake strode across the lot, toward his ride. He opened the door and slid into the back seat with renewed purpose. As soon as the door closed behind him, he turned to the driver. ¡°I need to find a couple of friends who volunteer as firemen. If you were looking for them, what would you do?¡±

    ¡°I suppose that means you didn¡¯t find them here.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, I found Rajesh. He told me to get lost.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to hear that,¡± she replied. ¡°Well, in the good old days, you could just look someone up in the phone book. I assume you know these ¡®friends¡¯ names?¡± After he nodded, she continued, ¡°You can try the white pages online.¡±

    That¡¯s a thing?

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a smartphone, do you mind helping me?¡± he asked in embarrassment.

    The driver stared at him for a moment before she shrugged. ¡°Sure, why not.¡± She unlocked her phone and began to type. After a moment, she asked, ¡°Okay, what¡¯s one of their names?¡±

    ¡°Montgomery Brown.¡±

    ¡°Does he live in Phoenix?¡±

    Blake nodded.

    A moment later, she shook her head. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no record of him online. Does he still live at his parent¡¯s house or something?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted.

    ¡°Some ¡®friend¡¯,¡± she replied sardonically.

    He ignored her snarky reply and asked, ¡°Can you try Jeffrey Miller?¡±

    A few moments later, she said, ¡°No luck with this guy either.¡± The driver turned around and faced Blake. ¡°You said they volunteer as firemen, right?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Probably just best to call around fire houses until you find someone who knows them. Any idea which firehouse they work at?¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ not exactly. I know it''s in Phoenix, somewhere north of the airport. That¡¯s about it.¡±

    ¡°Of course you don¡¯t¡­¡± She shook her head and snorted. ¡°And you don¡¯t have a phone either, so I get to play secretary.¡± The middle-aged woman sighed. ¡°The things I do for money.¡±

    The driver began to systematically look up and call every fire station in the city. Each time, she asked if they knew Jeffrey Miller or Montgomery Brown.

    None did.

    After the tenth failure, Blake began to get worried.

    Did he lie about being a volunteer fireman? No, Montgomery may stretch the truth, but he doesn¡¯t just make crap up.

    Suddenly, a message appeared on his interface.

    Donna Summers: Hey Blake, I found your millionaire.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: That great news! Where is she?

    Donna Summers: According to her worker, she still works as a manicurist at the Scottsdale branch. I¡¯d show up there if I were you and see if you can bring her in.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Thanks, mom!

    Donna Summers: No problem, and good luck!

    When he saw the driver was no longer on the phone, he announced, ¡°Change of plans. We need to get to ¡®The Polished Nail¡¯ over in Scottsdale.¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡± She stared at him in disbelief. ¡°You want a mani-pedi?¡±

    He snorted. ¡°No. I need to talk to the owner.¡±

    The driver rolled her eyes and searched for the salon on her smartphone. As she typed in the name, she mumbled complaints under her breath, yet immediately set off once the address was found.

    It was near lunchtime, and traffic began to clog the streets. What should have taken fifteen minutes stretched into almost thirty.

    As the taxi drove across town, Blake considered his strategy. He did not want another repeat of Rajesh, and according to his mother, they needed more money if they wanted to accomplish all of their goals.

    No pressure Blake.

    Finally, they arrived. The driver pulled into the strip mall and parked in front of the building. Before Blake could exit the vehicle, she asked, ¡°Mind if I go grab something to eat real quick? I¡¯m starving.¡±

    ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±

    Blake climbed out of the back seat and tread across the parking lot. At the entrance to the salon, he paused, took a deep breath, and then opened the door.

 Chapter 57 - Money

    Blake stepped inside the brightly lit, narrow room. On his left was a row of reclining chairs with short stools, and on his right a long table with chairs on each side.

    Damn. She¡¯s not here.

    Only a single worker occupied the room. The young woman focused on a customer and had yet to look up at Blake¡¯s entrance. He hesitated as he considered what to do. Finally, he came up with a flimsy plan.

    ¡°I have a meeting with Jessica, is she here?¡± he said confidently as he stepped towards the woman.

    ¡°She¡¯s in the back office,¡± The young worker absently replied while engrossed in her work. ¡°It¡¯s the door on the left,¡± she gestured toward the back of the narrow room.

    Relieved, Blake strode down the hall while the customer¡¯s shocked eyes beheld his strange attire. He glanced down at his filthy leather armor. While the nanomachines embedded within ensured it would fully repair over time, they did not clean the grime from the surface.

    Twelve hours had passed since he had been stabbed in the shoulder by a Stoltar. During that time, his Regeneration had mostly healed him, and nanomachines had nearly repaired his jerkin. However, the avians¡¯ blood along with his own stained the leather hide.

    He raised his arm and sniffed.

    Eww. Maybe I should find some place to take a shower and get a change of clothes before I meet her. I bet I made the taxi stink, too.

    Blake hesitated before the office door as he tried to remember if he saw a motel on the drive over. He still had over five hundred in cash on him, plenty to rent a room and purchase a new outfit.

    Instead, the decision was taken from him.

    The door opened, and a young Jessica appeared behind it. Not only was she ten years younger than the last time he saw her, but she wore expertly applied makeup as well. With only faint lines around the eyes and mouth, he felt she could pass for someone in their upper forties rather than mid-fifties.

    Blake was not surprised that the stress from a worldwide invasion aged her. He also noted that there was not a trace of gray in her jet black hair.

    I wonder if she dyes it?

    She gasped and jerked backward in surprise.

    He smiled warmly and extended his hand as he stepped into the doorway and blocked her exit. ¡°Hello Jessica, I¡¯m here for the meeting.¡±

    His warm greeting and friendly demeanor must have overcome her initial concern at his appearance, as she almost reflexively extended her own hand to return his shake. Blake immediately spent a mega-nano to initiate her into the Collective. The nanomachines took only a moment to spread, and the deed was done.

    She extracted her hand and asked with a frown. ¡°Do I know you?¡± she asked in a slight Asian accent.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t met in person,¡± he began.

    Technically true.

    Blake noticed a round table with two chairs in the small office and gestured toward it. ¡°Let¡¯s have a seat, and I¡¯ll fill you in.¡±

    Finally, her eyes flicked down to take in his worn leather armor, and her confusion was replaced with concern. She was suddenly alarmed at their proximity, and she backed away until her back hit a computer desk.

    Jessica raised her voice and said, ¡°I think you should leave. Now.¡±

    Blake raised his empty hands before him. ¡°Easy now. I¡¯m just here to talk. Give me five minutes of your time, and you¡¯ll be glad you did.¡±

    Her eyes remained rooted on him as her left hand searched blindly through the desk¡¯s drawer. ¡°The cash is in a time-locked safe, and there¡¯s not much here to begin with. Everyone pays with credit.¡±

    Blake snorted and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not here to rob you. Like I said, I just want to talk.¡±

    Finally, a look of triumph flashed across her face. Her hand left the door with a small pistol within it. She pointed it directly at his chest and repeated herself. ¡°Leave.¡±

    He shook his head sadly. ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t.¡±

    Her jaw dropped in disbelief. ¡°Seriously? I have a gun pointed at you! Leave NOW, or I¡¯ll SHOOT!¡±

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± he shrugged, not concerned.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± she insisted.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you are,¡± he replied. ¡°So am I.¡±

    Suddenly, she gasped. Her eyes crossed as they began to read words only she could see. She began to breathe heavily in a panic. ¡°What is this?! What did you do to me?!¡±

    He barked a short laugh. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been trying to tell you. Will you let me talk now?¡±

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    Jessica¡¯s eyes alternated back and forth between the interface¡¯s words, and his own open hands. Finally, she nodded.

    ¡°This is going to be hard to take in, so just listen until the end before you start with your questions. Otherwise, we¡¯ll be here all day.¡± He nodded toward the small table and chairs. ¡°And, anytime you want, go ahead and sit down. You can keep the gun on me if it makes you feel better.¡±

    She remained where she was.

    He shook his head. ¡°Whatever. So, when we shook hands, I transferred a million nanomachines over to you. It took them a couple of minutes, but now it looks like they finished whatever it is they do to initiate you into the Collective.¡±

    Blake saw that she still went occasionally cross-eyed as she re-read the notification before her. ¡°You can make the words go away if you think, ¡®dismiss¡¯, or just concentrate on getting rid of them.¡±

    A moment later, she breathed a sigh of relief. However, her arm remained raised with the pistol aimed at him. He admired her tenacity.

    Just as I remember.

    ¡°Now, these nanomachines are not human made, they come from an alien AI known as the ¡®Architect¡¯. In about four months, everyone on the planet is going to join the Collective like you just did. But, unlike you, they won¡¯t have a nice little chat to explain everything. Oh, and all electricity will cease to function. No cars, no phones, no AC, no anything.¡±

    Blake could clearly see the doubt written across her face, so he decided to erase it. He glanced to his right, where the empty chair sat beside the small table, and activated Spatial Step.

    The world blurred as he teleported, and his body changed positions. He no longer stood within the doorway. Instead, he sat comfortably within the chair with his feet extended and his hands behind his head.

    Jessica gasped.

    Her pistol swung toward him in a panic, and her arm began to shake. ¡°How¡­ How did you do that?¡±

    ¡°That was an aether spell called Spatial Step,¡± he answered. ¡°It¡¯s one of the perks the asshole AI gives us after we join. All we have to do to gain it is risk our lives over and over again and say goodbye to civilization.¡± He took a deep breath and forcibly ended his rant early. ¡°Anyway, I know all of this because I¡¯m from ten years in the future. There was some accident, and I somehow got sent back in time. Or, my memories did. I¡¯m actually twenty-eight, not eighteen,¡± he added.

    He paused his explanation for a moment while he waited for her thoughts to catch up. It was a lot of information to just dump on someone, and he knew her brain would likely reject it as impossible.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she said, and lowered her pistol.

    ¡°Wait, what? You believe me? That easy?¡± he asked, surprised.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? I saw the work of the nanomachines with my own eyes, and I saw you teleport to the chair.¡±

    Blake laughed and shook his head. ¡°Sorry. Everyone else I told this to was waaaay harder to convince.¡±

    ¡°Why me?¡± she asked, now calm and collected.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You said you are from the future. Why have you not gone to the government or authorities to warn them? Why instead have you come to me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that.¡± He sighed. ¡°If I go to the government, they¡¯re going to lock me up to study me. I¡¯ll be stuck in a cell trying to convince them of the future threat, and not leveling up and growing stronger.¡±

    ¡°You sound certain of their response.¡± Jessica said as she sat across from him. ¡°Did this happen to you in the past?¡±

    ¡°Well... no,¡± he admitted. ¡°But that¡¯s the most common theory as to why no one knew about the AI before Invasion day. It doesn¡¯t really matter, though. A few weeks after monsters start showing up, the government kind of dissolves. At least any kind of united government does. There will still be pockets here and there for years.¡±

    ¡°That still does not answer my question,¡± she said. ¡°Why me?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s easy. You were one of the Chancellors of my old faction. I knew you were a good person and wanted to invite you to my new one.¡±

    ¡°That is it?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ that, and we need more money.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°Of course you do. It always comes back to money. Why do you believe I can help with this?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re rich. You have like ten or fifteen nail salons all across Phoenix, and you¡¯re a millionaire.¡±

    She sighed. ¡°That is true. However, there is a difference between net worth and liquid assets. I have perhaps a hundred thousand in operating cash flow.¡±

    ¡°That would definitely help.¡±

    Jessica leaned forward. ¡°If I were to invest this money into your faction, I would need to immediately close all of my stores and fire my employees. That is over fifty people who would be without jobs for months. They have families who rely on their income to feed them. You would have me abandon my people?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, yes. They can survive losing their job. Humanity won¡¯t survive the invasion. Fifty people may be devastated in the short term, but they¡¯ll survive. The faster we can expand before Invasion day, the more people we can save when the world falls apart.¡±

    Jessica paused as she thought over his argument. After a few moments of introspection, she asked, ¡°How soon do you need the money?¡±

    Blake exhaled in relief and surprise. ¡°The sooner, the better. We have three hundred grand left, but I¡¯m told that will go pretty quick if we keep on as we have.¡±

    Her eyes widened. ¡°That much? I suppose I am not the first you have approached, then.¡±

    ¡°Actually, you are,¡± he corrected. ¡°I bet on the Mega-bowl and won a million dollars. But, after taxes and other expenses¡­ Well, it goes quick.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°I assume you being from the future made that possible. Why not approach as many wealthy individuals as possible and invite them to your faction as you have me?¡±

    ¡°Thought about that. But, in the end, people I can trust are more important than quick cash. A lot of factions will fall apart from within. That¡¯s what happened to the first one I joined. The Chancellor and a few combat teams launched a coup and killed the faction leader. I don¡¯t want my family to meet that fate. After the chaos, I got out and left for Phoenix, where I met you, someone I grew to trust.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°If you can wait a few weeks, I can secure a loan and side-step closing my stores. That way, my employees won¡¯t suffer, and I will be able to offer you much more than I can now. Can you invite them to your faction as well?¡±

    ¡°That should be fine, and of course they can join. You can do it yourself once you¡¯re a Chancellor. Once you¡¯re in the faction, you can speak with my mother directly, to coordinate. She¡¯s our main Chancellor and takes care of all the details.¡±

    Jessica smiled. ¡°If you can not trust your mother, who can you trust?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± he returned her grin.

    Blake invited her to the Terran Alliance and continued to hash out plans over the next thirty minutes. After they finished, and she promised to contact his mother, he wished her farewell and exited the nail salon.

    The ease of the entire interaction encouraged him.

    Outside, he found his driver parked in the lot, singing along with the radio with the air conditioner on max. To people without access to magic, the afternoon sun was brutal.

    Not only did his high Physical Resistance protect him from the harsh rays, he also had his Flame Shield active. To him, the sun felt wonderful on his skin.

    When he opened the back door to the car, his driver jumped in fright and whirled around. ¡°OH! You¡¯re back.¡± She quickly lowered the volume and turned to address him. ¡°Guess what? After I ate, I called some more fire stations while I waited.¡± She smiled. ¡°You won¡¯t believe it, but I actually found your friends.¡±

    Blake clapped his hands and rubbed them together. ¡°Excellent! Let¡¯s go talk to them!¡±

 Chapter 58 - Friends

    The taxi drove Blake across town, north of the loop, to a small fire station near a private airport. He left his driver parked outside, crossed the road, and entered the firehouse.

    He found himself in a large common room with a full kitchen, which included a refrigerator, sink, and dishwasher. To his left were multiple unused twin beds. On his right was a round table with four young men seated around it. Piles of poker chips were next to the players, and each held a hand of cards. They were so focused on their game, they were oblivious to his entry.

    ¡°I¡¯ll raise by a hundred,¡± the man with his back to Blake said confidently to a chorus of groans.

    That¡¯s Montgomery!

    He would recognize that voice anywhere. To his relief, Jeff was also present at the table, although Blake did not recognize the two others.

    ¡°Fold.¡±

    ¡°Fold.¡±

    Jeff, silently followed suit and slammed his cards face down on the table.

    ¡°Aww, come on,¡± Montgomery said as he raked his winnings toward him. ¡°Why do you always fold every time I raise?¡±

    ¡°Because you never raise unless you have an amazing hand. I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯ve gotta learn to bluff.¡±

    Jeff nodded in agreement.

    The man across from his friend finally noticed Blake, and asked, ¡°Can I help you kid?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m here to talk to Montgomery and Jeff.¡±

    Jeff looked him up and down and frowned in confusion. Montgomery, however, never bothered to turn toward him. While he organized his chips, he said, ¡°Tell Jeremy I¡¯ll pay him the money I owe him on Friday.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not here for money.¡±

    ¡°Oh good,¡± Montgomery replied and finally turned. ¡°Then what can I¡­ what the hell are you wearing?¡±

    Blake glanced at the curious two unknown men.

    Better not to risk it.

    He knew his friends well and planned to tell them everything. That included the warrant out for his arrest that he failed to mention to Jessica. Blake hoped to talk to them alone so he did not have to censor his words.

    ¡°If you and Jeff come outside, I¡¯ll tell you everything you want to know.¡±

    Montgomery gave him a strange look and turned back to his game. ¡°Hard pass, I¡¯m not into LARPing.¡±

    ¡°Trust me, you and Jeff want to hear me out.¡±

    ¡°Whatever, I don¡¯t know you, dude. Just tell me what you¡¯re sellin¡¯, so I can say no, and we can get back to our game.¡±

    ¡°You may not know me, but I know you.¡±

    ¡°Oh really,¡± Montgomery glanced over his shoulder with a smirk. ¡°Then please, tell me all about myself.¡±

    ¡°You volunteered for the fire department because you¡¯re a pyromaniac,¡± Blake began.

    ¡°He¡¯s got your number there,¡± said one of the firemen with a smirk.

    ¡°All firemen are pyros.¡± Montgomery retorted.

    ¡°Not like you,¡± his buddy disagreed.

    ¡°You and Jeff have been friends since elementary school, and you have the annoying habit of speaking for him.¡±

    ¡°Also true!¡± the unknown man barked and laughed. Jeff raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°Your favorite food is pizza,¡± Blake continued.

    ¡°Pfftt.¡± Montgomery snorted. ¡°Everybody loves pizza.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but not everyone likes pineapple on it like you do.¡±

    One firefighter mimicked gagging, while the other responded, ¡°Seems like he really does know you.¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Montgomery shook his head. ¡°He probably just talked to my mom.¡±

    You know what? He asked for it.

    ¡°Oh really?¡± Blake grinned evilly. ¡°Does your mother know about your ¡®Brony¡¯ interest?¡±

    The entire table, including Jeff, began laughing. Montgomery turned beet red, and denied his claim. ¡°Ha Ha. Nice try. You obviously don¡¯t know anything about me, but you¡¯ve got me interested. Let¡¯s head out back, and you can tell me and Jeff what you want.¡±

    When Montgomery¡¯s previous confidence turned to nervousness, Jeff¡¯s guffaws slowly ended, and he turned to his friend with raised brows.

    Montgomery stood and motioned to his friend. ¡°Come on Jeff. Let¡¯s go see what this kid wants.¡±

    Blake was amused that he kept referring to him as a kid. His two friends were only a few years older than he currently was, and they both still lived with their mothers.

    As they walked, Blake scrutinized their familiar appearances.

    Like Blake, Montgomery was thin and tall. That, however, was where their physical similarities ended. Montgomery sported a buzzcut, a tattoo of a roaring fire on the back of his neck and arms, was clean-shaven, and walked with a swagger.

    In contrast, Jeff was short at only five-six, very muscular, with a full blond beard that matched his shaggy hair. Jeff wore his customary shorts and tank top, while Montgomery was in jeans and an old t-shirt.

    Once they exited the back door into the fenced back lot, Montgomery whirled around and demanded, ¡°Okay kid, now what do you want?¡±

    He extended his hand. ¡°The name¡¯s Blake.¡±

    His former friend frowned, but returned the shake. ¡°Despite your lame joke, you seem to know me already. How?¡±

    While their hands were momentarily clasped, he transferred over a mega-nano and initiated Montgomery into the Collective. He then shook with Jeff, and repeated the process.

    You know what, let me try something different.

    Rather than avail the two with the coming dystopian future, he instead winked and said, ¡°Watch this.¡±

    Blake activated Spatial Step and disappeared. He teleported past his friends and exited the maneuver facing them to observe their reactions.

    They did not disappoint.

    Both young men jolted in surprise and searched the area in confusion.

    ¡°Back here,¡± Blake announced with a cocky grin.

    They whirled around in with wide eyes and jaws dropped.

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    ¡°How the hell did you do that?¡± Montgomery demanded.

    ¡°Magic.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah.¡± Montgomery rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±

    ¡°So am I. I¡¯m also strong enough to lift a car, and I¡¯m kind of bulletproof.¡±

    As usual, Jeff remained silent and let Montgomery do the talking for him. ¡°That¡¯s stupid. How can someone be ¡®kind of bulletproof¡¯?¡± He emphasized the question with air quotes.

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a big difference between a nine millimeter pistol and a sniper rifle. A bullet from a pistol will leave a bruise, while a sniper will probably punch right through.¡±

    ¡°Sure kid...¡± Montgomery nodded toward a nearby parked car and folded his arms across his chest. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go ahead and prove it? Let¡¯s see if you can bench press a car, skinny guy.¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°Why not.¡±

    He strode over to the compact car, rolled under the front of the vehicle, and slid on his back under the front axle. After a deep breath, he grasped the axle with both hands and pushed.

    With the heavy engine above, the task was far more difficult than he expected. He was forced to fully exert himself before the car began to slowly rise. A second later, his arms were fully extended, and the front tires were almost a foot off the ground.

    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± Jeff muttered.

    ¡°Damn kid¡­¡± Montgomery swore. ¡°How is that even possible? You on ¡®roids?¡±

    Blake slowly lowered the axle down to the ground and slid out from under the vehicle. He climbed to his feet and dusted off his hands. ¡°Nope, just nanomachines.¡±

    ¡°Nanomachines? Like, some sci-fi shit?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Blake confirmed. ¡°They even have an alien origin.¡±

    Any moment now.

    Montgomery turned to Jeff and hiked his thumb at Blake. ¡°Can you believe this guy?¡± A moment later, he stumbled backward. ¡°Woah¡±

    Shortly after, Jeff¡¯s eyes crossed. He raised his hand before his eyes and waved it through the air.

    ¡°Looks like the nanomachines kicked in,¡± Blake said knowingly. ¡°Welcome to the Collective.¡±

    ¡°What did you do to us?¡± Montgomery demanded. ¡°How do I turn this shit off?¡±

    ¡°Just concentrate on making it go away, or think ¡®dismiss¡¯,¡± Blake answered. ¡°And, all I did was initiate you two into the Collective four months early.¡±

    ¡°Four months? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°This is going to be hard to believe, but I come from ten years in the future.¡±

    ¡°Okay, future-boy,¡± Montgomery said mockingly. ¡°Show me your phone. Let¡¯s see what the xPhone will look like in the future.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t physically travel through time, only my memories came back. It¡¯s why I¡¯m eighteen instead of twenty-eight like I should be. And phones don¡¯t work in the future, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Uh huh.¡± Montgomery smirked. ¡°So, you got no proof. How convenient.¡±

    ¡°What the hell do you mean I have no proof?!¡± Blake said in exasperation. ¡°I literally bench pressed a car, teleported across the lot, and gave you a heads-up display made by nanomachines. What more do you want?¡±

    Montgomery shrugged. ¡°What else can you do?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Un-freaking-believable!¡±

    ¡°Wait, you said you were bulletproof, right?¡± Montgomery asked.

    ¡°Uh, yeah?¡± Blake replied.

    ¡°Okay, give me a minute.¡± Montgomery approached the small car he had bench pressed, opened the back door, and began to rifle through the back seat.

    Whatever.

    While Montgomery searched his car, Blake turned his back to his obstinate old friend and addressed Jeff. ¡°So Jeff, what about you? Do you believe me?¡±

    The shorter man shrugged.

    ¡°Well, I have a couple of other things I could show you for proof, but they aren¡¯t as flashy as a teleport.¡±

    Jeff¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. A moment later, an impact to the back of Blake¡¯s head rocked him forward. He stumbled a single step before he caught himself and whirled around.

    ¡°Holy shit! You ARE bulletproof!¡± Montgomery replied, metal baseball bat in hand.

    ¡°What the hell, man?!¡± Blake cried in disbelief as he rubbed the back of his head. His scalp was fine, no bruise was left.

    ¡°What? You said you were bulletproof. I didn¡¯t have a gun, so this was the best way to prove it. Good news! I believe you now.¡±

    ¡°What kind of bullshit logic is that?!¡± Blake sputtered. ¡°You didn¡¯t believe me, right?¡±

    Montgomery frowned, but nodded.

    ¡°You just swung a baseball bat at my head. If you were right, and I was faking it, I¡¯d be either dead or in the hospital!¡± Blake threw his hands into the air.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Montgomery scratched his head. ¡°That¡¯s a good point.¡±

    Blake was surprised when real remorse seemed to flash across his face. His friend had always been impulsive, and rarely regretted his own actions, no matter how reckless they were.

    While Montgomery remained uncharacteristically silent, Jeff asked in his rarely heard deep voice, ¡°What else you got?¡±

    ¡°I have Regeneration that lets me heal ten times faster. Well, I guess it''s more like thirty times faster, since it scales off my Physical Stamina,¡± he corrected. ¡°But, that¡¯s not really something you can see. I also have Mind Blast, which works just like it sounds.¡± Blake looked back and forth between his two friends. ¡°Either of you want a killer migraine?¡±

    ¡°Hard pass,¡± Montgomery answered.

    Jeff shook his head as well.

    ¡°Okay, then my last spell is Flame Shield. I actually have it active right now. It keeps me safe from all forms of heat. The problem is, it doesn¡¯t become visible until it''s absorbed enough, and it just ain¡¯t that hot outside right now.¡± Blake shook his head. ¡°Unless you guys want to start a fire, this one''s a dud, too.¡±

    Montgomery snorted. ¡°I thought you knew me? Of COURSE I want to start a fire! How much heat can that shield handle?¡±

    ¡°A lot.¡±

    ¡°Like campfire a lot, or like acetylene torch a lot?¡± Montgomery pressed.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°It can handle a campfire easily. But, I have no clue how hot a torch is.¡±

    Montgomery grinned maniacally. ¡°Let¡¯s find out! I¡¯ll be right back!¡±

    His enthusiastic friend turned and fled back into the building. Blake turned to Jeff and asked, ¡°Should I be worried?¡±

    Jeff nodded.

    Just a minute later, the door to the fire station burst open. Montgomery strode out with a metal wand in one hand and a large canister in the other.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see just how fireproof you are,¡± he said with an evil grin. Montgomery sat the tank down and then turned multiple knobs on the industrial torch. He then retrieved a lighter from his pocket, moved it in front of the torch head, and flicked his thumb. The sparks lit the fuel, and flame jutted out of the end of the nozzle.

    ¡°Okay, this is normal fire hot,¡± Montgomery pointed toward the foot long flame. ¡°You sure you can handle this?¡±

    ¡°Easily,¡± Blake smiled, and then inserted his palm into the center of the fire. Immediately, the jet of flame shortened as it failed to reach his hand.  The flames hit an invisible wall an inch from his skin, and parted to each side of his palm.

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Montgomery cheered.

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Jeff echoed.

    Blake smiled at the familiar epitaph. Slowly, as more flames were absorbed, Blake¡¯s entire body began to glow with an orange light.

    ¡°Holy shit! You¡¯re going super Saiyan!¡± Montgomery remarked.

    Blake removed his hand from the fire, but his entire body continued to glow. He extended his palm. ¡°See if you can shake my hand.¡±

    Montgomery hesitantly reached forward with his empty hand. When he was only four inches away, he jerked his arm back and shook his hand. ¡°Oww! That¡¯s hot!¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡± He turned to Jeff. ¡°You want to try?¡±

    Jeff shook his head.

    Montgomery extracted the tips of his fingers from his mouth and said, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s crank this baby up!¡± He turned a knob, and the foot long flame shortened until it was only a couple of inches in length. Montgomery pointed at the now blue jet of fire. ¡°This baby can cut through steel. You sure you¡¯re good?¡±

    ¡°Only one way to find out.¡± Blake once again reached into the flame.

    ¡°Damn!¡± Montgomery cursed, while Jeff whistled in appreciation.

    As Blake held his hand within the short jet of fire, his Flame Shield quickly began to glow brighter. ¡°Looks like magic beats tech,¡± he said with a smirk.

    ¡°That¡¯s insane! Jeff, get your phone out and record this!¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Blake barked. ¡°I don¡¯t want the government or the cops to know about any of this. I¡¯m in enough trouble with them already, and I don¡¯t AHHH!¡±

    Blake screamed and jerked his hand away from the torch. His Flame Shield absorbed too much heat and had expired. He quickly inspected his injured hand. Skin had sloughed away from his palm, which exposed the charred bones and tendons beneath.

    He cursed and activated Regeneration.

    ¡°Holy shit, are you okay?¡± Montgomery asked.

    Blake presented his palm to his friend. ¡°Does this look like I¡¯m okay?¡±

    Montgomery¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I¡¯ll get the med kit, we gotta get you to a hospital!¡±

    Suddenly, the minor burning sensation in his hand escalated into extreme pain. He gritted his teeth and shook his head. ¡°No, I have Regeneration. It hurts like a bitch, but it¡¯ll be healed by tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± Montgomery said doubtfully.

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough show and tell for now,¡± Blake stated, and then looked toward the closed back door to the fire station.  ¡°I¡¯ve got a long story to tell. Are your friends inside going to miss you?¡±

    ¡°Naw, we aren¡¯t actually on shift,¡± Montgomery explained. ¡°We were just here to hang. I already told them we were gonna split.¡±

    ¡°What about your winnings?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°Hah! What winnings? You think we can afford to play for real money? That was just chips. Naw, man, just give us the tea.¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°Okay. Well, it all started when I woke up in the middle of a classroom¡­¡±

 Chapter 59 - Growing Pains

    Blake laughed late into the night with his old friends at Montgomery¡¯s parent¡¯s house. It was the first time he had met his friend¡¯s family, as they died shortly after Invasion day.

    They were nothing like he expected. His mother was warm and kind, while his father was reserved, but friendly. He was not sure how they produced someone as unique as Montgomery, and could only assume his friend¡¯s personality was due to nature, not nurture.

    Their loss was the one topic guaranteed to silence Montgomery in the future. Blake was glad that his friend¡¯s families would be safe from Invasion Day this time around.

    After a large, home cooked breakfast of bacon and pancakes the next morning, Montgomery and Jeff packed for an extended stay at the faction town. Once goodbyes were exchanged, they left in Montgomery¡¯s compact car.

    Now, they drove along the highway back to Pinetop.

    ¡°It¡¯s so green!¡± Montgomery said with awe. He craned his neck to watch the tall trees fly by.

    ¡°Watch the road,¡± Blake reprimanded his driver from the back seat.

    Montgomery ignored him and continued to stare at the forest on both sides of the road. ¡°Who knew there was a freakin¡¯ forest just a couple hours from Phoenix?¡±

    Blake wrinkled his brows in incredulity. ¡°Pretty much everyone but you, evidently.¡±

    Jeff nodded his agreement from the passenger seat.

    The car drifted into the other lane, and an oncoming truck blasted its horn. Montgomery swerved to the right just before the vehicles collided.

    ¡°Can you please watch the road now?¡± Blake begged.

    ¡°Wow, you sound like my dad,¡± Montgomery laughed. ¡°How old are you again? Eighty?¡±

    ¡°Twenty-eight,¡± Blake forced out through gritted teeth.

    ¡°Besides, what are you worried about? You¡¯re bulletproof.¡±

    ¡°You and Jeff aren¡¯t,¡± Blake reminded him.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Montgomery agreed. ¡°When do we get to dodge bullets and throw fireballs?¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°You¡¯re never gonna dodge bullets. But, if you become a mana user, you can throw a fireball at level one if you want.¡±

    Montgomery¡¯s eyes lit up at the thought. ¡°How long will that take?¡±

    ¡°That depends on you and Jeff. But, if you work your asses off, maybe a month or so.¡±

    Montgomery grimaced. ¡°You DO sound like my dad.¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes and thought he saw Jeff silently laugh.

    An hour later, they arrived at their property. It was hard to see the town within as trees and bushes lined the road. However, when they turned into the short gravel drive and stopped at the old metal farm gate, the buildings in the distance were finally made visible.

    ¡°Crazy,¡± Montgomery remarked. ¡°It¡¯s like a ren-fair or somethin.¡±

    ¡°For now,¡± Blake agreed and opened the car door. ¡°It¡¯ll look nicer when we upgrade the buildings.¡± He then exited the vehicle and opened the gate. After Montgomery taxied through, he closed the thin metal barrier and hopped inside the compact car.

    As they drove toward the center of the lot, they passed a row of old diesel trucks. Half of them were rusted, and the paint was faded, but Blake didn¡¯t care what they looked like. As long as they ran and were converted over in time, they would be priceless. Those trucks would allow them to traverse long distances to rescue people and scavenge necessary supplies.

    I hope it¡¯s enough.

    ¡°Where should I park?¡±

    ¡°Here¡¯s fine,¡± Blake responded.

    After they exited the vehicle, Montgomery stared at the bunkhouse and frowned. ¡°Is that where we¡¯re going to sleep?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Blake confirmed. ¡°You and Jeff grab your bags, and I¡¯ll show you to your rooms.¡±

    ¡°I call top bunk,¡± Montgomery announced.

    ¡°You guys don¡¯t have to share a room yet. We¡¯ve got plenty of space. It¡¯s just the three of us living here right now.¡±

    As they walked past the faction hall, Blake noticed Jordan and Brent hard at work. They were on opposite sides of the building, and focused on its expansion. At level three, its footprint would be four times the size it was at level two, and it would soon have a second story.

    ¡°Welcome back,¡± Jordan greeted him in his southern drawl.

    ¡°Thanks Jordan.¡± Blake pointed to Montgomery and Jeff. ¡°These two are our new recruits, Montgomery and Jeff. Jordan here and Brent over there are our two constructors. These two are going to clear scenarios like me.¡±

    Jordan stood and shook each of their hands. ¡°Nice to meet ya.¡±

    ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take to finish the upgrade?¡± Blake asked and saw Montgomery shift impatiently next to him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t rightly know,¡± Jordan admitted. ¡°But if I had to guess, I¡¯d say another two or three days. Of course, that assumes we get the nano we need.¡±

    ¡°How long until we run out?¡±

    ¡°A few hours at most.¡±

    ¡°Well, after I get them settled in, I¡¯ll transfer some more over to the treasury.¡±

    Jordan nodded. ¡°Appreciate it.¡±

    The constructor returned to work, and Blake waved goodbye. The three men passed by the well and entered the two-story bunkhouse. Blake turned to his friends. ¡°Do you guys want the first floor or second?¡±

    Jeff shrugged, while Montgomery added, ¡°What eves.¡±

    ¡°First floor it is, then,¡± Blake decided and turned to his left. He heard typing from the first room on his right, and poked his head inside.

    ¡°Oh, hey Blake,¡± his mother greeted him. ¡°When you¡¯ve got a minute, I have some things to talk about.¡±

    ¡°Sure, let me just get these two settled into their new rooms.¡± He pointed at Jeff and Montgomery.

    ¡°Oh! Are these the friends you were telling me about?¡± She stood, walked into the hallway, and shook each of their hands.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s Montgomery, and this is Jeff.¡± Blake pointed each out.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Mrs¡­¡± Montgomery trailed off.

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    ¡°Just call me Donna, and if there¡¯s anything you need, let me know.¡±

    Blake waved goodbye, and continued down the hallway until the corridor ended. ¡°Here you go, pick a room.¡±

    Jeff tried to open the door on his right, but instead ran into an invisible wall. ¡°Oww,¡± he complained and rubbed his knuckles.

    ¡°Sorry. Let me give you two permission to enter.¡± Blake opened his interface, navigated through the menus, and assigned the two rooms to his friends. ¡°There you go, now the room belongs to you.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what the hell is going on?¡± Montgomery demanded.

    ¡°It¡¯s just building and room permissions. Right now, only Jeff is allowed in his room. The Collective will stop anyone else from entering.¡±

    Jeff opened the door and dropped his bag in the center of the floor. Inside the eight by eight room was a twin-sized bed, a couch, and a chest of drawers.

    Nice, they furnished all the rooms, not just mine.

    Blake was incredibly grateful that his mother attended to the details. It left him open to grow stronger and take on any assignments like he had in Phoenix.

    ¡°I gotta see this,¡± Montgomery insisted as he strode past Blake into an invisible wall. ¡°Oof.¡±

    Blake laughed. ¡°He¡¯s gotta invite you in.¡±

    Montgomery ran his hands along the invisible barrier and pushed. He then set his own bag down and leaned into the doorway.

    When he began to strain with the effort involved, Jeff grinned and said, ¡°Come in.¡±

    Montgomery suddenly fell forward into the room. ¡°Ahh!¡± His arms pinwheeled and he crumpled to the ground. He groaned as he lay sprawled out on the wooden planks of the floor. ¡°Asshole.¡±

    ¡°Nice one, Jeff.¡±

    Jeff grinned.

    Okay, enough playing around.

    ¡°Bathroom¡¯s down the hall. If you get hungry, you can head over to the cookhouse. My dad will fix you up some food. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s an amazing cook. He actually had his own restaurant before all this¡±

    ¡°Nice,¡± Montgomery said while he slowly climbed to his feet.

    Blake nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to see what my mom wants and then get something to eat. After that, I can get you guys some gear I stashed for you and start your training. I¡¯m sure you two want to get started right away, am I right?¡±

    ¡°Twink us out! Hell yeah!¡± Montgomery agreed.

    ¡°Hell yeah,¡± Jeff added, albeit less enthusiastically.

    He nodded goodbye to his friends and entered his mother¡¯s temporary office. ¡°What¡¯s up, mom?¡±

    ¡°Have a seat,¡± she gestured toward the sofa as she swiveled around in her office chair.

    Blake frowned, but complied.

    This can¡¯t be good.

    ¡°So, I talked with Jessica last night for over an hour. She¡¯s a smart woman. She thinks she can secure a two million dollar loan in the next month, but she¡¯s worried that it won¡¯t be enough.¡± Donna paused. ¡°I have to agree.¡±

    Blake nodded slowly and accepted their judgment. ¡°Okay, then what do we do?¡±

    ¡°The only three options I see are scaling back operations, securing new funding, or resorting to crime.¡±

    ¡°Crime?¡± Blake frowned, but was inwardly surprised his mother presented the option. ¡°Like robbing a bank?¡±

    Donna shook her head. ¡°If only it were so easy. Even if you made it out with a bag full of cash, it wouldn¡¯t be that much, and almost no one takes cash anyway. Not for the large purchases. For that, you need a financial institution, which is going to ask where you got the money from.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then what kind of crime?¡±

    She hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t even like to suggest it, as it just feels wrong. But, if everything is going to end in four months anyway, I don¡¯t see how it¡¯ll matter.¡± Donna took a deep breath. ¡°One of our biggest expenses is supplies. What if Jason made a trip to a lumberyard and used his class ability to teleport the wood from there to the warehouse?¡±

    Blake slowly nodded. ¡°That might work for the low level buildings, but I¡¯d only resort to that if we get desperate.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    ¡°We can also send Jason out with a chainsaw to the National Forest. Lots of downed trees he can cut up and transport.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    ¡°I have one occasionally,¡± Blake smiled. ¡°What about if we scale back? How far do we need to go?¡±

    ¡°That depends, do you still plan to house ten thousand people in four months?¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°If I can, yes. We need to save as many as we can.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s going to use a lot of wood.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I still don¡¯t see how it¡¯s even possible to house that many people in such a small area.¡±

    ¡°Each time you level the bunkhouse up, it gains another two floors.¡±

    ¡°That still isn¡¯t that many rooms. At eight per floor, that¡¯s only thirty-two when upgraded, or¡­¡± she trailed off as she did the more difficult calculation. ¡°...or forty-eight if we upgrade it to level three.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure people will be more than happy to have roommates if it means not dying,¡± Blake said dryly.

    ¡°You¡¯d think so, but you¡¯d be surprised,¡± she chuckled. ¡°So, if we have four people per room with forty-eight rooms, that¡¯s almost two hundred people per building. If you want to house ten thousand, that¡¯s¡­¡± she turned to the laptop behind her and used the calculator app. ¡°Fifty, level three bunkhouses.¡±

    Blake winced. ¡°You¡¯re right, that IS a lot of wood.¡±

    Donna swiveled her chair to face her son. ¡°It¡¯s also going to take a lot of time for Brent and Jordon to build them. I¡¯m not sure that it¡¯s even possible for them to build fifty bunkhouses in the time we have left, let alone upgrade them. Are they even going to fit on fifty acres?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, there¡¯s plenty of room,¡± Blake said confidently.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± she said and turned back to her laptop. ¡°A fifty acre square is¡­¡± she typed a query into the search bar. ¡°...a little under fifteen hundred feet on each side. We¡¯re a bit of a rectangle, but that shouldn''t matter too much. Each bunkhouse is about forty feet long, and twenty-five feet wide.¡±

    ¡°Just round that up to fifty feet so you can walk between them,¡± Blake suggested.

    His mother nodded. ¡°Okay, so if we have two rows of twenty-five bunkhouses, that¡¯s actually doable.¡± Donna swiveled back to her son. ¡°It actually takes up a lot less space than I thought it would,¡± she admitted.

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯ll leave room for Mister Grayburn to farm, once we get that made.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s finished already.¡±

    ¡°Really? How did I miss that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s on the North side, there were probably buildings in the way. Here, let me share my interface with you.¡±

    Her eyes crossed as she navigated the menus within her heads-up display. Suddenly, a list appeared before Blake.

    Faction Structures

    Faction Hall - lvl 3 (Under Construction)

    1 - Metal Workshop - lvl 2

    1 - Wood Workshop - lvl 2

    1 - Quarry - lvl 2

    1 - Well - lvl 1

    1 - Bunkhouse - lvl 1

    1 - Cookhouse - lvl 1

    1 - Farm - lvl 1

    1 - Glassblower¡¯s Workshop - lvl 1 (Under Construction)

    ¡°Oh, you started the glass shop too?¡± Blake asked rhetorically.

    Donna nodded. ¡°They finished the farm before you gained the faction hall¡¯s supplies, so I had them start on that next. It¡¯s a requirement for most upgrades, so I figured we should probably get working on it. Although, it¡¯s on hold until we finish upgrading the faction hall.¡±

    ¡°Smart. That way, we get two more constructors once we hit level three, according to Metal.¡±

    The last time he summoned Metal, his companion had revealed what each level of faction hall granted them. At level one, the faction was limited to a single constructor, a sphere of claimed territory with a radius of five hundred feet, and a faction roster of fifty people.

    At level two, you were allowed two constructors, a thousand-foot radius of territory, and five hundred members. Level three would grant them four constructors, a two-thousand foot radius, and five thousand members. Each level afterward granted similar expansions.

    Of course, until Invasion day, they could only build within their leased property. If they expanded outside of it, their industriousness would likely alert the authorities. It made things far more difficult for Blake, but there was nothing he could do about it.

    After a pause, Donna asked, ¡°Do you have anyone in mind for the positions? If not, I¡¯ll ask for family members of our faction first.¡±

    Blake was about to respond, when a message suddenly appeared within his vision.

    Oliver Summers: Hey Blake, think you can pick me up?

    Blake glanced at his mother. ¡°Looks like Oliver needs a ride. I¡¯m kind of busy, do you have anyone that can pick him up?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Where is he?¡±

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Sure, where are you?

    Oliver Summers: Not sure. I had some cops chasing me near the grocery store, for uh¡­ some reason. I ran through the woods, saw the fire tower, and then had the best idea. Cops can¡¯t follow me through the portal, am I right? It worked great, but it won¡¯t let me back through until I finish the scenario. Can you come finish it for me real quick?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: YOU DID WHAT?!?!?!

 Chapter 60 - The Screw-Up

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Blake?¡± His mother asked at his obvious distress. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s not. Here, see for yourself.¡±

    Blake navigated his interface and requested a holochat with his brother. A moment later, Oliver appeared within his vision, and he immediately made the holo visible for everyone present to see and hear.

    ¡°Hey bro,¡± Oliver greeted him nonchalantly, while he occasionally glanced nervously over his shoulder. When he noticed their mother in the room, his eyes widened and his face flushed. ¡°Oh, uh, how¡¯s it going, mom?¡±

    Oliver leaned against a short, squat tree with a trunk at least four feet in diameter. The alien nature of the arbor immediately drew the eye, as there was nothing like it on Earth.

    Blake drew several deep breaths to calm himself. By the way Oliver phrased his words, Blake could tell that his brother did something to bring the cops down upon him. He was almost certain that this time, police corruption was not the problem.

    Oliver had screwed up. Again.

    Donna frowned, confused by the strange location. ¡°What¡¯s going on, where are you?¡±

    Oliver scratched the back of his head. ¡°Dunno, that bear planet, I think.¡±

    Her confusion was slowly replaced by terror as she looked back and forth between Oliver¡¯s strange location, and Blake¡¯s rising anger.

    ¡°Will someone please tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± She demanded.

    ¡°Oh, uh¡­ I was being chased by¡­ some people, and I had to get away, so I climbed the fire tower and jumped through the portal.¡± He grinned brightly. ¡°I got away! Now I just need Blake to come pick me up.¡±

    ¡°Who was chasing you?¡± She asked, full of concern.

    ¡°Cops,¡± he admitted.

    She gasped. ¡°They¡¯re after us again?!¡±

    Oliver shrugged. ¡°Guess so.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you said you ran to the fire tower. That¡¯s nowhere near home.¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh, yeah. I got a ride to the grocery store, needed some snacks.¡±

    Their mother frowned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to the one in Show Low? It¡¯s a lot closer.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Oliver trailed off as he tried to think of a reason for him to be there.

    Blake did not give him the chance. ¡°What were you really there for, Oliver?¡±

    Oliver gave him an angry look. ¡°Snacks, like I said.¡±

    ¡°We both know that¡¯s bullshit.¡±

    ¡°Language!¡± Donna reprimanded him.

    ¡°If you want off that planet, you need to come clean,¡± Blake threatened.

    Oliver began to panic. ¡°I swear! I was just after some snacks!¡±

    By the dark look on their mother¡¯s face, she did not believe him either. Like most people, she did not appreciate being lied to. ¡°Oliver Alan Summers, don¡¯t you lie to me!¡± she commanded.

    His brother seemed to deflate before their mother¡¯s withering stare. He took a deep breath and hunched in on himself. In a low voice, he apologized. ¡°Sorry. I just didn¡¯t want to disappoint you again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m more disappointed that you lied to me. Now, why were you there? Was it drugs, again?¡±

    Oliver stared at the ground beneath him to avoid his mother¡¯s accusing eyes. Slowly, he nodded.

    ¡°I thought we were through this! You said you didn¡¯t need them anymore now that we have a cure.¡± By the end of her short rant, her anger had transformed into desperation. ¡°What changed? Why?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve just been sitting around, bored, for weeks. I just feel so¡­ useless. Also, where the heck¡¯s my cure¡­¡±

    Donna cut him off. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re bored, we have plenty of work to do here. I can think of a hundred tasks that need doing. I gave you your space, because I thought you needed it, but that¡¯s obviously not working.¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, once Blake brings you back, you¡¯re staying here, in the bunkhouse where I can keep an eye on you and can keep you busy.¡±

    Oliver grimaced.

    Blake finally got his anger under control. ¡°There¡¯s a problem with that,¡± he informed his mother.

    Her head whipped around to her younger son. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t get him.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, you can¡¯t?!¡± she yelled, outraged now at her younger son.

    ¡°That¡¯s a level zero scenario,¡± he explained patiently. ¡°I¡¯m level one. The Architect won¡¯t let me in a lower level scenario.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± she screamed in a panic. ¡°Then how do we get him out!¡±

    Blake sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted.

    ¡°Jeff and I got this,¡± Montgomery offered from the open doorway. ¡°We¡¯ll go get him.¡±

    Donna and Blake were so focused on Oliver, they failed to notice his two friends spying on the conversation from the hallway. However, since they had not been invited inside, they were prevented from entering the room.

    ¡°You might as well come on in and join the conversation,¡± Blake said.

    Donna turned to Blake. ¡°Will that work? Can they rescue him?¡±

    He considered his friends¡¯ chances of defeating the level zero Ursa scenario. They were untrained, unbloodied, and had average human attributes. Meanwhile, an Ursa was the size of a rhinoceros, had an incredibly thick hide, and could toss them around like rag dolls with just a flick of its paws.

    But, his friends were just crazy enough to pull it off.

    With a little help.

    Blake had intended to train them himself, give them some level one equipment, and send them after the goblins. The small creatures were far easier targets for newbies, despite their numbers.

    ¡°Maybe, but they¡¯ll have to use my rifle.¡±

    ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t get any nano if you bring a gun?¡± Montgomery challenged.

    ¡°Yeah, but you aren¡¯t going for the nano, you¡¯re just there to bring Oliver back,¡± Blake reminded him.

    ¡°Why not do both?¡± Montgomery asked. ¡°I thought you said we did this all the time in the future?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but that was after years of experience.¡±

    ¡°You gotta get that XP sometime,¡± Montgomery argued. ¡°Why not now? You can twink us out in some great gear, boost our attributes, and send us on in.¡±

    Blake checked his own status and saw he held only eighty-seven mega-nano. Split between his two friends, it was enough for each to gain a single combat skill, and raise three attributes.

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    Am I really considering this?

    He had always planned to give his two friends nano before they tackled their first scenario. The gift would improve their chances of surviving, and speed them toward their initial class selection. However, that was only after he had properly prepared them for what they would face.

    No, the Ursa are too strong for a first opponent, and there¡¯s only two of them.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll give you gear and nano, but you have to bring the gun.¡±

    Montgomery looked hurt. ¡°Don¡¯t you have faith in us? I thought you said we fought together?¡±

    ¡°We did, and I do,¡± Blake argued. ¡°But you don¡¯t understand how dangerous it is.¡±

    His old friend crossed his arms in front of his chest with a determined look. ¡°How about this? If you want us to rescue your brother, we aren¡¯t bringing any guns.¡±

    Blake swore as his mother gasped.

    Jeff frowned at Montgomery¡¯s words, but did not contradict him.

    Oliver finally spoke up as he inched closer to the tree. ¡°Uh, I vote you bring lots of guns.¡±

    Donna turned to Blake. ¡°What if your father and I go?¡±

    He wanted that even less. His entire family died just weeks after Invasion day. Blake had already promised himself he would do anything it took to keep them alive this time around. He did not even know if they were capable of ending a life.

    He knew Montgomery and Jeff were up to the challenge, and every minute Oliver stayed on the Ursa world, he was in danger.

    ¡°No,¡± he shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s a terrible idea.¡±

    His mother frowned.

    Blake faced his friend. ¡°If we do this, you have to do what I tell you.¡±

    ¡°For sure, for sure!¡± Montgomery enthusiastically agreed, while Jeff nodded.

    His enthusiasm did not comfort Blake.

    He then looked his brother in the eye. ¡°Oliver, you need to stay put until they get there, okay? Don¡¯t go exploring.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going anywhere. It feels like this place is trying to squish me like a bug. Good thing you gave me that magic bling. Without it, I¡¯d be a pancake.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s he talking about?¡± Montgomery asked.

    ¡°The gravity on the Ursa planet is about thirty percent stronger.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± his friend shrugged. ¡°So?¡±

    Blake looked him up and down. ¡°You weigh, what? Almost two hundred pounds?¡±

    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m only one-ninety!¡± Montgomery corrected him and flexed. ¡°And it''s all muscle!¡±

    He ignored his friend¡¯s predictable faux outrage. ¡°On the Ursa planet, you¡¯re going to weigh over two hundred and fifty pounds. How would you like to go hunt down angry polar bears with over sixty pounds on your back?¡±

    ¡°Pssht,¡± Montgomery dismissed his concern. ¡°That¡¯s how much our PPE weighs when we go into a burning building. We got this,¡± he assured him.

    Blake nodded. ¡°What¡¯s your Physical Power at?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ How do I check?¡±

    ¡°Just think, ¡®status¡¯.¡±

    ¡°It says it¡¯s six point one,¡± Montgomery read off the chart and then looked at Blake. ¡°Is that good?¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s above average.¡± He then turned to his other friend. ¡°What about you, Jeff?¡±

    ¡°Six point nine,¡± he replied in his deep, rumbling voice.

    ¡°Nice!¡± Montgomery praised Jeff. He then turned to Blake. ¡°What are you at?¡±

    Blake smirked. ¡°Twenty-four and a half without my gear.¡±

    ¡°Daaaammnnn,¡± Montgomery shook his head. ¡°No wonder you could bench my car.¡±

    Blake hurriedly got them on track before his mother could question him. ¡°That¡¯s the most important attribute against the Ursa. It gives you more strength and speed. The level one gear you¡¯ll get will boost it by two, and you can raise it by another three with thirty mega-nano.¡±

    ¡°Mega-nano?¡± Montgomery asked, confused.

    ¡°Thirty million nanomachines,¡± he clarified.

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯ll get me to eleven Physical Power, and Jeff to twelve. How strong will that make us?¡±

    ¡°Well, powerlifters and Olympic athletes are around eight or nine, so I¡¯d say pretty damn strong.¡±

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Montgomery cheered.

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Came the expected response from Jeff.

    ¡°Hey! How come you¡¯re gonna give them nano, but not me?¡± Oliver complained.

    Blake rounded on his brother and pointed his finger accusingly. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare complain! They¡¯re about to risk their lives to rescue you from your own mistakes. Now, sit tight and shut up so you don¡¯t bring the Ursa down on you!¡±

    He immediately ended the holochat session and turned to face his mother. He took a deep breath to calm himself before he said, ¡°Sorry. I forgot how much Oliver can piss me off.¡±

    His mother smiled. ¡°You and me, both.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get Montgomery and Jeff ready so they can bring him back.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Blake.¡± She then turned to his two friends. ¡°And thank you two as well. I appreciate what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    Montgomery waved her thanks away. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We gotta stick together, right? We¡¯ll kill those bears, sling your kid over our shoulders, and be back before supper.¡±

    Blake nodded his agreement and asked his friends to follow him. He escorted them upstairs to the temporary armory and temporarily invited them inside.

    When they entered the room, Jeff whistled in appreciation.

    ¡°Damn¡­ that¡¯s a lot of armor,¡± Montgomery noted.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been collecting it for a while. Now, before I pick out your gear, I¡¯m going to transfer the nano to you. It¡¯ll take a couple of hours to increase your Physical Power three times, so we should start that now.¡±

    Blake grasped hands with Jeff and gifted his friend forty million nano. He then turned to Montgomery and took his hand as well. However, before he transferred over his hard-earned currency, he warned, ¡°Remember, only upgrade Physical Power. Do not increase anything else.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Montgomery easily agreed.

    However, he knew his friend well and reiterated, ¡°That means no Magic Power, got it?¡± he raised his brows.

    The tall, thin man raised his hands in denial. ¡°I got it! I got it!¡±

    Blake nodded and transferred the nano.

    ¡°Remember, only upgrade it three times. The last ten million is for a combat skill.¡±

    He walked them through the upgrade process and waited for them to complete it.

    ¡°Done,¡± Montgomery announced with a clap of his hands.

    ¡°Done,¡± Jeff agreed.

    ¡°Okay, since you¡¯ll be fighting Ursa, you¡¯re going to need to use spears and shields. They have the most reach, and will give you the best chance of surviving.¡±

    ¡°What kind of Mage uses a spear?¡± Montgomery complained.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t a mage yet,¡± Blake reminded him. ¡°And the kind that wants to live.¡±

    ¡°Fair.¡±

    ¡°Okay, now it¡¯s time to purchase the ¡®Spear Mastery¡¯ skill.¡±

    Blake again showed them how to navigate the menu and the long list of skills.

    Suddenly, Montgomery bent over and clasped his head between his hands with a moan. Before he could collapse to the floor, Blake caught his tall friend and gently lowered him to the wooden planks.

    Alarmed, Jeff asked, ¡°Is he okay? What happened?¡±

    Blake waved the question away. ¡°He¡¯s fine. His brain just got a bit overloaded by the new information. He¡¯ll be back on his feet in no time.¡±

    Jeff nodded and slowly sank to the floor against the wall in preparation. After he chose the skill, he winced at the overwhelming sensation, but refused to cry out or collapse. He closed his eyes and began to take in deep breaths to get through the process.

    A few minutes later, Montgomery pushed himself off the floor and wiped the drool from his mouth. He mumbled, ¡°I know kung fu.¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes. ¡°I sure hope not, or you¡¯re probably going to die.¡±

    ¡°Spear fu, kung fu, same diff.¡±

    A moment later, Jeff opened his eyes and climbed to his feet. He looked Blake in the eyes and nodded.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get you guys your gear.¡± Blake rifled through the pile of chest pieces and fished out a leather jerkin. ¡°Here, put this on.¡± While Montgomery struggled to don the gear, he picked out a much heavier piece with steel plates embedded within it and gave it to Jeff.

    Montgomery slipped his arms through the sleeves and said, ¡°I¡¯m surprised it fits over these guns!¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Nano gear is always one size fits all.¡±

    For the next ten minutes, he outfitted them in an entire set of armor and jewelry. He ensured they both had their Physical Power, Stamina, and Resistance upgraded, and then handed them a spear and shield.

    Once everything was equipped, he told them, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s head outside so you two can spar. Knowing how to use a spear and actually using it are two different things.¡±

    The two responded with a ¡®Hell yeah!¡¯, and followed him downstairs.

    Blake smiled at their familiar catchphrase again.

    This brings me back.

    As Blake exited the bunkhouse and walked away from the structures, he saw their landlord dig through the soil of their new field.

    I really need to transfer over nano to him like I promised.

    He saw the old man struggle to use the farming implement and felt guilty. Unfortunately, he only had seven mega-nano left, thanks to his brother¡¯s blunder, not nearly enough to uphold his side of the deal. He also needed to transfer nano into the faction treasury so Jordan and Brent could complete the faction hall upgrade.

    We really need to start taxing people, so I¡¯m not the only one contributing.

    Blake shook his head and dismissed the concern for the moment. His mother could deal with that.

    Non-combat classes earned a fraction of the nano that combat classes did. Until they had a sizable faction roster with multiple combat teams, a faction tax would be like a drop in the bucket.

    I¡¯ll set it up after we rescue Oliver.

    ¡°Okay, this is far enough,¡± he told his friends when they reached a safe distance. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see what you two can do.¡±

 Chapter 61 - The Final Straw

    Montgomery and Jeff circled each other warily, spears raised. Their shields held awkwardly at their sides, as they had not yet learned the corresponding skill. Blake considered having them learn Shield Mastery, but ultimately decided an extra point in Physical Power would serve them better against the tough hide of the Ursa.

    Jeff¡¯s knees bent as he thrust his spear forward to test his opponent¡¯s response. Montgomery blocked the jab with his shield, and counterattacked. Jeff easily danced backward to avoid the stab and looked for another opening.

    Blake watched as they continued to test the other¡¯s defenses. The duel lasted until Montgomery overextended himself, eager to land a blow. Jeff punished his friend with a swipe to the legs and a spearhead to the chest.

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good enough,¡± Blake ended the duel. ¡°Now see if you can work together to take me out. I¡¯m going to pretend to be an Ursa.¡±

    Montgomery pushed himself off the ground and dusted off his hands. ¡°That¡¯s not fair, you¡¯re way stronger than the Ursa,¡± he complained.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to limit my strength and speed.¡±

    ¡°Sure you are¡­¡± Montgomery muttered.

    When the two squared off against him, he said, ¡°Remember, you can¡¯t hurt me, so don¡¯t hold back.¡±

    Blake strode forward at a leisurely pace, unarmed. From his friend¡¯s perspective, however, his languished speed was frightening. They both retreated a step in surprise before their resolve was buttressed, and stood their ground.

    As Blake deftly stepped between them, they thrust forward their spears. He extended his arms to the side, slapped the spears away, and slammed his arms into their chests. Despite their braced stances, they flew backward onto their backs.

    Jeff silently climbed to his feet, while Montgomery complained loudly. When his moans faded, Blake began his lecture. ¡°Okay, first lesson. Don¡¯t stand your ground against an Ursa, it weighs over a thousand pounds. You need to brace the butt of your spear against the ground and let it impale itself, or the tip won¡¯t penetrate its hide.¡±

    ¡°Then what¡¯s the point of the shield?¡± Montgomery asked.

    ¡°To protect you from its claws. It has long arms and will still swipe at you, even with a spear through its chest. Trust me, unless you pierce its heart or brain, it''s going to keep attacking no matter how much damage you do to it.¡±

    Jeff nodded in understanding, while Montgomery snorted. ¡°You¡¯re just trying to scare us, so we use guns.¡±

    Blake sighed. ¡°No, I¡¯m not. If anything, I took it easier on you than the Ursa will. Now, let¡¯s try it again.¡±

    For the next thirty minutes, Jeff and Montgomery were repeatedly swept off their feet, slapped to the ground, or just gave up in exhaustion. When the tip of Jeff¡¯s spear finally met Blake¡¯s chest armor, they both erupted in cheer.

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Jeff shouted.

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Montgomery repeated.

    They slammed their shields together with enthusiasm, and Montgomery shouted, ¡°Take that, stupid bear!¡±

    ¡°Good job,¡± Blake praised their achievement. ¡°Now let¡¯s crank it up a notch.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, we¡¯re ready,¡± Montgomery said confidently. ¡°We got this!¡±

    Jeff nodded enthusiastically.

    Blake was about to correct their misconception when he received a message from his brother.

    Oliver Summers: Hey bro, can you guys hurry up? I think I hear one of those Ursa thingies.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Stay hidden, we¡¯re on our way.

    Blake closed the chat and turned to his friends. ¡°I hope you do, because we¡¯re out of time. Let¡¯s grab you some supplies and get to the car.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Well, shit,¡± Blake cursed as they neared the fire tower. ¡°No, don¡¯t stop. Keep going.¡±

    Three law enforcement vehicles were parked in front of the chain link fence which surrounded the tower. Red and blue lights flashed in his vision as three sheriff''s deputies stood at the base of the structure, deep in a heated conversation.

    Of course, they called backup. I bet the last time they heard from their friends was when they followed Oliver up the tower. I wonder how many went through?

    Montgomery complied with his orders and increased their speed. ¡°What do we do?¡±

    ¡°Just pull into the trailhead. It¡¯s the next right.¡±

    After Montgomery pulled into the gravel lot and parked the car, he turned to Address Blake. ¡°Why¡¯s there so many cops?¡±

    ¡°I think the ones chasing Oliver told dispatch they cornered him in the tower. I bet after that, they followed him up and fell through the portal looking for him. That was over an hour ago, and they haven¡¯t reported in again.¡±

    ¡°Oh shit!¡± Montgomery swore. ¡°They think Oliver killed them or something!¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yeah, probably so, which means there¡¯s more on their way. We need to get you two in there before even more cops show up.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Montgomery asked. ¡°They got guns.¡±

    When Blake did not immediately answer, Jeff spoke up. ¡°Bait¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡± Montgomery gushed. ¡°Blake¡¯s even bulletproof, so they can¡¯t do shit to him!¡±

    Blake grimaced, but reluctantly agreed. With his current Physical Resistance, standard pistol bullets would not kill him. However, that did not mean it would be a pleasant experience.

    He had wanted to keep a low profile and off the police¡¯s radar. However, Oliver¡¯s screw-up now made that impossible. They would begin to harass his parents all over again, and, if he presented himself before them and ran, it would escalate. Eventually, the cops would find his base and shut it down.

    I can¡¯t let that happen.

    ¡°I guess I get to be bait,¡± Blake smiled sardonically. ¡°Go ahead and grab your gear, I need to contact my parents. This is bigger than we thought.¡±

    Blake navigated his interface and placed a call to his mother and father. A moment later, his mother answered.

    ¡°Hey Blake, is everything okay?¡± Donna asked, seated behind her desk.

    Before he could answer, his father joined the holochat from the cookhouse¡¯s kitchen. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°The cops are blocking the entrance to the fire tower. We¡¯ve got a plan to sneak Montgomery and Jeff past them, but we¡¯ve got problems.¡±

    ¡°What kind of problems?¡± Peter asked as he stirred the sizzling food.

    ¡°The harassment kind. They¡¯re going to start following you two all over again, especially after I show my face. I¡¯m pretty sure they think Oliver killed some cops, so now we¡¯re both fugitives.¡±

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Why would they think that?¡± His mother asked, horrified.

    ¡°Because we¡¯re pretty sure they fell through the portal, and it¡¯s been over an hour since they last checked in.¡±

    ¡°Shit!¡± Peter swore and slammed down his spoon. ¡°So much for the lawyer¡¯s case.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Blake agreed. ¡°I think it¡¯s time you two moved into the bunkhouse. Permanently. You also need to get rid of your phones.¡±

    ¡°You think they¡¯d track them?¡± his mother asked.

    His father grunted. ¡°They tracked Blake¡¯s, and all he did was get in a fight. If they think Oliver killed their friends¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s going to get much worse.¡±

    ¡°But... how do I get any work done without a phone? I need to make calls to order supplies, and use the internet for research.¡±

    ¡°For now, just borrow someone else¡¯s phone. We can figure out a solution later,¡± Blake suggested.

    Peter frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too late already? If they look up our location history, they¡¯ll see we spend all day, every day here.¡±

    Blake swore and ran his hand through his hair.

    ¡°You almost done?¡± Montgomery called from outside the car.

    ¡°Yeah, give me a minute!¡± he yelled back and then addressed his parents. ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea. Buy a bus ticket to LA, hide your phones in one of the seats, and let it leave without you. Hopefully, they¡¯ll think you¡¯re running, and spend all their time chasing it.¡±

    Peter laughed. ¡°I LOVE it!¡±

    Donna nodded as she typed into her laptop. A moment later, she said, ¡°Looks like a bus leaves from Dalmart in an hour. Hopefully that¡¯s enough time to stop by the bank and see how much they¡¯ll let us withdraw.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, I forgot about that,¡± Blake admitted. ¡°They can track credit cards, too.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°And the Venro app.¡±

    ¡°How about this,¡± his father suggested. ¡°You stop by the bank and handle the cash while I head home and grab everything we need. Then we can meet at the Dalmart.¡±

    Donna smiled. ¡°Divide and conquer.¡±

    Peter returned her smile with a grin of his own.

    ¡°Okay, you guys handle that, I¡¯m going to go distract the cops before more backup arrives.¡±

    ¡°Be careful, son,¡± his father advised.

    Blake snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? I¡¯m bulletproof.¡±

    He cut the connection and climbed out of the parked car. In the distance, he saw the red and blue lights through the trees.

    Still just three cars.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Montgomery asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple, I¡¯m going to walk up to the cops and say ¡®hi¡¯. As soon as they try to arrest me, I¡¯ll take off. Hopefully, they follow and you guys can slip inside the tower.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t run too fast,¡± His friend joked. ¡°They look like they¡¯ve had one too many donuts, if you know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± he replied sardonically.

    ¡°That¡¯s great for getting in, but how do we get back out?¡± Montgomery asked. ¡°Think they¡¯ll fall for the same ruse twice?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯ll figure something out. You two just need to focus on saving Oliver.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± he agreed.

    ¡°Keep your distance so they don¡¯t see you,¡± Blake warned, and set off toward the deputies. Contrary to Montgomery¡¯s joke, only one of the policemen were overweight. The other two were young, lean, and sported unyielding expressions.

    Eventually, one of the lean cops noticed him and broke off his impassioned conversation. ¡°This is a crime scene. It¡¯s off limits,¡± he warned.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Blake asked innocently. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Beat it,¡± the original cop raised his arm and pointed toward the road.

    The other two policemen, annoyed at the interruption, turned to see who dared disturb them. When the portly deputy finally took in Blake¡¯s appearance, his eyes widened.

    He reached for his sidearm and yelled, ¡°Blake Summers! Get down on the ground, NOW!¡±

    Blake smiled and raised his hands. ¡°What seems to be the problem, officers?¡±

    The portly cop drew his sidearm and aimed it at Blake, center mass. ¡°I SAID, GET DOWN!¡± he reiterated.

    Now aware of his identity, the other two cops released the snaps over their pistols, and hovered their hands near their weapons.

    Blake maintained his friendly demeanor and asked, ¡°Why? Did I do something wrong?¡±

    ¡°You two detain him,¡± the portly officer called over his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll cover you.¡±

    The two cops eyed him warily and approached from opposite angles. However, before they could cut him off, Blake abruptly turned and fled. He was careful to keep his pace to a slow jog, and glanced over his shoulder to ensure he did not leave them too far behind.

    To his disbelief, the portly cop opened fire.

    What the hell are you doing? I¡¯m obviously unarmed!

    The first three shots missed, but the fourth bullet slammed into his armored back. The impact pierced through his armor, yet failed to penetrate his skin. Regardless, the bullet hurt, and he would have a nasty bruise for the next few hours, even with his Regeneration.

    He stumbled in surprise, and his temper rose.

    That¡¯s the last fucking straw!

    He was pissed. Blake had tried to play nice with these corrupt cops. He had even let his parents try and solve things legally with a lawyer. However, they had just shot an unarmed teenager in the back.

    Blake suddenly stopped and turned toward the three deputies. Despite the fact that he was no longer running, the portly cop continued to fire. He was hit twice more, once in the shoulder and once in the leg, before the pistol¡¯s magazine finally emptied.

    This time, Blake barely felt the impacts over his growing rage.

    He pushed off the ground and raced toward the portly policeman. He was a blur. The thin cops yelled, but he ignored them. His target¡¯s eyes widened in sudden fright, and he released his pistol¡¯s magazine to quickly reload.

    Blake did not give him a chance.

    He used a Spatial Step to close the distance, and slammed his fist into the corrupt cop¡¯s face at his full strength.

    The man¡¯s head exploded, and a notification appeared, which he immediately dismissed. A light, burning pain crept up his left forearm.

    Blake whirled to see the lean cops¡¯ reaction. Their eyes were wide, and their jaws hung low as they backpedaled and raised their sidearms.

    He released two Mental Blasts, and strode toward the now disabled men. Both screamed and dropped their guns as they cradled their heads. His own head began to pound, and blood dripped from his nose. A notification again appeared in the corner of his vision, but he dismissed it to concentrate on the fight.

    Blake ignored their discarded weapons. He grabbed both cops by their wrists, and pulled them after him. Their legs dragged the ground as he slowly strode toward the fire tower entrance. Montgomery and Jeff were frozen nearby, shocked at the sudden violence.

    ¡°You know,¡± he began in an almost conversational tone. ¡°I tried to be nice to you guys. I really did,¡± he reiterated as they began to beat their hands against him in an effort to escape.

    After their struggles proved useless, they reached for the batons at the belt. They extracted the clubs, extended them, and lashed out. The strikes proved equally futile.

    Blake continued on in an even voice as if they had not resisted at all. ¡°See, my parents are still a bit naive. They don¡¯t understand the horrible things we¡¯ll have to do to survive. I didn¡¯t want them to see me as a monster, so I did the dumb thing, I left you all alone.¡±

    ¡°Dude¡­¡± Jeff muttered and shook his head in disbelief as Blake passed him. Montgomery, surprisingly, remained silent.

    ¡°But, you¡¯re the REAL monsters. What kind of person shoots an unarmed kid in the back?¡± he asked rhetorically. ¡°I was running AWAY! Not a threat!¡±

    ¡°That was Myers!¡± The cop on his left sputtered. ¡°We didn¡¯t do nothing!¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Blake agreed and dragged the two up the metal stairs. They tried to grab onto the metal beams as they passed, but their strength was too low to resist. The cop on the right broke down in tears as he realized how futile his actions were.

    ¡°You just stood there and did nothing while your partner shot me in the back. You never tried to stop him,¡± Blake accused. ¡°You didn¡¯t even try to arrest him afterward, even though the guy clearly broke the law.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± The man on his right pleaded. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again!¡±

    Blake shook his head as he continued the climb to the top, officers in tow.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, it won¡¯t.¡± Blake shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t have you going after my family anymore. I can¡¯t have you trying to stop us from saving the world.¡±

    ¡°If we die, they¡¯ll never stop coming for you!¡± the cop on his left tried, a waver in his voice.

    Blake nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why they won¡¯t find your bodies. See, I¡¯m going to give you a chance. You¡¯re going to see what we¡¯re up against. You¡¯re going to be transported to another world where you have to kill to survive.¡±

    He released an officer¡¯s wrist, threw open the trapdoor, and ascended into his old quarters, with two flailing bodies dragged behind. ¡°If you somehow survive, come find me. You might actually be useful then.¡± After a brief pause, he said, ¡°Good luck.¡±

    Blake then tossed both men into the portal. As they disappeared, their screams cut off, and he was met with silence.

 Chapter 62 - Rescue Mission

    ¡°That¡¯s messed up¡­¡± Montgomery croaked as he kneeled with his back to the headless man. A pile of vomit lay before his friend, a testament to how much the scene disturbed him. Yet, he did not flee.

    Blake nodded.

    ¡°Yeah, he needed to die, but I went a little overboard. I guess I was holding in a bit more anger than I thought.¡±

    Montgomery glanced up at Blake, a disbelief written across his face. ¡°Ya think?¡±

    ¡°We should go,¡± Jeff advised his friend and pulled on his leather sleeve.

    ¡°Hold up.¡± Montgomery shook off his friend and climbed to his feet. ¡°How are you gonna hide all this?¡± he gestured toward the body and three empty law enforcement vehicles.

    ¡°Well, the body¡¯s going in the portal,¡± Blake began. ¡°After that, I¡¯ll try to pick up the chunks of bone and brain. Although, I¡¯m not gonna get it all, and I¡¯m sure backup is just seconds away.¡±

    ¡°Good luck with that,¡± Montgomery grimaced.

    Blake examined the three abandoned vehicles and their flashing emergency lights. To his relief, they faced away from the crime scene and would not have recorded the altercation on their dashcams.

    ¡°We need to get rid of those cars, too,¡± he added. ¡°If I drive them into a lake, do you think they can still track them through GPS or whatever it is they use?¡±

    ¡°How the hell would I know that?¡± Montgomery replied. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly in the habit of killing cops and hiding the evidence.¡±

    ¡°It would work,¡± Jeff said confidently in a deep bass.

    Montgomery gave his friend a strange look. ¡°Well, whatever you¡¯re gonna do, you better do it fast. I bet every sheriff in the county is on their way here, right now.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding when you said they were out to get you. They shot you in the back and everything.¡±

    Blake nodded, ¡°Yeah, although, better me than Oliver.¡± He then bent down and grabbed the portly corpse by its arm. ¡°I got this, you guys just need to worry about my brother.¡±

    ¡°Right, but you better have this place clear for when we come out. I¡¯m not sitting in a jail cell.¡± Montgomery slapped his best friend on the back. ¡°Come on, Jeff, it¡¯s time to go.¡±

    Blake followed his two friends as they ascended the tower steps. After they slipped through the trap door into the room above, Blake said, ¡°When you get there, open a holochat with me. I want to see how you guys do, and be there to offer advice.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing, bud,¡± Montgomery remarked as he searched the small room for the portal. ¡°Keep that temper in check.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s over there,¡± Blake pointed. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll show you.¡± He pulled the body the rest of the way up the stairs and chucked it into the portal. There was no flash of light that accompanied the event, nor sound to signify a transition. Instead, the corpse just disappeared.

    ¡°Freaky,¡± Jeff muttered.

    Montgomery took a deep breath. ¡°You got that right. You sure I¡¯m not going to land on that when I go through.¡±

    ¡°My brother invited you to his group, right?¡± Both men nodded. ¡°Then you¡¯ll be fine. He should be there when you get out of the portal. Remember, he said an Ursa was nearby, so stay quiet when you get there.¡±

    Montgomery nodded, but remained frozen. He stared intently at the invisible portal, as if he could discern its position.

    Blake rolled his eyes. ¡°Hey Jeff, I think Montgomery¡¯s scared. You want to show him how it¡¯s done?¡±

    ¡°Pfft. I ain¡¯t scared of shit.¡± He turned his back to the portal. ¡°See, watch this.¡± Slowly, he began to step backward. ¡°I just thought it was freaky, is all. Don¡¯t worry about¡­¡±

    Montgomery suddenly disappeared, mid-conversation. Rather than grandstand like his friend, Jeff only grunted and strode toward the portal. A moment later, he, too, was gone.

    Okay, where¡¯s a lake I can dump the cars at?

    While he considered his options, he hurried down the stairs and approached the crime scene. He collected the scattered remains and covered anything too small with a layer of dirt. After he was sure there was nothing visible, he headed toward the three vehicles.

    Luckily, all three cars were running with their doors open. He slipped into the closest, stashed the chunks of flesh in the passenger seat, and shifted it into drive. A moment later, he drove down the gravel road. He searched for a way to turn off the flashing lights, but after a few minutes of no luck, he gave up.

    Why hasn¡¯t he called yet?

    While the transition through the portal was not instantaneous, it only took a few short moments to an outsider¡¯s perspective. Blake¡¯s worry grew as he turned off the forest road onto the county road, and then onto the main highway.

    Did something happen? Are they dead?

    He immediately sent a chat message to Jeff, Montgomery, and Oliver. None of them responded. His concern continued to build as he drove into the Fort Apache Reservation. All he could think about was his friend¡¯s and brother¡¯s corpses, forever stuck on an alien world. There would be no way to retrieve them, no way to say goodbye.

    No, that¡¯s stupid. They¡¯re in the faction. If they were dead, I¡¯d be notified. What the hell¡¯s going on over there?

    Finally, ten minutes after they transitioned through the portal, he received a holochat call from Montgomery.

    His friends and brother appeared before him in a forest. They breathed deeply in exhaustion and leaned against a wide tree while seated on the ground.

    ¡°Are you guys okay?¡± Blake blurted. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Between gulping breaths, Montgomery responded. ¡°Yeah¡­ we ran into¡­ a monster¡­though¡­ and had to¡­ take it out.¡± He gestured to the side and added, ¡°Tadah!¡±

    Blake panned the video in the direction his friend indicated until the corpse of an Ursa was revealed. Two spears remained lodged within the large beast.

    ¡°Nice job, guys!¡± he praised them.

    Jeff nodded, and Montgomery flipped two thumbs up.

    ¡°Wait, why¡¯s Oliver out of breath?¡±

    His brother answered in between his own gasps. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ been¡­ running¡­ for hours!¡±

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    Montgomery, finally recovered his stamina, and responded, ¡°No you haven¡¯t, you big baby. You ran for like ten minutes, max.¡±

    Oliver flipped him the bird.

    Montgomery snorted. ¡°That¡¯s the thanks I get for saving your life?¡±

    His brother added his other hand to the first, and presented him with two raised middle fingers.

    Montgomery turned to Blake and said, ¡°Dude, your brother¡¯s an ungrateful ass.¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yeah, he is.¡±

    Oliver narrowed his eyes, but remained silent.

    ¡°So, what happened?¡± Blake asked as he passed the reservation casino, lights still flashing.

    ¡°Like I said, the second I popped in, I saw Oliver here running from a big ass bear.¡± He hooked his thumb toward Blake¡¯s brother. ¡°A little stabby, stabby, and I got its attention real quick. Once Jeff showed up, we kicked its ass,¡± he added proudly.

    Maybe I was worried for no reason. There¡¯s a reason they survived the Apocalypse, long before they met me.

    ¡°And check it out, I got five hundred kay nano!¡± he bragged. ¡°At this rate, in just ten years, I¡¯ll be able to upgrade an attribute!¡±

    Blake laughed at his friend¡¯s sarcasm. ¡°Not quite that long, but yeah, it takes a while.¡±

    ¡°Dude, you didn¡¯t tell us we had to kill hundreds of these things just to hit level one!¡± Montgomery complained. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to hit level one after your first kill and shit. Don¡¯t the Devs know any better?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to let the Architect know at our next meeting,¡± Blake added, dryly.

    Montgomery nodded, unfazed. ¡°You totally should. It sucks at game design. I mean, if I saw it took weeks to hit level one, I¡¯d cancel my sub on day one.¡±

    His friend continued to rant about the Collective while Blake drove down highway two-sixty. The tirade calmed him. It reminded him of his past, and the good times they shared.

    Too bad Rajesh isn¡¯t here, too. Maybe mom¡¯s right, and he¡¯ll change his mind.

    Soon, a sign for Horseshoe Cienega Lake appeared, and he turned into the pull off. In late March, it was still too cold for most people to fish. The parking lot was surrounded by half melted piles of snow, and there were no cars in sight.

    Good, no witnesses.

    Rather than slow as he neared the lake, Blake accelerated. The police cruiser hit almost fifty miles an hour by the time he swerved off the road and into the large body of water.

    When the vehicle slammed into the lake, it felt like he hit a telephone pole. The airbag immediately deployed, and threw him back into the driver¡¯s seat. He collapsed the safety device, forced open the door, and swam to the shore.

    By the time he reached land, his leathers were soaked. Montgomery continued to blather on in the background, and he momentarily paid attention to the rant.

    ¡°I would¡¯ve made it so everyone got a combat class AND a crafting class. What¡¯s this bullshit, one or the other. How stupid is that? I mean¡­¡±

    He snorted and lowered the volume of the holochat¡¯s feed. Blake ran a hand through his wet hair and strained out water. He then sent a message to his parents informing them that Oliver was safe and sound.

    Blake decided to keep the details about the police to himself for the moment. He did not want them distracted, and he wanted to inform them through conversation, not a quick message. After answering their many followup questions, he began to sprint back toward town.

    It took him almost thirty minutes to reach the out-of-the-way lake by police cruiser, and he expected to double that time to get back. Along the empty stretch of highway, Blake was able to run flat-out, and even surprised himself by his speed.

    With a Physical Power of twenty-four and a half, he almost reached the fifty miles per hour speed limit, despite his wet clothes. As he ran, he distracted himself by listening to Montgomery¡¯s ongoing rant.

    He saw that his friends were now on the move, and interrupted the long-winded diatribe. ¡°Montgomery, shut up!¡± he ordered. ¡°You¡¯re never going to ambush the Ursa like that.¡±

    ¡°THANK YOU!¡± Oliver told his brother. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to tell him that for five minutes now!¡±

    ¡°Oh please,¡± Montgomery twisted his lips into a sneer. ¡°If we sneak around in the woods like mice, it¡¯ll take days to find the big bears. BUT,¡± he held up a finger as he shouted. ¡°If we make noise, we can bring them to us and take them out like we did the first one.¡±

    ¡°And what happens if you bring in two at the same time, or one drops out of a tree and kills you before you know it?¡±

    Immediately, all three of his friends on the alien planet froze and looked up.

    ¡°Naw,¡± Montgomery concluded after a barked laugh. ¡°The trees aren¡¯t tall enough to hide a big bear. Besides, those things were pretty stupid and angry. Do you really think they¡¯re going to just sit there and wait for backup?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate their intelligence,¡± he warned. ¡°They like to play dead and wait for you to get close before they go in for the kill. Check your logs and make sure they¡¯re really dead before you consider it safe.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Grandpa,¡± Montgomery mocked him.

    Dear Lord, how the hell did Montgomery survive for two years without me?

    He knew Jeff did nothing to rein in his companion¡¯s brazen attitude. It was always Blake or Rajesh that tempered the group and proscribed caution. Jeff was always just along for the ride.

    Flashing red and blue lights in the distance suddenly vied for his attention. The moment they appeared, he immediately used a Spatial Step to reach the trees and hid behind a large pine before they could see him.

    He quickly muted the holochat feed in case he needed to run. A minute later, a line of police cars sped past him without slowing.

    Good, they didn¡¯t see me.

    He watched as they slowed, a mile down the road, and turned into the lake¡¯s entrance.

    I guess the cop car won¡¯t have time to sink.

    He had hoped to have enough time to hide all three vehicles, but perhaps this result was better. Now, the police would assume he fled to the lake, and would expend effort to search the area. The fact that it was on an Apache reservation, and not US soil, would only complicate things.

    With any luck, the fire tower would be abandoned, and his friends could slip back out of the portal unnoticed.

    Yeah, right. Who are you kidding?

    Blake snorted and resumed his sprint down the highway. While he kept a watchful eye for additional cops, he finally checked his notifications. He had been too busy to do so before. After the action died down, he had been so distracted that he had forgotten all about it.

    For killing a fellow human, you have been awarded an achievement. - [Mark of Cain]

    The [Mark of Cain] achievement grants you twenty-five percent additional nano when killing your own species.

    That counted? He wasn¡¯t even in the Collective.

    Blake glanced at his left forearm, still sore from earlier, and observed the symbol now drawn upon it. The more humans he killed, the larger the tattoo would grow. However, if enough time passed, it would begin to fade until it all but disappeared.

    Achievements like this were one of the many reasons he hated the Architect. It incentivized murder, and only benefited those without a conscience.

    At least it¡¯s not a title. Until people learn about the tattoo, and demand bare forearms, I can just cover it up.

    Blake did not intend to share the disturbing achievement with anyone else, or take advantage of it. He wanted to forget it even existed, so he dismissed the horrific alert and brought up his next.

    You have gained mastery over a spell. Mind Blast is ready to evolve.

    Blake sighed. The message came at a time when he had too many demands on his nano. He only had seven mega-nano to his name, yet he owed at least thirty or forty to their landlord. Their faction hall upgrade would require another two hundred and fifty, and he still needed another one hundred and fifty mega-nano to evolve his three spells.

    It looks like I¡¯m in for a long grinding session once they¡¯re safe.

    He unmuted his holochat feed and increased the opacity so he could once again see how his friends fared. To his surprise, they were mid-battle. Montgomery rolled away from a powerful swipe, while Jeff stabbed it in its rear.

    The wound only pissed it off.

    Jeff turned and fled before it could retaliate, while Montgomery reached for his dropped spear. The retreating man circled a tree, barely ahead of the giant predator on his tail. When the Ursa slowed to follow, Jeff ran straight toward Montgomery.

    Oh, good. They¡¯re setting up an ambush.

    After Montgomery had retrieved his weapon, he set up, hidden behind a thick tree. Meanwhile, Oliver watched the battle unfold from the safety of a rock grotto.

    He looked exhausted.

    Serves him right.

    Montgomery waited for Jeff to pass him at full sprint. A moment later, he popped out of his cover, braced the butt of the spear to the rocky ground, and aimed the tip for the surprised Ursa¡¯s head.

    At the last moment, the monster tried to dodge, but it was too late. It had too much momentum, and could not change direction in time.

    The spear impaled the Ursa through its neck, and severed an important artery. It continued to thrash and run, but its movements quickly slowed. Finally, when its brain completely ran out of oxygen, it collapsed to the ground, still.

    After a round of ¡®Hell Yeah!¡¯, Montgomery moved to retrieve his spear.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Blake warned. ¡°Check the logs to make sure it¡¯s dead.¡±

    Montgomery rolled his eyes, but compiled. After only a moment, he continued forward and announced with a cocky grin, ¡°Another five-hundred kay in the bag.¡±

 Chapter 63 - The Escape

    Blake avoided nine additional police vehicles on his journey back to town. Not all were from the sheriff¡¯s department, either. A mix of tribal and even Show Low police were sprinkled in the mix.

    By the time Blake reached the fire tower, Montgomery and Jeff had eliminated the remainder of the Ursa and waited next to the portal on the Ursa side for their reward to materialize.

    Montgomery had been correct that his speech would draw in the territorial Ursa. Blake still internally recoiled at the risk Montgomery took. In his view, the safety advantage stealth offered was worth the few additional hours it required. Yet, no matter how hard he argued, Montgomery refused to change his approach. Jeff, as usual, followed his friend¡¯s lead.

    In the end, it worked out for them, but Blake knew it was only a matter of time before his friend¡¯s cockiness blew up in his face. Now, however, they had a different problem.

    The fire tower was swarming with police.

    Any hope he once held for an easy extraction was thoroughly dashed. Blake was still a half mile away from the crime scene, and could not make out details. However, the helicopter overhead, as well as the baying of dogs in the distance, told him everything he needed to know.

    He was screwed.

    ¡°I think you guys are going to have to chill over there for a while,¡± Blake informed his brother and friends.

    ¡°How long does this portal stay open?¡± Oliver asked between bites off his snack bar.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s a limit, but days, at the least.¡±

    ¡°Then we should probably wait till dark and then sneak past ¡®em,¡± Montgomery suggested.

    ¡°Dogs,¡± Jeff reminded his friend.

    Montgomery nodded. ¡°Yeah, once the dogs are gone.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if I see an opportunity, but plan on staying the night and possibly all day tomorrow. How much water do you guys have left?¡±

    Montgomery checked his duffle bag. ¡°Looks like six bottles.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then spread them out and make them last. Unless you want to find a stream and drink Ursa piss, that¡¯s all you¡¯ve got.¡±

    Oliver grimaced, while Montgomery licked his lips and rubbed his belly.

    Weirdo.

    Blake confirmed his position was hidden, and continued to observe the scene for an hour. When he no longer had an excuse to delay the call, he contacted his parents through holochat.

    His mother answered almost immediately.

    ¡°Hey Blake. Are Oliver and your friends still okay?¡± she asked, seated in her temporary office.

    He nodded. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re just sitting tight waiting for the police to leave the tower. How did things go with you? How much cash did you get out of the bank?¡±

    Donna grimaced. ¡°The bank would only let me withdraw ten thousand.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?!¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Yeah, they said it¡¯s their policy, and if you want more, you have to arrange a meeting with an advisor, hire security, and talk to the IRS¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous!¡± Blake fumed. ¡°That¡¯s our money. They can¡¯t just keep it from us.¡±

    ¡°It looks like they can.¡± She sighed. ¡°How much do you trust Jessica Nguyen?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ a lot?¡± he replied, confused.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right, because I withdrew the rest in a cashier''s check made out to her.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®cashier¡¯s check¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Just think of it like a normal check, but the bank registers who it¡¯s to and fills it out themselves. Most big purchases require one because they won¡¯t bounce.¡±

    ¡°So, you made a check out to Jessica for over three hundred thousand dollars?¡± When she nodded, he asked, ¡°If the bank knows it¡¯s to Jessica, won¡¯t that just get her in trouble as well?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± she admitted. ¡°But I looked it up. There¡¯s a LOT of people named Jessica Nguyen. They won¡¯t know which one is her until she cashes it in. She lives in another county and out of this corrupt judge¡¯s district. Hopefully it¡¯ll be harder to get a warrant for them to check her financials.¡±

    Finally, his father joined the call.

    ¡°Hey guys. Sorry I¡¯m late. I went to grab more food from the restaurant and I had my hands full unloading it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Blake assured him. ¡°Did you two drop your phones off in the bus?¡±

    Donna nodded, while Peter said, ¡°Yeah. I hope they chase it all the way to LA.¡±

    ¡°Okay, good.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°The reason I called is to let you know that things have escalated with the police.¡±

    ¡°Escalated?¡± Donna repeated, concerned. ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°I had to kill three cops.¡± Blake paused before he continued. ¡°Well, I killed one and tossed the other two through the portal, so they¡¯re as good as dead.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Blake, tell me you didn¡¯t!¡± his mother reprimanded him. ¡°I thought you said you would handle it peacefully! I know they¡¯re corrupt, but they didn¡¯t deserve to die. What went¡­¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Donna,¡± his father cut off her rant. ¡°Let him explain. Blake¡¯s a good person. I¡¯m sure he had a good reason.¡±

    He gave his father a grateful look. ¡°I showed myself to the three cops guarding the fire tower to distract them so Montgomery and Jeff could get into the portal. As soon as they recognized me, I turned and ran to lead them away. Then, one of them shot me in the back.¡±

    His mother gasped. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Blake smiled. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m bulletproof, remember? Just a little bruise.¡±

    ¡°Why would he shoot?¡± Peter pressed. ¡°You were unarmed, right? Did you make any threatening moves toward him?¡±

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    Blake shook his head. ¡°No weapons or moves. I had my hands up, I turned, and then jogged away, that¡¯s it.¡± He then emphasized, ¡°The kind of person who can do that doesn¡¯t deserve to live.¡±

    His father frowned but nodded, while his mother sputtered, ¡°But, did you have to kill him? What about the other two cops?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I had to. If he¡¯s shooting unarmed kids in the back now, what do you think he¡¯ll do after Invasion day when it¡¯s everyone for themselves. There¡¯s going to be a LOT of bad stuff that goes down, and he was the worst kind of person. The other two¡­ well¡­ I chucked them through the portal. They have a chance to survive. Although, without their guns, it¡¯s pretty small,¡± he admitted.

    Tears appeared in his mother¡¯s eyes. ¡°Blake. I¡¯m worried about you. You shouldn¡¯t have to do things like that. I¡¯m worried what you¡¯ll turn into if things get worse.¡±

    Blake smiled sadly as his eyes shifted to his left forearm, glad his parent¡¯s could not see it. ¡°Mom, this isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve had to kill a person, and it won¡¯t be the last. I know you want to think well of people, but there are a lot of monsters out there, and most of them are human. You wouldn¡¯t believe some of the things I¡¯ve seen people do.¡±

    His mother nodded reluctantly.

    ¡°I understand, son,¡± his father replied. ¡°What does this mean for us now?¡±

    Blake took a deep breath of relief. ¡°Not much, actually. They already thought Oliver killed those other cops, so this is just more of the same. Since they¡¯re going to assume you¡¯re aiding us, we¡¯re all fugitives now. We just need to make sure they don¡¯t find out about the faction town until Invasion day. After that, it won¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think we should go on the run?¡± His mother asked.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No. We need to build up the town and I need to get stronger. I know where all the portals around here are, I don¡¯t need to go back to the fire tower. If we run, I¡¯m just as clueless as the next person.¡±

    ¡°What if the cops find the town?¡± Peter asked.

    ¡°Hopefully we can hide until the shield generator is built, but if not¡­¡± he shrugged. ¡°As much as it would suck, over ten thousand people¡¯s lives are worth more than any cops they send after us. Even if they¡¯re just doing their jobs.¡±

    ¡°How soon can we build the shield generator?¡± Donna asked.

    ¡°Metal said we have to upgrade the faction hall to level four first, so it¡¯s going to be a while. At least a month or two, maybe more.¡±

    ¡°If it came down to it, could you stop the cops? All of them?¡± his father asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted. ¡°If they come after us in force, it won¡¯t be with just pistols. They¡¯ll bring rifles and snipers, too. And, if they make too much of a deal, someone higher up may notice, too.¡±

    Peter frowned. ¡°Higher up?¡±

    ¡°As in the Federal government.¡± Blake responded. ¡°No one ever found someone who joined the Collective before Invasion day. Rumors say the Feds made them disappear forever.¡±

    Donna gasped.

    ¡°If you level again, will that be enough to hold off the police?¡± his father asked.

    ¡°Maybe. It depends on what I get for upgrading my Elite Solo Warrior achievement. Last time, it increased my attributes by twenty-five percent. If it goes up to fifty percent, and I put more points into Physical Resistance next level, I should be fine.¡±

    ¡°Then you need to get more nano,¡± his mother said.

    ¡°That¡¯s the idea,¡± Blake nodded. ¡°But first, I need to help Oliver and them escape. After that, I need to help fund the faction hall upgrade, and whatever¡¯s next. Then I owe Mister Grayburn twenty or thirty mega-nano. Plus, I need another hundred and fifty to upgrade my spells.¡± Blake sighed. ¡°There¡¯s just never enough time.¡±

    <hr>

    Blake and his parents discussed their plans for growth for over an hour while he watched the scene. His mother informed him of her recruiting efforts, and his father described what he needed to complete his next directive as a cook.

    As he talked with his parents, the sun set, and the police produced large, generator powered light towers to cover the area. Eventually, night fell, and the sound of dogs faded into the distance. The helicopter also left to either refuel, or search in a wider grid. He ended the holo-chat session, and snuck closer to reconnoiter the crime scene.

    With the dogs present, Blake was unsurprised that they unearthed the remains of the dead cop. Yellow caution streamers cordoned off a wide area, and little placards littered the ground. The entire area was well lit by the light towers, and there was no way his friends could sneak by the six cops spread throughout the area.

    For some reason, they had even blocked off the tower with tape and aimed a spotlight at the structure.

    Did they find out about the portal? How many more went through?

    When the cops found him outside the goblin scenario, they had almost no chance of discovering the gateway. It was invisible and hovered midair off of a short cliff. Unless they decided to take a leap of faith, it would remain hidden until Invasion day. This portal, however, was easily accessible. All they needed to do was search the small room, and someone would inevitably disappear.

    The sound of engines distracted him from his thoughts. Blake watched as a line of six black SUVs arrived, and more than ten men and women in suits stepped briskly from the vehicles.

    Who the hell are they?

    Two cops warily approached the new force, while the others remained at their posts and watched the scene unfold. Blake squinted in the darkness to discern who the newcomers were. Identification was requested, and when it was denied, an argument ensued. The new force was entirely too calm, and it unnerved Blake.

    Are these the Feds?

    When the rest of the local police force joined their coworkers for backup, Blake realized this was their chance.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Quick! Come through the portal now!

    Montgomery Brown: Is it safe?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Only if you hurry. A bunch of new people in black SUVs showed up, and they¡¯re arguing with the cops. This might be your only chance.

    Oliver Summers: We¡¯re on our way.

    Montgomery: Is it the suits?

    Lord Blake Summers: Just hurry up!

    Montgomery: Ooooo it''s gotta be the Feds!

    Blake scanned the top of the fire tower to see if he could discern movement. Finally, he saw someone open the trap door beneath the tower and climb down the stairs.

    As his brother and friends descended, he anxiously glanced back and forth between them and the cops. Luckily, they were so distracted by the new arrivals, they were oblivious to his friend¡¯s escape.

    Come on! Hurry up!

    Blake did not relax until the three ducked under the crime scene tape and fled the area into the dark of night. He let out a sigh of relief, asked his dad to pick them up, and finally rejoined his friends on the opposite side of the small mountain.

    ¡°Hey Blake!¡± Montgomery greeted him cheerfully and then tripped over a yucca. After he recovered, he added, ¡°I see your plan to hide the body didn¡¯t work.¡±

    He grimaced. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not exactly a master criminal.¡±

    ¡°You can say that again,¡± Montgomery agreed. ¡°Now, how do we get out of here? I¡¯m starving.¡±

    ¡°My dad¡¯s on his way. He¡¯s gonna pick us up at the grocery store parking lot so he doesn¡¯t get stopped by the cops.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so dark I can barely see a foot in front of me,¡± Montgomery complained as he stumbled over a rock. ¡°How are we supposed to bushwack through the woods for half a mile?¡±

    Suddenly, the area was illuminated.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I got a light,¡± Oliver bragged as he held his cell phone aloft.

    ¡°You still have your freakin¡¯ cell phone on you?¡± Blake asked in disbelief.

    Oliver frowned. ¡°Yeah, it didn¡¯t work on the other planet, but it turned right back on when I got here.¡±

    Blake snatched the electronic device out of his brother¡¯s hands and snapped it in half. The light immediately blinked out, and they were left once again in darkness.

    ¡°You asshole!¡± Oliver vented. ¡°Why the hell did you do that?¡±

    ¡°They can track it, you moron,¡± Blake replied.

    ¡°You think I¡¯m stupid?! It was in airplane mode!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Blake defended his actions. ¡°All it takes is accidentally hitting the wrong button, and they¡¯ll know exactly where you are. It¡¯s not worth the risk.¡±

    ¡°I heard the government can turn on your phone, remotely,¡± Montgomery added. ¡°That''s why they don¡¯t let you take the battery out anymore. As long as the phone has power, it''s like a portable spy device.¡±

    Jeff nodded along.

    ¡°See,¡± Blake replied, glad for his friend¡¯s support.

    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Oliver replied. ¡°That¡¯s just a crackpot conspiracy theory only an idiot would believe.¡±

    ¡°These IDIOTS just saved your ass,¡± Montgomery growled. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d be grateful about it, not an asshole.¡±

    ¡°Oliver, drop it,¡± he warned. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s true or not. You don¡¯t need a phone, and it¡¯s not worth the risk. Now, let¡¯s go before the dogs come back.¡±

 Chapter 64 - The Morning After

    Blake squinted his eyes and raised his hand to block the sun¡¯s rays. The steady clang of hammers was an alarm he could not turn off.

    I really need some curtains and earplugs.

    He pulled the sheets over his head, and tried his best to ignore the steady rhythm, yet sleep evaded him.

    After he returned to the faction town, brother in tow, he was informed that the treasury was empty. Further progress would be stalled until the nano coffers could be refilled.

    No matter how much he wished to relax with his friends, he knew he was needed elsewhere. He drove down to Whiteriver alone in one of their new diesel trucks, and entered the Mander portal. The scenario took him far longer than he expected, and he did not return until almost two in the morning.

    Fine, I guess it¡¯s time to get up.

    A few minutes later, he equipped his stained armor and stumbled down the stairs. The smell of bacon wafted from the cookhouse, overwriting all other needs, even the use of the privy.

    He waved at Jordan and Brent on his way to breakfast. Jordan returned the gesture, while Brent scowled and ignored him.

    What¡¯s up with that?

    They worked diligently on the faction hall upgrade, which was only possible thanks to Blake¡¯s late night Mander run. Each pound of their hammers sent spikes of pain into his tired brain, and he activated Regeneration in an effort to ward off his migraine.

    At least I didn¡¯t waste my time last night.

    Blake entered the cookhouse and found Montgomery and Jeff in the process of devouring a full plate of pancakes. Both had a pile of bacon beside them. He joined his friends at the table and immediately stole a slice.

    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s mine!¡± Montgomery complained.

    Blake ignored his friend and took another, which prompted him to shield his pile of pork with his arm.

    ¡°Go get your own breakfast,¡± the volunteer firefighter growled. ¡°This is the good stuff here, my reward!¡±

    With a sigh, Blake pushed himself away from the table and wandered into the kitchen. He found his father inside at the stove with four large cast iron skillets full of meat.

    ¡°Oh hey, Blake!¡± his father greeted him cheerfully.

    He grunted his reply.

    Peter chuckled. ¡°Looks like someone needs some coffee. There¡¯s a pot over there,¡± he pointed.

    Blake followed the words of wisdom and filled a cup, which he eagerly sipped in silence. A few minutes later, he felt like a new man. Whether it was Regeneration which rejuvenated him, or it was the magic of coffee, he would never know.

    ¡°So,¡± he broke the silence of the kitchen. ¡°How does it feel to be on the run from the law?¡±

    His father chuckled. ¡°Well, besides the lack of phone, I haven¡¯t really noticed a difference.¡± Peter flipped a few pieces of bacon and added, ¡°By the way. I never got a chance to thank you for saving Oliver last night before you left.¡±

    ¡°Thank Montgomery and Jeff. They¡¯re the ones that went in after him.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I already did,¡± Peter smiled. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m cooking bacon instead of oatmeal? I promised them whatever breakfast they wanted, and they chose bacon and pancakes. Well, Montgomery did,¡± he amended. ¡°Jeff just kind of shrugged. Your friend doesn¡¯t talk much, does he?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Not around Montgomery, he doesn¡¯t. But, get him alone, and he opens right up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± his father grinned. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. Your mother wanted to see you before you left today.¡±

    ¡°Everything okay?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°She didn¡¯t say anything to me, so it¡¯s probably just Chancellor business. Oh, don¡¯t forget. I need a carcass for my next directive.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but it¡¯ll have to be a Mander, and you¡¯ll have to come with. It¡¯s gonna be hard to get a hold of Ursa anytime soon, and I don¡¯t think you really want to eat goblin meat.¡±

    ¡°Dear God, no,¡± his father laughed and then asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t the Mander world hot? Aren¡¯t there any other scenarios we can go to?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, there are, but they¡¯re further away, and I¡¯m already killing Manders anyway. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll drag them to the entrance so you can transport them back here. It¡¯s really hot, but a minute or two won¡¯t kill you. Just don¡¯t go near the walls. That¡¯s when things really heat up.¡±

    ¡°Well, I did want to see another world,¡± he admitted. ¡°Just let me know when it¡¯s time to show up.¡±

    Blake nodded and thanked him for the coffee. He grabbed a few slices of bacon.

    ¡°That''s all?¡± His father asked. ¡°Just a bit ago, you would have eaten everything in the kitchen.¡±

    Blake laughed. ¡°Glad that¡¯s over. I¡¯m going to see mom now.¡± He scarfed them down on the way back to the bunkhouse. As he passed the faction hall, Brent gave him another scowl.

    Brent had a dour expression painted across his face since Blake first met him. The man seemed to be consistently annoyed at life in general, but he had never seen it aimed in his direction.

    Until now.

    Okay, let¡¯s go see what¡¯s wrong.

    He strode over to the construction site and stood just a few feet away from Brent while he worked. A board suddenly appeared within his hands. The constructor placed it firmly against the frame and quickly nailed it tight.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Brent grunted.

    ¡°I wanted to see what¡¯s wrong.¡±

    ¡°Nothin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well you seem more annoyed than normal, and I wanted to find out why.¡±

    ¡°Fine, if you really want to know.¡± Brent dropped his hammer and rounded on Blake. ¡°Your lazy ass brother hasn¡¯t done shit around here, yet he¡¯s given gear that makes him stronger. But, that isn¡¯t enough for him. No, he gets bored and decides to go get high. Now, cops are dead, and all it¡¯ll take is one mistake, and we¡¯re all in jail.¡±

    Well, that spread quick.

    Brent took a deep breath and continued his rant, ¡°You¡¯d think after you brought in the cavalry to save his ungrateful ass that he¡¯d change his ways, but no. The only thing he cared about this morning was borrowing my phone so he could surf the web while I¡¯m busy working.¡±

    Oliver, whyyyyy...

    ¡°What would you like me to do?¡± Blake asked softly.

    ¡°I¡¯d like you to kick his ass!¡± Brent grunted. ¡°Or at the least, take that nano gear away from him. Why does he even need it? He isn¡¯t fighting. Hell, he isn¡¯t even working!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love nothing more than to kick his ass, but I don¡¯t think my parents would approve,¡± Blake pursed his lips. ¡°Also, the gear¡¯s on loan. I¡¯ve already told him, as soon as we get more fighters, he has to give it back. If you want some of your own, I could loan some to you as well. Actually, now that I think about it, it¡¯d probably help you build faster.¡±

    Brent nodded, reluctantly. ¡°That¡¯d be nice, but what are you gonna do about Oliver?¡±

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s already on house arrest. My mom promised that she was gonna keep him busy with work. I¡¯ll ask her what she has planned, I was on the way to see her anyway. Taking away his nano gear does sound like the right thing to do, though.¡±

    ¡°You do that,¡± Brent grunted, and returned to work. ¡°Real house arrest, no borrowing phones.¡±

    Blake shook his head and continued on toward the bunkhouse. He agreed with the disgruntled constructor. If Oliver wasn¡¯t his brother, he would have probably left him on the Ursa planet to save himself. But, he was family. He could only hope that Oliver would change his ways.

    ¡°Hey mom,¡± Blake greeted his mother in her office. ¡°Dad said you wanted to see me?¡±

    ¡°Good morning. I just wanted to catch you up on some things and ask a few questions.¡± She gestured toward the sofa behind her. ¡°Grab a seat.¡±

    He reclined on the comfortable cushion and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°I talked with Jessica this morning. I told her what¡¯s going on with the police.¡± She chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s funny, but she doesn''t seem to care that cops died, and we¡¯re on the run. The only thing that upset her was that I made the cashiers check out to her.¡±

    Blake nodded knowingly. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to become an accessory to the crime.¡±

    Donna snorted and shook her head. ¡°Oh, she doesn¡¯t seem to care about that either. She just said it will make cashing it out harder. Evidently, I should have contacted her first so I could make it out to one of her LLCs.¡±

    ¡°Is she going to have a problem getting a hold of the money?¡±

    His mother shook her head. ¡°She didn¡¯t seem concerned. But, even if she can''t, we¡¯re no worse off than we were before. The cashier¡¯s check was just a desperate move I made when I found out we couldn¡¯t cash out more than ten grand.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he assured her. ¡°If it works, that¡¯s great. If not, we¡¯ll just hold off on spending until Jessica comes through for us.¡±

    Donna nodded. ¡°Does that mean you think we should hold off on the Payson expansion you mentioned last week?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No. We have plenty of supplies already for level one buildings in the warehouse. We can just load them up on a flatbed trailer and drive them west. The only thing holding us back right now is nano and a lack of people.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t help you with nano, but Jessica says she can provide us with at least ten people.¡±

    Blake grimaced. ¡°I hate trusting people that I haven¡¯t met. I think we¡¯ve lucked out so far, but how are they gonna take it when they find out they¡¯re working for fugitives and cop killers?¡±

    ¡°Oh, are you having second thoughts about telling everyone you¡¯re from the future?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t care about that,¡± Blake waved the issue away. ¡°If they tell someone, people will just think they¡¯re crazy. No, I¡¯m worried about someone trying to do the ¡®right thing¡¯, and turn us in to the police. Do you think Jessica can handle the Payson expansion on her own? If she hides our involvement, they¡¯ll never know they¡¯re working with fugitives.¡±

    Donna frowned. ¡°How would that work?¡±

    Blake took a breath. ¡°Well, I can pick out a site near the portal. It¡¯s up by the Mogollon Rim, so no one¡¯s going to find it by accident this time of year. Then I just need the materials and nano to build the faction hall. After that¡¯s done, I can appoint her Chancellor, and let her bring all the new people in.¡±

    His mother nodded. ¡°That may work for Payson, but what about this place? We never got to finish our conversation. We need more constructors, a glassblower, more farmers, and I¡¯m sure there are a lot more jobs we¡¯ll need as well.¡±

    ¡°I think we need to ask some of our faction members if they have any family they can trust.¡±

    Donna furrowed her brows. ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t trust their family?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised,¡± Blake gave her a sad smile. ¡°Not every family is like ours.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s sad.¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± he agreed. ¡°Just make sure anyone who joins us can be trusted not to tattle to the cops. Them finding out about this place is the last thing we want.¡±

    She nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Speaking of family, what do you have Oliver up to? Brent was pretty pissed off that he seemed to be just sitting around doing nothing. He tried to borrow his phone.¡±

    Donna narrowed her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s supposed to be assembling furniture upstairs. Although, if he¡¯s not, I don¡¯t know what I can do about it. He¡¯s not a child, I can¡¯t just ground him. If I punish him too harshly, he¡¯ll just leave.¡± She sighed. ¡°Destroying his phone was the right call. At least now, he can¡¯t contact any ¡®outside influences.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Well, the first thing we should do is take away his nano gear.¡± Blake grinned, evilly. ¡°And, if that doesn¡¯t work, I can always kick his ass.¡±

    His mother rolled her eyes. ¡°Then he¡¯ll definitely leave.¡±

    ¡°He can¡¯t leave if he can¡¯t walk,¡± Blake quipped.

    ¡°That¡¯s not funny, Blake.¡±

    ¡°It is to me,¡± he disagreed. ¡°And, if he doesn¡¯t listen, well¡­ a level three faction hall has a jail in the basement. He might have to be our first prisoner.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d imprison your own brother?¡± she asked, horrified.

    ¡°To save his life? Of course I would.¡±

    Donna stared at her son for a time before she shook her head and mumbled, ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t come to that.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything else we need to discuss?¡± Blake asked. ¡°I need to show Montgomery and Jeff where the goblin portal is and then head down to Mander portal for nano.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I think the fire tower will be off limits for the foreseeable future. Do you think the police are still watching the airport?¡±

    ¡°No chance. That was over a month ago.¡± He grinned. ¡°Besides, who would be stupid enough to go back to the scene of the crime? It¡¯s the last place they¡¯ll expect us.¡± Suddenly, he remembered the black SUVs which arrived the night before. ¡°Oh, by the way. The cops may have found the Ursa portal and called someone in.¡±

    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±

    ¡°Unlike the goblin portal, this one¡¯s not really hidden. I¡¯m sure quite a few cops stumbled into it before they figured out something''s going on. That, and a fleet of black SUVs showed up. A bunch of people in suits got out and got into an argument with them.¡±

    ¡°You think they¡¯re FBI?¡±

    ¡°Who knows who they are, but I don¡¯t want to go near them.¡±

    ¡°What about your friends, are they ready to fight?¡± Donna changed the subject.

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yeah. I think I underestimated them. As much crap as Montgomery talks, he can deliver. Besides, I can¡¯t babysit them forever. There¡¯s too much to do.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she agreed. ¡°There is.¡±

 Chapter 65 - The Next Evolution

    Blake unleashed a Mind Blast against the Mander on his left to interrupt its cast, and thrust his sword forward. It pierced through the throat of the monster before him and became lodged within.

    Rather than take the time to extract his weapon, he left it behind and bashed the third Mander with his shield. Once the enemy was stunned, he grasped the knife at his belt and pierced the monster¡¯s left eye.

    Blake whirled.

    The last living Mander was across the small room in the midst of a spell form. His Spatial Step was still on cooldown, as was his Mind Blast.

    No choice.

    Blake immediately reused the psionic spell and interrupted the Mander¡¯s cast. A spike of pain burrowed through his mind, and he felt blood drip from his nose.

    He ignored the discomfort as he extracted his longsword and ran down the last enemy. By the time he reached his prey, it recovered and launched itself at him, fangs wide.

    Blake slipped to the side and carved a new mouth in its chest.

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    He selected no and kneeled down on the hard floor to collect his breath. As usual, the fight had exhausted him. He wiped the blood from his nose and grimaced at the pounding in his head.

    As much as Blake hated the migraine, the second use of Mind Blast was necessary. The spells mana users cast were incredibly powerful. If he were not careful, he could be heavily injured, despite his high Magic Resistance.

    A mana user¡¯s greatest weakness, however, was their long cast time. As long as he was able to disrupt their spell forms, they were the easiest opponents for Blake to defeat. His headache was an acceptable payment to ensure his victory.

    I wonder if I can evolve it to get rid of the headache.

    Blake checked his status.

    Nano - 56m

    He now had enough nano to upgrade his Mind Blast spell. However, he had also promised to upgrade the landlord¡¯s attributes. Blake momentarily contemplated making the old man wait a few days more, but quickly dismissed the option. A promise was made.

    Wait a minute! What about Oliver¡¯s gear?!

    He quickly contacted his mother through holochat.

    ¡°Hey, mom, have you confiscated Oliver¡¯s nano-gear yet?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Yes, and he wasn¡¯t very happy about it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he wasn¡¯t,¡± he snorted in amusement. ¡°I have a favor to ask. Can you give that gear to Mister Grayburn? I promised him I¡¯d give him the nano to upgrade his attributes, but this can be a temporary fix for a few days. It¡¯s kind of bothering me that I haven¡¯t paid up yet.¡±

    ¡°If you promised him something, you should uphold that promise,¡± she warned him. ¡°The second you start reneging on deals, people will lose their trust and respect in you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know that,¡± he assured her. ¡°The gear will accomplish the same thing as giving him nano, but I intend to do both. I just need a bit more time before I transfer it over.¡±

    She nodded reluctantly. ¡°As long as it¡¯s the same, I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t mind. I¡¯ll explain to him that you¡¯re working for the nano but the gear is to show that you intend to uphold that commitment.¡±

    Glad his mother understood the issue, he nodded. ¡°Also, can you go into the treasure room and look for some jewelry that will increase Brent¡¯s physical attributes? I promised him he could borrow some.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to start loaning out gear, we should probably keep a log.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. We should also get an inventory.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll put Oliver on it,¡± she suggested.

    Blake winced. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    His mother frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t trust your brother?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Not really. He¡¯s been making a lot of bad decisions lately. I¡¯d rather not tempt him to make another. Also, I spoke with Brent and there may be some jealousy within the faction regarding our treatment of Oliver. Best to not show any semblance of favoritism.¡±

    Donna took a deep breath. ¡°You¡¯re probably right. I¡¯ll start the log myself, I wonder if there is an assistant position to the Chancellor?¡±

    ¡°Probably. It felt like my old chancellor had a thousand people doing his bidding.¡± Blake grimaced at the memory of the lazy man. ¡°Oh, can you tell dad he can head here to pick up his Mander meat now? I finished the scenario, now I just need to drag them to the portal and wait for the reward. I¡¯ll send him a group invite.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, mom. Love ya.¡±

    Donna smiled. ¡°Love you too, Blake.¡±

    He cleaned the blood off his blade, sheathed it, retrieved his dagger, and repeated the action. Then, he grabbed two Manders by their tails and began the trek to the entrance.

    Once he arrived at the glowing portal, he dropped the bodies and looked through his potential rewards.

    Yes!

    The third option was a new ring that would increase his Physical Resistance by three. The jewelry was a direct upgrade to his current ring, which only added two.

    For the last week, Blake had become increasingly frustrated when a higher level replacement for his gear failed to appear. With this reward, he now only needed to replace his gaudy earring, which provided just two Magic Resistance.

    I bet dad could use this.

    While he waited for the reward to materialize and his father to arrive, he stalked back through the caves and collected corpses to spare his father the heat of the tunnels.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    As he worked, he messaged Montgomery and Jeff.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Are you guys okay?

    Montgomery Brown: Yeah, dude, just waiting on the reward.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: No problem taking out the goblins?

    Montgomery Brown: You mean, besides the fact that there¡¯s a million of them? Naw. It was touch and go there for a bit, but we came, we saw, and we kicked their asses!

    Blake laughed.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Good, I¡¯m glad you guys are doing well. After this, are you going to do another?

    Montgomery Brown: Hell no! I¡¯m exhausted. I don¡¯t know how you can do two a day, you¡¯re like a machine!

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: I suppose it comes from not being lazy. I bet Jeff is ready to go again, am I right?

    Jeffrey Miller: Meh.

    Montgomery Brown: Screw you! After this, I¡¯m gonna relax with a nice cold beer!

    Blake ended the chat with a grin and continued to drag corpses to the entrance. Thirty minutes later, his father finally contacted him.

    Peter Summers: Hey Blake, I¡¯m outside the portal. Thanks for marking it, by the way. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d have ever found it otherwise.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: No problem. All the carcasses are waiting for you at the entrance. You can also have my old ring that increases your Physical Resistance. It might make the heat a little easier to take.

    Peter Summers: Oh, great! Can you pop out and hand it over?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Sorry, if I leave the scenario, it closes forever.

    Peter Summers: Darn. Oh well, I guess I¡¯m coming in then. Wish me luck.

    Blake waited patiently for his father to appear. After a minute had passed, and he remained alone, he began to worry. He was about to contact his father again, when the man suddenly appeared before him.

    Peter immediately knelt down on the hot stone floor and vomited.

    He must have had to psych himself up.

    Blake approached his father, grasped his hand, and slipped on his old ring. He watched as beads of sweat dripped down the man¡¯s head, and his skin became flushed.

    Luckily, the ring¡¯s effect was immediate. The temperature would continue to be oppressive, but would likely no longer lead to heat stroke.

    At least, not within the next five minutes.

    ¡°The first time always sucks,¡± Blake said softly. ¡°Let me know when you¡¯re good.¡±

    Peter nodded and rasped, ¡°And I thought¡­ Phoenix was hot¡­¡±

    A few seconds later, his father stood and observed the pile of Manders that surrounded him. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of meat.¡±

    Blake smirked at the double entendre, but kept his usual response to himself. ¡°Yeah, is there room in the warehouse for it?¡±

    ¡°Actually, it goes straight into the cellar beneath the cookhouse. The colder temperature will help preserve it a bit longer, but it won¡¯t keep long enough.¡± He gestured at the bodies. ¡°I can process and cook maybe five or six of these before they start to go bad. Too bad we don¡¯t have a walk-in freezer like the restaurant.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say you can drive them over there in the back of a truck, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth the risk.¡± Then he grinned. ¡°Look on the bright side, once we upgrade the cookhouse, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get one. My old faction never seemed to have a problem storing meat.¡±

    ¡°Really? What powers it?¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°I dunno, what powers any of this stuff?¡±

    Peter laughed. ¡°Good point. Okay, I¡¯m going to get this stuff out of here and pop back over to Earth. Even with your ring, this place sucks. How can you stand it?¡±

    Blake smiled. ¡°Magic.¡±

    His father shook his head and touched a dead Mander. Suddenly, the corpse disappeared. He repeated the action five additional times and stepped back through the portal.

    Blake followed him.

    ¡°And Blake, is it possible to clean those clothes, your mother didn¡¯t want to say anything, but they really do stink.¡±

    Blake laughed. ¡°Ya, even I can¡¯t stand to smell myself.¡±

    After he hugged his father goodbye, he sat down under the overhang in the canyon and contemplated his spell, Mind Blast.

    What I really need is to be able to cast it over and over again without getting a headache.

    Blake focused on the intended change and spent fifty mega-nano to evolve the spell. As his nano was consumed, he felt the Collective resist his intentions. He concentrated intently on the idea and fought against the Collective¡¯s opposition.

    Finally, his struggle ended, and a message appeared.

    Evolution failed. 45m nano refunded.

    Damn!

    He had not only failed to upgrade his spell, but he also lost five mega-nano in the process. This was the first time in either timeline he received such a message. He quickly checked his status and saw that he now held only fifty-one million nano.

    One last try. If it doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll have to start another scenario.

    Blake thought about how else he could change Mind Blast to make it more effective. In the past, the few times he upgraded his spells, he had followed the guidance of his faction leaders.

    I could make it stronger, but that¡¯s not really the problem. All I need it for right now is to interrupt their spell forms. Maybe if I made it affect an area around me?

    He considered the change. Currently, the spell affected a single target up to a decent range. If he altered it so it affected everyone around him, he was certain the Architect would increase the cost exponentially. All of his psionic energy would be consumed at once, and he would be unable to reuse the ability for hours.

    Okay, that won¡¯t work. Maybe a cone?

    If the spell¡¯s effect began at himself and spread outwards in a cone rather than a sphere, it would affect a much smaller area. It would still consume additional energy, but not nearly as much as his last idea.

    He currently held only a single psionic spell. As long as it did not consume more than a third of his energy reserve, he felt it would be worth the cost.

    Let¡¯s try it.

    Blake focused on the change he wanted to make and spent the fifty mega-nano once again. This time, he felt less resistance from the Collective, and the process went far smoother. A moment later, he was presented with a message.

    Mind Blast has successfully evolved.

    Nervous to see how effective his change was, he checked the spell¡¯s new description.

    Directed Mind Blast - Focus your psi energy into a mental blast. For a high amount of psionic energy, you direct a burst away from you in a cone. All targets caught within the twenty-four-foot blast have their thoughts disrupted. Distance affects the severity of the disruption. Targets are not permanently harmed.

    Interesting.

    Almost the entire description had changed. All the alterations were expected, except the last. It had originally stated that it does not harm the target. Now, however, it said the targets are not permanently harmed.

    It did say distance affects the severity. Does that mean if something is directly in front of me, it¡¯ll be temporarily harmed? I need to test this out.

    Blake was eager to tackle the next scenario. He quickly recast Flame Shield and entered the portal. Once inside the new scenario, he rushed down the winding cave until he located the first group of Manders.

    They were clustered on the glowing wall, fifteen feet ahead of him. Three out of five immediately entered their spell forms, while two faintly glowed with chi.

    Okay, let¡¯s see how well this works.

    Blake used a Spatial Step to close the distance while he simultaneously repositioned himself. The moment he arrived next to the Manders, he released a Mind Blast in a cone before him.

    His psionic energy dropped by over a quarter, as expected, and all creatures were hit with the spell. Blake did not wait to see how long they would be distracted, and immediately flew into action.

    He killed the closest three monsters within seconds. By the time the fourth recovered enough to rise, he skewered it¡®s neck. Only the last Mander was able to put up a fight.

    Enhanced by chi, its fangs glowed bright in the dim tunnel, as it launched itself toward him. Blake was about to raise his sword to intercept the attack, when he noticed its body froze.

    Shit! Hardened Shell

    He dove to the side.

    The Mander, unable to adjust to his movement, slammed into the ground. Blake rolled to absorb the impact and quickly regained his feet. Before the creature could rise, he rushed forward, his sword before him.

    A moment later, the Mander died.

    Even with two chi users, that was so much easier! Totally worth the upgrade!

 Chapter 66 - The Race

    Blake drank deeply from his water bottle as he sat beneath the rock overhang. He had just completed a scenario, and sat before the portal to rest before he entered his next.

    The chill air brushed against his skin.

    Ah¡­ That feels good.

    It was the beginning of April, three days after he evolved his Mind Blast. In that time, he earned enough nano to fully fund the faction hall upgrade, and finally supplied their landlord the nano he pledged to provide.

    The old man was ecstatic with his increased strength and health, and Blake promised that he could retain the jewelry until a combat team needed it.

    According to Jordan, the level three building would be finished this afternoon. Once completed, Brent could continue his work on the glass house, which was the last prerequisite required to build an alchemy workshop.

    In a few days, he could finally grant his brother the alchemist class he had promised him. After that, he could only hope that Oliver would be too busy working on his cure to cause them any more problems.

    Who am I kidding?

    Blake took one last swig of water, and finished off the bottle. He crumpled the trash, threw it back into his duffle bag, and stood.

    I guess it¡¯s time to head back in.

    This would be the second level two scenario he would complete today, and likely the last. It was a rare day that he had the time or energy to complete more than two.

    He learned long before to never go into combat when tired. No matter how powerful you are, exhaustion leads to mistakes, and mistakes eventually kill you.

    Blake began the spellform to renew his Flame Shield. After ten seconds passed, the barrier formed around him and a notification appeared.

    You have gained mastery over a spell. Flame Shield is ready to evolve.

    Finally!

    He had spent the last few days recasting the ability repeatedly to speed up its mastery. The spell¡¯s evolution was the last thing that stood between him and his attempt to upgrade his Elite Solo Warrior achievement.

    He quickly spent fifty mega-nano to upgrade his Flame Shield. Unlike his previous evolutions, this change was relatively straightforward. He intended to increase the amount of heat the barrier could absorb before it collapsed.

    A few moments later, he was successful.

    Improved Flame Shield - Places a protective barrier around a target which shelters them from heat. As this heat is absorbed, it radiates outward from the shield, while the target is immune. Flame Shield uses a moderate amount of mana energy, and lasts until it absorbs a high amount of heat or one hour passes.

    The upgrade increased the spell¡¯s absorption at the cost of additional mana. It was nothing exciting or new, but he hoped it would allow the spell to last an entire fight against level three Manders. Their Magic Power would be higher, which would make their fire spells far more potent.

    Should I just go for it now?

    Blake still needed more experience before Regeneration could be evolved, but its upgrade would not aid him against monsters two levels above him. After all, even if he increased the spell¡¯s power by fifty percent, a broken bone would still take hours to fully heal.

    Yeah, I can upgrade that later.

    He checked his energy levels, and saw that his mana and aether were a bit low.

    That¡¯s fine, I need to wait to recast Flame Shield anyway.

    The last thing he reviewed was the time remaining on his attribute boost from breakfast. His father had finally cooked a meal that could provide a temporary increase to his power, roasted Mander.

    The meat was chewy, not exactly pleasant, but was masked by heavy spices.

    For twelve hours after he ate the dish, his Magic Resistance would be raised by one point. Unfortunately, like the increases obtained through his nano-gear, it was not affected by his achievements.

    Five more hours. Plenty of time.

    Blake waited impatiently for the cooldown on Flame Shield to disappear. When it ended, he recast the spell and replaced it with the upgraded version.

    After one last check to ensure he was ready, he stepped into the portal and entered the void.

    You have re-entered a combat scenario you have already completed. Would you like to increase the difficulty?

    For the first time in either life, Blake increased the difficulty twice above his own level. Now, at level one, he would attempt to complete a level three scenario. It was something unheard of, and incredibly dangerous. He could only hope that he was strong enough to survive and upgrade his Elite Solo Warrior achievement.

    Once he confirmed his choice, the objective of the scenario was displayed to him. To his surprise, the expected elimination objective was replaced with something new.

    Objective: Eliminate twenty-five Manders before your opposition.

    Alternate Objective: Eliminate your opposition.

    My opposition? Did someone else make it this far already?

    There was no way someone on Earth had surpassed him in level. However, that did not mean they could not attempt a scenario two or even three levels above their own. Firearms were a force multiplier, and would allow a well outfitted team to take on higher level monsters.

    At least, in the beginning.

    Once the monsters gained enough levels, bullets would fail to penetrate their enemies, and without Magic Resistance, they would quickly die. Their awarded nano would be reduced to almost nothing, and Blake even suspected the Architect would refuse to award achievements gained by such a cheat.

    The AI was vindictive and punished those that attempted to exploit its rules.

    I guess I¡¯ll find out.

    Blake expected to immediately transition into the Mander caves, and was surprised when he was kept waiting. Concerned, he rechecked the objective, and read the new text added.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Waiting for opposition¡­

    Blake began to panic.

    How long do I have to wait? Will I be stuck here for years?

    He had assumed that a special forces team had decided to attempt the higher level scenario, and he would be pitted against them. However, if he had to wait for his opposition, it could potentially be years before he left the void.

    Will I starve to death? Does my body need food here? Does time pass at the same speed?

    Blake¡¯s mind ran through everything he knew about the void. Unfortunately, it was not much. He had never heard of anyone who spent more than a few minutes within the black. Even when Blake was given an option to increase the difficulty, he was only given a minute to decide. If he refused to answer, the scenario would default to his own level.

    His mind raced as he considered how his family and faction would fare without him. He imagined their deaths as they were overwhelmed by monsters and humans alike. However, before he could completely spiral out of control, he was ejected from the void.

    Blake quickly unsheathed his sword and scanned his surroundings for threats, but was only presented with a typical Mander tunnel. Most of the cave was dark and gloomy, while the sides and ceiling glowed with heat.

    How long has it been?

    Blake quickly contacted his mother through chat. Once she confirmed it was the same day, and only a brief time had passed, he sighed in relief.

    Okay, now which way do I go?

    Blake quickly added the scenario objective to his heads up display and opened his map. He found himself at the edge of the scenario boundary. That meant that while his passage ran in two directions, he could only proceed in one.

    This way it is.

    Blake proceeded down the tunnel with caution, wary of an ambush. He had no way to know where his supposed opponents entered, and had no desire to stumble across them unprepared. As he walked, his eyes continuously focused on his interface to confirm the current score. Which is why, a few minutes later, when his opponent''s kill count rose to five, he cursed.

    Should I go faster?

    After only a brief moment of consideration, he decided patience would serve him better. He continued to creep through the twists and turns of the corridor until he rounded a bend and found a group of four Manders.

    To his surprise, they failed to notice him.

    Before his luck ran out, he used a Spatial Step to appear behind the closest monster and impaled it. The moment he appeared, its fellow Manders were instantly alerted and began to cast their spells.

    Good, they¡¯re mana users.

    He quickly kicked the corpse off his blade, and blasted the three with his psionic spell. All were caught within the cone of effect, but to his dismay, only the closest two had their casts interrupted.

    Shit!

    Blake thrust with his longsword and ended the closest life, while the other restarted its spell. He yanked his weapon free and stepped forward to bash the next with his shield.

    Suddenly, the farthest Mander finished its cast, and a spray of liquid left its mouth. Blake immediately broke off his attack and braced himself behind his buckler to shield himself from the attack.

    Blake was only partially successful.

    Only his head remained dry. The rest of his body was covered in a caustic chemical which began to eat away at his skin. He quickly enabled Regeneration, but had no time to wipe off the corrosive substance.

    After its successful attack, the Mander immediately began another spell, while the one closest to him finished its own. A familiar spray of fire belched from its mouth and enveloped him.

    Nice try.

    Blake trusted his improved Flame Shield. He sprinted into the inferno with closed eyes and blindly launched an attack at its source. When the thrust of his blade hit resistance, its wellspring of fire sputtered out.

    Just one left.

    Just as he turned to face his last enemy, a spear of ice impacted his shoulder. The force of the attack threw him backward, and he tumbled along the floor. He came out of his slide and tried to use his shield arm to push off the ground.

    It refused to respond.

    Blake¡¯s gaze shot to his arm. To his horror, a six-inch spike of ice, a half inch in diameter, stuck out of his shoulder. He quickly pulled it out and threw the projectile to the side. Unfortunately, he could still not move his left arm.

    Stop freaking out and kill the monster!

    Blake¡¯s Spatial Step was on cooldown, and he did not dare reuse his Mind Blast, so he rushed the remaining Mander with his sword raised in desperation.

    Before he could close more than half the distance, it launched its next spell.

    Hah!

    Fire enveloped him.

    As he advanced through the flames with alacrity, his Flame Shield absorbed all heat. He swung his longsword downward with all his strength.

    Just before his blade impacted the last Mander, his Flame Shield collapsed, and he was bathed in fire. He gritted his teeth and screamed through his closed mouth as his weapon finally ended the threat.

    The Mander¡¯s torrent of flames was vanquished, but without his Flame Shield, he remained on fire. The caustic chemical that coated him was flammable and burned almost as hot as the Mander¡¯s spell. Blake rolled along the rocky ground until the flames sputtered out. He laid still and panted until his breath recovered.

    That was a hell of a lot harder than I thought it¡¯d be.

    Not only was his exposed skin burned to the third degree, but his left arm remained numb and unresponsive. Without its use, he had no hope of completing the scenario before his opponents.

    How far along are they?

    Blake quickly checked the objective status.

    Shit.

    In the time it had taken him to eliminate four Manders, they had taken out two groups and killed nine monsters total.

    There¡¯s no way I can beat them to twenty-five kills.

    Blake closed his eyes and let out a slow breath as he resigned himself to the only option now available to him.

    I have to kill the other team before they finish.

    His opponent likely had firearms and spec-ops training. However, he was certain they did not have access to spells. If he were able to surprise them while they were grouped together, teleport next to them, and blast their minds with his psionic spell, he may succeed, despite his disabled left arm.

    If I can find them in time. At least guns are loud.

    Blake was actually surprised he had not already heard the crack of rifles or explosions. While the tunnels winded and quickly muffled sound, the scenario boundary was not that large, perhaps only two miles in diameter.

    Well, how much nano did I get?

    Blake checked his logs and found that he had gained four mega-nano per level three Mander kill. The level twos he was used to fighting gave him only two.

    So, twice as much.

    Blake sat up and inspected his wound. The bleeding had stopped, but his shoulder still contained a large hole. He wrapped his fingers around his bicep and tried to manually move his limb.

    Ah!

    For a moment, he felt a sharp pain in his arm.

    That means the nerves are still connected, just damaged. Maybe from swelling?

    Blake let out a sigh of relief. With any luck, his Regeneration would repair the connection, and he would regain use of his arm before his next battle.

    If I can find them in time.

    He stood and began to stalk through the winding tunnels, even slower than before. Unfortunately, without the use of both arms, he could not recast Flame Shield, and the heat remained oppressive on his burned skin. As he silently moved, he strained his ears for the echoes of distant gunfire, yet he heard nothing. After another ten minutes, the tunnels split into a ¡®Y¡¯.

    Left or right?

    Blake stood frozen in the center of the fork and strained his ears. He heard nothing from either direction, so he shrugged and chose the narrower path to his right. At a sharp bend, he poked his head around a corner and saw a collection of five Manders warming on heated rocks. Blake froze, and silently backed away without alerting them.

    Okay, let¡¯s try the left.

    While he would attack them if necessary, he would prefer to avoid a fight if possible. His opponents could be very close. Blake quickly retraced his steps and explored the opposite tunnel. As he carefully placed his feet, he began to feel tingling within his left arm.

    Good. It won¡¯t be long now.

    Blake rounded another corner and heard a faint clatter in the distance. As he continued to navigate the narrow cave, the noise grew louder.

    That doesn¡¯t sound like gunfire. What¡¯s going on?

    After another turn, the path split into two once again. However, this time, his direction was obvious. To his left, he heard the sounds of battle. Hisses and screams became clearer as he stealthily navigated the narrow cave.

    Finally, when carefully he rounded the last corner, his opponents were revealed.

    What the hell?!

    Where he expected to find a Human fire team, he instead found alien creatures. Six Koza, the race that invaded his world, waged battle against the Manders. They used spells and nano enhanced weapons to systematically take out their enemies with practiced efficiency.

    Blake quickly ducked behind the corner and retraced his steps.

    What do I do now?

 Chapter 67 - Biding His Time

    Shortly after he retreated, the sound of combat ended, and Blake¡¯s eyes fixated on the posted score.

    Your Team: 4

    Opposing Team: 13

    Shit!

    The Koza were already halfway through the objective. If they eliminated twelve more Manders, Blake would be stuck in the miserable caves forever. Without his Flame Shield active, he felt like he was being cooked by the oppressive heat. He could not imagine being forced to stay on this planet the rest of his life.

    Okay, Blake. The plan hasn¡¯t changed, it only got harder.

    The hope of an easy ambush where he caught normal humans within a Mind Blast and killed them quickly was gone. There was no way he could catch all six Koza off guard and kill them. Their attributes would be almost as high as his own, and between them, they had more spells than he did.

    What level are they?

    Blake cursed his skittishness. He had been shocked when he discovered his opponents were not fellow humans. Instead, they were the same alien invaders that had finished off his faction in his last life. Because of his initial alarm, he had immediately hid himself. His automatic caution was a reflex from the past.

    Unfortunately, now that they were no longer distracted by battle, he needed to wait until their next fight before he could safely gauge their level of threat. Blake quickly retraced his steps back to the last intersection, and carefully scouted the opposite passage.

    After he turned a corner and discovered a host of dead Manders, he let out a sigh of relief. Blake had worried that they were headed in his direction and would discover him before his arm could heal. However, the corpses before him meant they would move away from his position.

    Finally, some good luck.

    Blake abandoned the old battlefield and hurried to catch up to his opponents. On his journey, a notification appeared before his vision, and he froze to read it.

    You have gained mastery over a spell. Regeneration is ready to evolve.

    With a grin, he quickly checked his status to see how much nano he had accumulated.

    Nano - 64m

    That¡¯s plenty. Now, how should I upgrade it?

    Originally, he had intended to evolve Regeneration as he had in his last life, with the ability to heal another person. It had steep limitations, such as having to physically cast the spell every half hour on his patient, but was still worth the investment.

    If someone in his faction became injured, they currently relied upon mundane medical treatment. However, if he slipped a Physical Stamina ring on their finger and cast Regeneration upon them, injuries could be healed within days rather than weeks.

    The process took two to three times longer than Blake¡¯s own healing, and he had to constantly be by a patient¡¯s side to refresh the spell. However, until they built the Alchemist workshop, and Oliver could brew healing potions, it was their only option.

    Unfortunately, with his current situation, none of that mattered. He needed to find a way to heal himself before the Koza finished their objective.

    Can I focus it on a specific area?

    Currently, Regeneration sped up his entire body¡¯s healing by a factor of ten. If he could somehow concentrate the effect on a small area, however, he hoped it would double or even triple that rate.

    Worth a shot.

    Blake spent fifty mega-nano, and concentrated on the alteration he wanted to make. A few moments later, a message appeared before him.

    Focused Regeneration - Temporarily increases a small area of your body¡¯s rate of recovery by a factor of twenty-five. Consumes a large amount of chi energy while active.

    A new notification informed him that he completed a directive. For upgrading all four of his spells, he received two hundred mega-nano.

    Nice!

    He canceled his old spell, and activated the new Focused Regeneration on his shoulder. The injury, he guessed, would take a normal human at least five weeks to fully recover. With a Physical Stamina of almost twenty, he would passively heal at four times that rate.

    Now, with his new spell, his wound would heal at almost one hundred times the normal rate. Injuries would mend within hours, rather than weeks.

    Of course, since he had to concentrate the effect on his shoulder, the burns on his face were unaffected by his new spell. However, while they were painful, they did not affect his ability to fight.

    With his new spell in effect, he restarted his journey through the caves. He remained cautious and moved at a slow enough pace to avoid detection.

    It was fifteen ponderous minutes later before he heard the sounds of battle. Blake quickened his gait until he finally reached his opponents. He peeked his head around a cave wall and used Analyze on each of the six Koza.

    Shit, four level twos, and two level threes.

    According to his skill, their attributes were well-rounded. That meant that each level, they had increased all by two. This was to Blake¡¯s advantage, as his own achievements boosted his attributes far above theirs, despite their higher level.

    Blake watched as four Koza held off their opponents with shields and short spears, while two mages supported from the rear. All four melee fighters used chi to boost their own fighting prowess and protection, while the two support mages were higher level and used aether and psi respectively to lock down and eliminate their enemies. Two of the Koza with shields were badly burned, yet they remained vigilant in their defense.

    Okay. Once I¡¯m healed, I need to take out the mages first. Once they¡¯re dead, I can focus on the uninjured. Hopefully, the others will be too focused on the Manders to deal with me.

    With a plan in mind, Blake retreated to a safe distance, and waited for his arm to mend. Five minutes later, the Koza won.

    Your Team: 4

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Opposing Team: 17

    Come on, stupid arm! Heal!

    Sensation had been restored to his limb, but full range of motion had yet to return. While he waited, Blake continued to stalk his enemy at a safe distance.

    After the Koza reached another group of four Manders, ten minutes later, Blake began to despair. He had no choice but to interrupt their next battle, whether he was healed or not. He was out of time.

    When the subsequent battle finally began, Blake¡¯s arm was perhaps eighty percent repaired. It was enough to recast Flame Shield, but would hinder him in battle.

    No choice. It¡¯s do or die.

    He crept closer and observed his enemy. The Koza were tall, bipedal humanoids with hoofed feet. Their knees bent in the opposite direction of humans, and they had large curling horns atop their heads. Their leathery skin was pale, almost eggshell, and every bit of their hair, including the five inches which grew from their chin, was white as snow.

    In this fight, they faced off against five Manders rather than four. Each shield bearing Koza held off their own monster, while the aether user froze the fifth in place. The mana user waved its hands through the air in a complex spell form, the disabled Mander its obvious target.

    Okay, aether user first. It¡¯s the biggest threat.

    Blake crept forward until he was twenty feet away and then used his Guided Spatial Step. He appeared directly behind the aether user with his sword raised, and immediately swept it downward.

    His blade bit deep into the Koza¡¯s neck and severed its spine.

    The Mander was immediately freed and slithered toward its closest enemy, Blake. Its sharp fangs began to glow with chi, and its entire body seemed to light up as well.

    Crap.

    ¡°Ambush!¡± shouted the mana user. At the last second, the caster successfully shifted its focus and a hail of tiny projectiles began to pepper him. What felt like bullets riddled his body, leaving bruises, before he was able to kneel and shelter behind his shield. Loud clangs continued to shake his metal barrier as he waited for the spell to fall off. When the barrage failed to end, he quickly blasted the caster with his Directed Mind Blast.

    Unfortunately, before the stream of bullets ended, the Mander struck.

    Left with no choice, Blake was forced to ignore the spell, and redirected his shield to face the monster.

    A few, tiny, spear-shaped stones pelted him from behind.

    The final dregs of the spell left welts on his skin as he bashed the Mander with his shield. It rebounded, stunned, and he quickly ended its life.

    As he planned, the remaining Koza were not able to assist their mage. The Manders occupied their full attention.

    The mage finally recovered from Blake¡¯s psionic spell, and he turned to rush the Koza, before it could finish its next cast. Just as he reached the mana user and plunged his sword deep inside its chest, the mage¡¯s spell was released.

    Energy exploded out from its hands and washed over Blake. He was thrown backward to tumble along the ground. When he finally came to a stop, he was disoriented. His ears rang, and his vision swam as he tried and failed to stand.

    Focused Regeneration!

    Blake canceled the healing of his shoulder and redirected the spell to his brain. He lay on the ground, and waited to recover, while the sounds of battle continued around him.

    A minute later, the world finally stopped spinning.

    He crawled across the stone floor, collected his dropped weapon and shield, and carefully pushed himself off the ground to his feet. Blake¡¯s footing remained unstable, but with his Focused Regeneration, was rapidly recovering.

    Shit! I need to attack. Now!

    One of the chi users had killed its opponent, and had rushed to assist its teammate. There was no way Blake could take on all four Koza by himself, injured as he was. If he wanted to succeed, he would have to attack immediately, before he felt ready, and before they finished off the Manders.

    As Blake slowly advanced, the Kofa plunged its spear into the back of a Mander as it spewed flame against its friend¡¯s shield. The weapon pierced through the monster¡¯s thick hide, and the Mander¡¯s spell faltered as it died.

    Now!

    Blake used a Guided Spatial Step to teleport past his target, changed the direction he faced, and plunged the tip of his longsword into the back of the Koza while it tried to retrieve its spear.

    ¡°No!!!¡± its partner screamed as he kicked the corpse off his blade.

    Blake¡¯s enemy suddenly glowed with chi. At twice its normal speed, the Koza rushed forward, its spear extended.

    He barely raised his shield in time.

    However, the angry Koza continued to launch a barrage of attacks against him, which he barely fended off. Blake slowly backed away under the onslaught, until his back met a wall, and he was forced to use another Mind Blast or succumb.

    The moment he released the psionic spell, both combatants stumbled. Intense pain flared, deep within his head, and he felt blood flow out of his nose. However, he expected the spell¡¯s fallout, while the Koza was unprepared.

    It stumbled and screamed as it cradled its head. Blake took advantage of its momentary weakness, and thrust his blade into his enemy¡¯s open mouth.

    The Koza was killed instantly.

    Two more to go.

    As the enemy fell to the ground, his sword pulled free, and he panted to regain his breath. His head was killing him, and he found it difficult to see. He wiped his eyes clean, and swore when his hand came away bloody.

    That can¡¯t be good.

    Suddenly, his reserves of chi ran out, and his Focused Regeneration abruptly ended. His hemorrhaging brain no longer healed at almost one hundred times the normal rate, and he could feel his vision begin to dim.

    I have to finish this fast!

    Blake¡¯s aetheric spell remained on cooldown, so Blake sprinted toward the last two combatants as they attacked their Mander opponents. Before he could reach the closest enemy, the Koza killed its Mander and rounded on him, shield at the ready.

    ¡°Die!¡± it belted.

    Blake ignored the ready stance and used his superior attributes to his advantage. He bashed the Koza¡¯s spear away with his shield, and after his own sword was deflected, tackled the chi user to the ground.

    While he straddled his enemy, he released his grip on the longsword and quickly withdrew his dagger. The Koza released its own spear and pummeled Blake with its fists in an effort to dislodge him. Blake ignored the ineffectual attacks and plunged his dagger through the Koza¡¯s exposed neck.

    One left.

    Blake was about to retrieve his weapons, when the absence of sound alerted him that something was wrong. His years of battle experience saved his life.

    Without looking, he rolled to the side. A spear, meant for his back, missed its mark and impaled his leg. Blake screamed, but continued to roll away from his enemy. As he tumbled along the ground, the weapon ripped out of his leg and exacerbated his wound.

    The final Koza relentlessly pursued him across the cavern. As he spun, he spotted the final Mander out of the corner of his eye. It had a spear embedded within it, and slowly slithered along the ground.

    When his aetheric spell was finally available, he immediately used it to teleport behind the last monster. Blake went directly from prone on the ground, to standing and facing the Mander.

    He reached for the lodged spear, and plunged it deeper within the beast. A moment later, it collapsed to the ground. When he was sure it was dead, he placed a foot upon the monster¡¯s back, and pulled the stolen weapon out of the corpse.

    Now you can¡¯t win without killing me.

    Blake had been afraid they would eliminate their twenty-fifth Mander before he could kill them. If they did so, Blake would lose the scenario, even if he exterminated the Koza directly after. He would be stuck on the Mander world, unable to return to Earth.

    ¡°Damn you, Human!¡± it screamed.

    His enemy was now left with a choice, either retreat and defeat a group of Manders on its own, or turn and attack Blake. Unlike the monsters, Blake was by himself and heavily injured. The choice was clear, and its look of despair was replaced with determination.

    Suddenly, Blake¡¯s injured leg gave out, and he collapsed to his knees.

    Not now!

    His vision dimmed, and his thoughts began to muddle as his blood seeped out of his leg and his eyes. The Koza, seeing his weakness, charged him with only its spear in hand.

    Unable to maneuver, Blake braced himself. Just before they collided, he twisted his torso to the side and raised his own spear. He felt his enemy¡¯s weapon pierce his right shoulder, just as his own punctured the Koza¡¯s rib cage.

    Both combatants froze.

    For what seemed forever, Blake locked gazes with the defiant alien. Then, the light seemed to fade from its eyes, and it slowly sagged to its knees. It released its grip on the spear buried within his shoulder, and fell beside him.

    Notifications appeared within his vision.

    Blake could feel his consciousness wavering, and he collapsed on his side. As he lay on the cave floor, spear still embedded in his right shoulder, he opened his first notification.

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    No.

    He dismissed the alert, but could no longer keep his eyes open. Luckily, he could read the Collective¡¯s messages without his sight. The text of the next notification stood in stark contrast to the darkness which now filled his vision.

    For clearing a combat scenario two levels above you, by yourself, your achievement has been upgraded. - [Elite Solo Warrior] ¡ú [Master Solo Warrior]

    The [Master Solo Warrior] achievement increases your attributes by fifty percent.

    When Blake finished reading the message, he could no longer hold onto consciousness. The bright letters dimmed, the world went black, he knew nothing more.

 Interlude - New Mission

    Captain Jeremy Jackson shifted uncomfortably at the dining room table alongside two other team leaders. In the past month, he and the others had entered the spatial distortion dozens of times and killed what seemed like hundreds of aliens.

    Our teams can¡¯t survive this meat grinder much longer.

    Over the last few weeks, half their soldiers had died. Of the original six teams, only three now remained.

    By now, Jeremy had learned to keep his mouth shut. Scott Peters, their CIA boss, and the only one seated who was not military, did not take kindly to objections. What Jeremy could not fathom, however, was how the other two team leaders remained loyal.

    Are they just playing along?

    The other captains and their teams had been thrust into the same meat grinders as he had, yet they never seemed to question their orders. Even now, they eagerly and respectfully responded to Mister Peter¡¯s queries.

    ¡°Of course, sir,¡± Captain Roberts responded. ¡°Whatever you need.¡±

    Suck up.

    Jeremy¡¯s lip curled in disgust before he was able to prevent the expression.

    ¡°Okay, now that we¡¯re all caught up.¡± Scott shuffled the papers before him until he found the appropriate notes. ¡°There¡¯s been a new development. Leadership has determined that the spatial distortion here in DC is no longer a priority. The quarantine will remain, but we will cease all exploratory operations.¡±

    Finally!

    ¡°That, however, does not mean that our job is done. In the past week, two additional distortions were located and secured. One is in Spokane, Washington, and the other is in Pinetop, Arizona. The first was reported by a rancher. He was chasing away wolves on horseback, when he stumbled through the distortion. Luckily, he had a rifle on him, and was able to eliminate the NHIs on the other side. According to the rancher, these are not the same NHIs you are all familiar with. They are short, fat, and ugly.¡±

    Jeremy heard a snort of laughter to his left, but remained straight-faced as he absorbed the new information.

    ¡°We have less information about the second distortion. It was discovered a few days ago by police. Two of their officers were chasing a local druggy and went MIA. When backup arrived, there was an altercation with a fugitive, which ended in the deaths of at least one officer, possibly others. While searching the scene, three additional police stumbled inside the distortion before it was cordoned off. As yet, none have returned.¡±

    Jeremy shook his head sadly. He knew exactly what kind of hell they were up against. Likely, the local police officers were already dead.

    ¡°Captain Frederick, I¡¯m placing you in charge of the Spokane operation.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± the team leader affirmed the order.

    ¡°Captain Roberts, you¡¯re in charge of the Pinetop operation.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± the officer responded.

    Mister Peters turned to Jeremy. ¡°Captain Jackson, you will accompany Captain Roberts to Pinetop. Your team will be split between operations, and you will be placed under Captain Robert¡¯s command. Is that understood?¡±

    Jeremy bit his lip and then responded, ¡°Yes sir.¡±

    When he affirmed the order, the CIA man addressed his new commanding officer. ¡°Captain Roberts, your operation is a bit more complicated than Captain Frederick¡¯s. The local police force is angry about the loss of their own, and want answers. They¡¯re also out for this ¡®fugitive¡¯s¡¯ blood.¡±

    I would be, too, if some criminal killed my friends.

    ¡°Keep an eye out for any sign of the criminal,¡± Scott continued. ¡°If he somehow made it out of the anomaly alive, we need to detain him. We will, of course, not be providing any answers to the police. The quarantine team has already given them a cover story and denied further access to the site. They will run interference with the local authorities while you and your team investigate the distortion.¡±

    That¡¯s gonna go over well, I bet.

    ¡°Unfortunately, we have no information on what may be on the other side. However, your orders remain the same. Both teams are to capture and return with any NHIs they find. If that remains impossible, you are to interrogate them on site and execute them.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± all three captains responded.

    ¡°Good,¡± Mister Peters nodded absently. ¡°Private transportation has been arranged as well as local accommodations. I want this new operation up and running as soon as possible.¡±

    <hr>

    I thought Arizona was all desert.

    Pinetop was nothing like Jeremy expected. He assumed the area would be filled with cactus, rocks, and blazing heat. Instead, their new site was surrounded by verdant forest, which could be quite chilly when the wind blew. Although, he did find one lone cactus on his way.

    It¡¯s really nice here.

    Unfortunately, his flight to the small city was not. He had been escorted to a private airfield, transported on a cargo plane to a small airport in Show Low, Arizona, and was then driven to a house in Pinetop, fifteen minutes south. As the accommodation was decorated as a vacation home, not a CIA safehouse, he could only assume they had rented it off Aerobnb.

    Once situated, Jeremy, along with Captain Roberts and his men, were transported with black SUVs to the quarantine site. A white fire tower stood atop a large hill, which overlooked the area.

    Unfortunately, there was only room inside the small structure for four people, especially kitted out in gear as they were. Jeremy, along with two other soldiers, waited on the staircase below as Captain Roberts gave last minute instructions.

    When the additional orders were fully disseminated, they marched through the distortion, one at a time. Jeremy entered the distortion and immediately appeared within the familiar darkness. In this area, time seemed meaningless.

    Seconds, minutes, or even hours later, he was ejected from the dark and into a desert wasteland. Jeremy quickly rose to his feet, where he immediately noticed a much heavier gravity than he was used to on Earth. However, the strange sensation was not as important as his safety. He raised his rifle, and scanned the surrounding area for threats.

    After he ensured the area was clear, he tried and failed to raise his team on the dead communication equipment. He checked, and the camera on his helmet was also offline. When he determined that all electronics were disabled, as usual, he began to observe the area in detail.

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    Same old, same old.

    Jeremy stood at the bottom of a small canyon, fifteen feet deep. Whatever stream carved through the rocks was nowhere to be seen. Only tan stones, coated in dust, surrounded him.

    If the increased gravity was not enough to convince him he was on another planet, the local star, which was almost twice the size of the sun, clenched it. He carefully climbed out of the depression and continued to search for aliens.

    All he found at the top was more desert.

    Jeremy located the highest point nearby and summited the jagged rocks until he reached a viewpoint where he could reconnoiter the area.

    What the hell is that?

    What looked like a large, tan bear, foraged among short, fat succulents. However, it was unlike any bear he had seen back home. Not only was it far bulkier, but it had long, bushy ears as well.

    Well, that thing¡¯s definitely not intelligent. Let¡¯s see if I can find the aliens.

    Unfortunately, that bear-like animal was the only creature in view from his vantage point. He was forced to descend the rocky rise, and explore the area on foot.

    An hour later, he was hot, sweaty, and annoyed. Twice, he felt a familiar tingling sensation, and was forced to turn back before it morphed into debilitating pain. He had begun to think of the mysterious technology as an invisible fence, and was careful to stay within its bounds.

    Jeremy clambered along yet another rocky hill to better survey the area, when he stumbled into the local wildlife. In distress, he lost his grip, and slid down to the ledge below. The loud rock slide woke the slumbering beast above, and it roared at the invasion of its territory.

    Shit!

    Jeremy unstrapped his firearm, aimed at the large animal five feet away, and fired. The first bullet only made it angrier, so he continued to fire steady shots, aimed at center mass, until all fifteen rounds were expended.

    He immediately ejected his magazine, detached a spare from his vest, and inserted it into his rifle. With his training and practice, the reload took less than a second.

    The bullets did heavy damage to the strange animal¡¯s internals, and its footing slipped as it lost strength. To Jeremy¡¯s horror, the rhinoceros size creature began to slide off the side of the ledge, directly above him.

    He immediately threw himself to the side atop a large outcropping, where he became precariously balanced in the heavy gravity. Unfortunately, his reload, as fast as it was, delayed him just long enough that his rifle was caught beneath the beast as it landed.

    The gun was wrenched from his hand, which heavily bruised his fingers, and almost caused him to fall. However, when the dead weight of the bear-like animal finally stopped its slide, he celebrated his victory.

    That was close!

    Jeremy hopped off the outcropping and over to the ledge where the wild beast fell, to retrieve his firearm. He bent over, found the strap, and pulled. When it did not budge, he attempted to pry it out. In the end, it took him almost a half hour before he was able to retrieve his weapon.

    Well, shit¡­

    As he inspected the rifle, he realized it would never fire another bullet. The steel barrel, the strongest piece of the gun, was irrecoverably bent. Without his rifle, he was left with only a combat knife and two fragmentation grenades.

    Maybe I can whittle a spear?

    Captain Jackson searched the horizon, but found only cacti and rocks in his view. He had yet to find a tree since he arrived, and would be unlikely to locate a suitable branch.

    I guess not. Are these bear thingies the only thing here? Do I need to kill all of them for the distortion to become active?

    Jeremy checked his grenade pouch and grimaced. The explosives were far more likely to wound than outright kill. If he used one on the large animal, he would need to get in close and finish it off with his knife.

    Maybe there¡¯s just two more bears and I can go home.

    He took a swig from his canteen, wiped the sweat from his brow, and set off in search of a bear to kill.

    <hr>

    Jeremy shielded himself behind a large boulder as the grenade exploded. The concussive blast was accompanied by a strange yelp, and he immediately peeked around the stone to observe his prey.

    Yes!

    His throw had been accurate, and the beast now let out a soft mewling wail as it lay on its side. He retrieved his knife from his waist and stalked forward to put the wounded animal out of its misery. Jeremy grunted with effort and buried his knife deep within its eye socket.

    When the large creature did not immediately die, he pried the six-inch blade from side to side until it finally lay still.

    Hopefully that¡¯s the last one, I¡¯m all out of explosives.

    That was the second grenade he had used, and the third animal he had killed. He was left with nothing but his knife, and intended to return to the small canyon where he arrived. Hopefully the spatial distortion would be open so he could return to Earth.

    By the time he located his arrival point, the large sun had begun to set, and he was exhausted. Despite only wearing twenty pounds of gear, he felt like he wore over a hundred. His legs felt like jelly, and his back was sore. As he descended into the canyon, all he could think of was the barbecue place he saw on the drive into town.

    Maybe they¡¯ll order take out after debrief.

    Unfortunately, he found no red, swirling, glow of a distortion where he entered. The anomaly was inactive, and he remained stranded on the alien world.

    Jeremy stared at his six-inch knife, his lone weapon, and then at the setting sun.

    I should find the next bear before it gets dark.

    As he struggled out of the canyon and searched for the next animal, he did his best to focus on the task before him rather than his hopeless chance of victory. He trudged through the rock and dust until the last rays of the local sun lit the sky.

    Jeremy was forced to turn away from the invisible fence three times before he finally found another bear-like animal. He immediately hid behind a rock and quieted his breathing before he dared check to see if he alerted it.

    Thank God.

    The beast remained unaware of his presence, a mere fifty feet away. Unfortunately, he doubted he could reach the beast while remaining hidden.

    Maybe it¡¯ll fall asleep soon.

    The sun set, and night had fallen. So far, he had found no other animals, only the short, stubby cacti they seemed to feed upon. While he waited impatiently for the animal to sleep, he pondered something that had bothered him.

    There¡¯s no way they get that big just by eating cactus. What¡¯s going on here? Is this like a zoo or something? Why does the anomaly only open after I kill everything in the pen?

    Unfortunately, he found no answers to his questions.

    It took over two hours before the large animal finally bedded down for the night. Twice he had to silently stalk the beast as it moved on to forage food. Each time he departed, he held his breath and advanced slowly, careful to not alert his prey.

    Finally.

    He stealthily approached. As he knelt before the slumbering creature, his heart raced and sweat dripped from his brow, despite the chill. Captain Jackson gripped his knife with two hands, took a slow, deep breath, and plunged his blade down into its closed eye socket.

    It immediately woke with a roar and batted him away with its oversized limbs. He rolled along the rocky ground, and felt twinges in his back and limbs as they became bruised.

    When he realized the beast now stood, he immediately scrambled to his feet. His movement alerted the large creature, despite it having only a single good eye, and it lunged toward him.

    Jeremy dove to the side, and further injured his hip in his desperation to escape the wicked claws. He felt a breeze ruffle his short hair as the beast¡¯s large paw swiped the air above him.

    Screw this!

    Jeremy pushed himself off the ground and fled the area.

    He panted as he darted between rocks and over short hills to avoid pursuit. Each time he looked behind him, he found himself barely ahead, which only served to spur him on.

    When his stamina completely flagged, and he felt he could run no further, he took one last look behind him and then collapsed to the ground in relief.

    The bear-like creature had finally bled out.

    I can¡¯t believe I killed that monster with a knife!

    Captain Jackson remained on the ground as he breathed heavily, desperate for oxygen. For long minutes, all he could think of was how much he hoped it was the last animal within the pen, until his thoughts were interrupted by a strange new phenomenon.

    Welcome to the Collective!

    What the hell is that!?!

    Jeremy waved his hand in front of his face in an effort to dislodge the lightly glowing words before him. It passed back and forth, threw the message, but had no effect on its existence. He mentally forced them away, and was surprised when the action was successful.

    Your species has been chosen by the Architect to join countless others on a path to power. As a member of the Collective, you will use nano to enhance your body, gain access to combat classifications, and harness power previously unknown. This will be necessary to overcome the challenges your planet will face in the future. You will be given directives to follow to show you the path. However, it is up to you to decide how you achieve it. Always remember, the greater the risk, the greater the reward.

    As one of the first of your species to join the Collective, it is your duty to spread this message and prepare others for what is to come. You may induct others into the Collective early by transferring nanomachines to them.

    Holy shit! Justin Miller was right!

    Jeremy dismissed the message, and another took its place.

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

 Chapter 68 - Recovery

    Blake woke and noticed a blinking alert in the corner of his vision.

    Ugh¡­ I feel like shit. What happened?

    Suddenly, his heart raced as everything came rushing back. He attempted to roll on his side, but instead yelped in pain. The spearhead, still embedded within his right shoulder, moved, and widened his wound.

    Blake gently tried to extract the spear, but it remained lodged, and received only agony for his efforts. He craned his neck to inspect the wound, but the hide armor blocked his view.

    I guess I just yank it out.

    He grasped the shaft of the spear, inhaled deeply, and pulled with his full strength. The weapon was ripped from his shoulder, along with a healthy dose of flesh. He immediately slapped a hand over the wound to stop the gush of blood, and activated his Focused Regeneration.

    Hopefully one hundred times normal healing is enough. Actually, wait! The achievement!

    Blake continued to ignore the notifications that vied for his attention and checked his status.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity

    Combat Classification - Level 1

    Chi - 19%

    Mana - 52%

    Psi - 61%

    Aether - 94%

    Attributes - Increased by 69%

    Physical Power - 31.7[3]

    Physical Stamina - 23[1]

    Physical Resistance - 25[3]

    Magic Power - 15.2

    Magic Stamina - 15.2

    Magic Resistance - 25.4[2]

    Achievements -

    First Kill

    First Clear

    First Solo Clear

    Directive Enthusiast

    Master Solo Warrior

    Slayer II

    Scavenger Prime

    Super Human

    Faction Pioneer

    Directive Follower

    Omni-Warrior

    Combat Connoisseur

    Mark of Cain

    General Skills -

    Summon Companion

    Spatial Storage

    Analyze II

    Spells -

    Chi -

    Focused Regeneration - 2%

    Mana -

    Improved Flame Shield - 1%

    Psi -

    Directed Mind Blast - 3%

    Aether -

    Guided Spatial Step - 5%

    Nano - 294m

    Directives -

    Build a new expansion town at least 50 miles away

    Gain 1,000 faction members

    It had been a while since Blake reviewed his full status. Despite his pain, he could not believe how much his achievements already increased his attributes. In comparison, after almost ten years of non-stop killing in his past life, he had accrued only a twenty-five percent attribute increase.

    Yet now, a mere two months after he was inducted into the Collective, he sat at an impressive sixty-nine percent increase. He had the attributes of someone that was level five or six, and he was still only level one.

    How long was I out?

    Blake finally opened his notifications. He ignored the scenario reward, as it was not time-sensitive, and moved on to the many messages he had received.

    The first was just a simple question from his mother about dinner. Another asked if he would be late. When he failed to respond and missed family supper, he began to be bombarded with concerns from both parents. There were no messages from Oliver.

    Well crap, I better let them know I¡¯m okay.

    Blake contacted both his parents through holo-chat, and was surprised with how quickly they both answered.

    His mother gasped and covered her mouth with a hand, while his father¡¯s eyes widened, and he asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Shit, I forgot I¡¯m injured.

    All of his exposed skin was heavily burned from the ignited caustic liquid, and thick, dried blood coated both his left and right shoulder. Luckily, they could not see the deep bruises which covered his body, nor the spear wound in the back of his thigh.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it looks worse than it is,¡± he lied. ¡°I¡¯ll be just fine in a couple of days.¡±

    He could tell neither parent believed him, yet they did not press the issue. Instead, his mother asked, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I beat a scenario two levels above me. I won, but got a little hurt doing it.¡±

    Peter¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I thought you were done taking big risks,¡± he accused.

    Blake raised both hands before him, and immediately regretted it as blood squirted from his wound the moment he released pressure. He immediately returned his left hand to the injury and winced at their reactions to the gruesome sight.

    Donna¡¯s eyes widened in shock, while his father¡¯s jaw dropped.

    A moment later, his mother recovered and demanded to know what happened.

    Blake took a deep breath, and explained, ¡°I got stabbed by a spear.¡±

    ¡°Wait, weren¡¯t you fighting those Mander thingies?¡± she asked, confused. ¡°From what I saw, they don¡¯t have arms. How do they use a spear?¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yeah, that was the plan, but the Architect had other ideas. A group of aliens were transported to the same scenario, and I was forced to kill them.¡±

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    ¡°Good aliens or bad aliens?¡± Peter interrupted.

    ¡°Oh, definitely bad aliens,¡± he answered quickly. ¡°They¡¯re the same ones that are gonna invade Earth.¡±

    ¡°You mean like you¡¯re invading the Manders?¡± he pointed out, dryly.

    Blake frowned. ¡°It¡¯s not the same thing. I¡¯m not coming through with a massive army to commit genocide.¡± He then changed the subject, away from the philosophical. ¡°What time is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s almost nine a.m.,¡± his mother answered.

    Good, then it¡¯s only been about fifteen hours or so since I passed out.

    ¡°Okay,¡± he nodded. ¡°I¡¯m gonna claim my reward and then head back as soon as I can drive.¡±

    ¡°No, you aren¡¯t,¡± Donna corrected. ¡°You¡¯re in no condition to drive. I¡¯m going to go down there myself and pick you up.¡±

    Blake tried to shrug, but neither shoulder wanted to respond. Instead, he nodded and replied, ¡°Sure. That¡¯ll work.¡±

    After he said goodbye, he navigated his interface and chose to accept his reward. A list of four level three items was presented to him.

    The first option was a necklace that would raise his Physical Stamina by four. While it sounded amazing, it did come with a few drawbacks. The necklace would cancel the single point he gained from his plated boots. It would also replace his current chain, which granted him three Physical Power.

    The additional three Physical Stamina would be a Godsend when combined with the twenty-five-fold increase to healing Focused Regeneration granted him. It would increase the speed at which he healed by almost ten percent. However, he forced himself to examine the alternatives.

    His second option was a new jerkin. It boasted all the advantages of his current chest piece, as well as additional protection from attacks. In his opinion, its only downside was that it had no sleeves, and did not grant attributes.

    Would it have blocked the ice spell, or the Koza¡¯s spear?

    Blake doubted it. If level three armor could make you invulnerable to the same level monsters, there would be no risk, therefore no reward.

    The Architect¡¯s all about forcing us guinea pigs to take risks.

    Blake snorted and moved on. Third was a spear capable of channeling chi. The energy would pass through the hilt of the weapon and infuse its tip with a magical sharpness. While imbued, it would not break, and could more effectively pierce through physical or magical armor.

    Of course, it also soaks up chi like a bitch.

    Blake checked his interface¡¯s energy gauges and saw that his chi had already decreased over twenty-five percent. Focused Regeneration healed at an incredible rate, but it was far less efficient than the standard spell.

    Still worth it.

    The last option was a pair of hide leggings. Like his current pair, they would self-repair. However, in addition to that, they would grant him two Physical Power.

    Maybe it could help Jeff?

    Blake shook his head in disappointment.

    If the attribute were something that was not already increased by nano-gear such as Magic Stamina or Power, he might have selected it. Unfortunately, he already gained three Physical Power from his necklace, and the boosts would not combine. If he wore both, he would only gain the attributes from the chain, while the legging''s increase would be ignored.

    ¡°So, the choice is between a necklace I only wear when I need to heal, better chest armor, or a chi spear,¡± he said aloud.

    After only a moment of consideration, he discarded the chest armor. With it, he would likely become invulnerable to level zero and level one enemies. However, he did not fight low level opponents. He constantly pushed himself to fight above his own level.

    Eventually, he decided to select the spear.

    The necklace would grant him greater healing now, but he was unlikely to die from his current injuries. The extra seven or eight percent faster healing would save him little time now, and would be useless to him when he was uninjured.

    The spear, however, would allow him to pierce through magical protection such as a chi user¡¯s Hardened Shell, or an aether users¡¯ Force Resistance. In addition, its penetration scaled with his Magical Power attribute, something that was abnormally high for his level.

    Blake shifted uncomfortably, and tried not to scratch his shoulder. The wound itched beneath his armor, and he could not wait until the sensation was gone.

    A half hour later, his mother informed him she had arrived. His spear was constructed by nano-machines, so he collected it and shuffled painfully to the entrance. He used the new weapon as a crutch as he hobbled out of the portal and through the canyon to the gravel road where his mother waited.

    When she finally saw him coming, she hopped out of the vehicle to help.

    ¡°Oh my goodness, Blake!¡± she fretted as she slipped her arm under his to relieve some of his weight. ¡°I thought you said it wasn¡¯t that bad! You can barely walk!¡±

    ¡°No, I said it looks worse than it is,¡± he corrected and checked that he would not bleed on the seat. ¡°And yeah, it hurts right now, but by tomorrow I¡¯ll be mostly better.¡±

    Donna helped him into the passenger seat with an ever deepening frown, and then tossed his new spear in the bed of the old truck. When she entered the driver¡¯s side door, Blake asked her a question before she could needle him about his health.

    ¡°So, how¡¯s the faction hall upgrade going?¡±

    His mother slammed the door shut behind her and put the vehicle in drive before she looked over at him. After a moment, she shook her head and answered, ¡°They finished it yesterday.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± he responded, enthused. ¡°Have any leads for another two constructors?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Yeah, Kuruk knows a lot of people on the Rez that could use some work. I¡¯m going to interview a few of them this afternoon to see if they¡¯ll be a good fit.¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°Can they be trusted not to go to the police?¡±

    His mother laughed. ¡°Evidently, the Apache aren¡¯t big fans of our government.¡±

    ¡°I wonder why,¡± Blake added dryly.

    ¡°Kuruk assured me they won¡¯t turn us in, despite the reward.¡±

    ¡°How big is it?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re offering twenty-five thousand for any information that leads to the arrest of you or Oliver.¡±

    ¡°No reward for you or dad?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No, but we¡¯re ¡®wanted for questioning¡¯.¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure that¡¯s all they want. So, how many people from the Rez do you think we can hire?¡±

    ¡°Ten or so for now. Although Kuruk says that once people start getting paid, word will spread.¡±

    He grimaced. ¡°Hopefully it doesn¡¯t spread too far. I¡¯m sure most won¡¯t turn us in, but there¡¯s always someone¡­¡±

    Donna nodded in agreement.

    ¡°So, how long till Oliver gets his Alchemy shop?¡± He changed the subject.

    ¡°We have to finish the Glassblower workshop first. Then we need ¡®off world materials¡¯ for the alchemy shop, which should take another three days to finish. He¡¯s been asking about it hourly.¡±

    ¡°Well, we won¡¯t get any wood from the Mander caves,¡± he said sardonically. ¡°Are the cops still at the fire tower?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No, it looks like some federal agency moved in. There are tents everywhere, and they put up some barriers so no one can see inside.¡±

    Blake cursed under his breath. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll get our materials from the goblin portal.¡±

    His mother smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Montgomery and Jeff have it handled. Jason and Owen are going to join them once they finish their scenario and collect everything we need.¡±

    He smiled.

    It¡¯s nice to have problems handled by others for once.

    ¡°What else did the faction hall upgrade open up?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± she trailed off as she navigated her interface. ¡°Looks like upgrades for buildings, an enchanter shop, tannery, tailor shop, armory, and evidently, the warehouse is an option now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s crazy,¡± he furrowed his brows. ¡°So, if I didn¡¯t choose a warehouse as my free building, all that wood and stone would¡¯ve had to be moved by hand up to now.¡±

    His mother nodded. ¡°Metal really saved us some time with that suggestion.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he did. I wonder if the Pinetop warehouse will work for the Payson expansion?¡±

    ¡°You can always ask Metal,¡± she suggested.

    ¡°I will when we get back home. I¡¯m not sure what¡¯ll happen if I summon while we¡¯re driving.¡±

    ¡°So, what are your plans?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to transfer some more nano to the treasury, and then take the rest of the day off.¡±

    ¡°Good!¡± she vehemently agreed. ¡°You¡¯ve been working yourself too hard. Maybe you should take a few days off to recover.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, there¡¯s too much to do. I figure by tomorrow morning, if we can¡¯t use the warehouse, I¡¯ll be well enough to load up some wood and stone into a trailer and drive it to Payson. Then, I can start construction on a faction hall for the expansion town. While I¡¯m there, I should probably check out the portal, too.¡±

    His mother glanced at him. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡±

    Blake waved away her concerns. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± he assured her. ¡°It¡¯s just Arachne.¡±

    ¡°What are those?¡±

    ¡°Think of a cross between a person and a spider,¡± he began.

    ¡°Oh my God!¡± she protested. ¡°That sounds awful! How big are they? Are they intelligent?¡±

    Blake chuckled. ¡°Most are short, about four feet tall, but weigh about the same as me. They can talk, but I wouldn¡¯t really consider them intelligent. I¡¯d say they¡¯re on the same level as goblins. You can communicate with them, but they aren¡¯t exactly rousing conversationalists.¡±

    ¡°Spiders that can speak,¡± she repeated. ¡°What do they even talk about?¡±

    Blake half shrugged, and then winced when his shoulders twinged. ¡°The usual.¡± In a high-pitched voice, he mimicked, ¡°You food, we eat!¡±

    Instead of the expected laugh, she looked at him in horror.

    When they drove through the factional town¡¯s gate, the newly upgraded faction hall dominated the view. The architecture reminded him of a mix between ancient Greek construction and modern Mediterranean.

    Large stone pillars lined the front of the building, while the top was roofed with red slate tiles. It was an oversized two stories, and had multiple walkout balconies on the second floor.

    ¡°What is that, ten thousand square feet?¡±

    Donna smiled, proudly. ¡°Jordan measured it. According to him, it¡¯s almost fifteen thousand square feet if you include the underground jail.¡±

    Blake whistled.

    ¡°I forgot how big it gets.¡± He turned to his mother. ¡°Hard to believe that at level one, it¡¯s the size of a shack.¡±

    ¡°Well, it definitely looks impressive now.¡±

    ¡°Just wait till the next upgrade,¡± he said knowingly.

 Chapter 69 - Additional Manpower

    Blake savored each bite of his father¡¯s new cuisine at a table in the cookhouse. It not only granted him a temporary one point increase to his Physical Stamina, but tasted amazing as well. He swallowed the bite and shook his head.

    ¡°This is amazing, dad.¡±

    Peter smiled, proud of his creation. ¡°The key is in the spices and texture. You¡¯re only allowed to deviate from the recipe so far before it no longer gives you attributes. But, if you give it a dash of seasoning, and flash fry it in a cast iron skillet, it gives the Mander meat a crunchy outer surface that locks the juices in.¡±

    Blake nodded and sliced off another piece of Mander steak. ¡°Well, this is way better than my last faction¡¯s food. Theirs was fine, I guess, but they never tried to experiment for taste. All they cared about was the bare minimum to get the attribute boost.¡±

    His father¡¯s grin grew at the praise.

    After he finished chewing the steak and swallowed, he asked, ¡°I¡¯m curious, how do you level as a cook?¡±

    ¡°I get a directive for each new recipe, but I only get the reward the first time I make it. I think it¡¯s to incentivize trying new things, or something.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s probably more about the ingredients than the recipe,¡± Blake interrupted.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Well, according to Metal, the Architect encourages everyone to go out and fight. For some reason, it doesn¡¯t want us to grind the same scenario for materials over and over again. It wants us to explore new scenarios all the time. You probably have to cook a bunch of different meats to advance, am I right?¡±

    When Blake was done speaking, he bit into the next slice of meat and groaned in pleasure at the taste.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Peter nodded. ¡°Although, I don¡¯t have to do all of them. It lets me choose specific recipes that I want to specialize in. For example, I almost have enough mastery over the Mander steak recipe to progress. But, before I can, I have to purchase four other recipes and cook them at least once.¡±

    Blake nodded and swallowed. ¡°Can you choose whatever recipes you want?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Peter nodded. ¡°Thank God, too. Can you even imagine having to eat goblins?¡± He grimaced in disgust.

    Blake smirked. ¡°Yeah, they don¡¯t taste the best. The meat¡¯s a bit stringy and gamey.¡±

    His father¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are you serious? You¡¯ve eaten goblins?¡±

    Blake slipped another bite of Mander steak in his mouth and nodded.

    ¡°But they can talk!¡±

    He swallowed his meat and chased it down with cold water. ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re not supposed to eat people!¡± His father emphasized, clearly upset. ¡°It¡¯s cannibalism!¡±

    Blake sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not cannibalism,¡± he corrected. ¡°They¡¯re another species entirely.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Peter sputtered. ¡°They can feel pain!¡±

    Blake snorted and pointed at the last slice of Mander steak. ¡°You don¡¯t think that Mander felt pain when I killed it? What about chickens or cows? You don¡¯t think they feel pain?¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t intelligent, though,¡± the cook argued.

    ¡°The chickens aren¡¯t, but that Mander sure as hell is. It can cast spells,¡± he reminded his father.

    Peter frowned. ¡°But¡­ I thought¡­¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Just because it can¡¯t talk, doesn¡¯t mean it isn¡¯t smart or can¡¯t feel pain.¡±

    ¡°Then how can you kill them? How can you kill intelligent beings?¡±

    He scowled. ¡°Because it¡¯s either us or them. If I don¡¯t, I¡¯m essentially committing suicide by not growing strong enough to survive and protect my faction. It¡¯s one of the reasons I hate the Architect so much.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t protect everyone, Blake.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know,¡± He agreed. ¡°I wanted to recruit a ton of people and create like twenty teams before Invasion day, but the sheriff and his deputies ruined that. Now, I have to worry about someone running to the cops. If they find out about this town, it could ruin everything.¡±

    The sound of engines in the distance suddenly grew louder, and Blake frowned.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± his father asked as his head swiveled to the glassless window.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, let¡¯s find out.¡±

    He quickly swallowed the last bite of Mander steak and rose to his feet. When he exited the cookhouse with his father, and stood beside the tall Greek pillars of the faction hall, he saw a line of at least fifteen cars and trucks enter their property.

    The drivers soon began to park in the grassy field and exited their vehicles. Fingers were pointed at the newly constructed hall, as they conversed excitedly with themselves.

    Blake swallowed his last bite of steak. ¡°Uh, I thought mom said she was just interviewing a few people.¡±

    ¡°That was the plan,¡± his mother confirmed as she exited the two-story building. ¡°Although, Kuruk did say a few more might come when word spread.

    Blake gestured toward the crowd of at least fifty people. ¡°That¡¯s a lot more than just a few people.¡±

    She nodded.

    Peter scratched his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I¡¯m going to feed that many people.¡±

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°You won¡¯t have to yet,¡± he assured his father. He then turned to his mother. ¡°We¡¯re going to pay them, right?¡± After she nodded, he asked, ¡°Do we have the money for that?¡±

    ¡°For now, yes. Jessica found someone willing to cash the check under a shell company. It should last us another month or so until the loan comes through.¡±

    ¡°She has a shell company?¡± he asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Evidently,¡± she shrugged.

    Blake shook his head. He was glad he was able to recruit her.

    I¡¯m glad they know what they¡¯re doing. I don¡¯t even know what a shell company is.

    Donna sighed. ¡°Well, I suppose I should gather everyone up and explain what¡¯s happening.¡±

    His mother strode forward to a clearing and cupped her mouth with both hands. She shouted, ¡°Can I have your attention, please!¡± After a brief moment, the murmurs of conversation cut off as the crowd shifted their attention to his mother. ¡°Everyone, please gather close so I don¡¯t have to yell.¡±

    It took a few minutes for the crowd to fully assemble as everyone jostled for postion. When they amassed near enough that she no longer needed to shout, she asked, ¡°Can I see a show of hands of people who are here looking for a job.¡±

    All but one raised their hands. When Blake focused on that person, he realized it was Kuruk and whispered fiercely to get his attention. After Blake raised his voice, the man finally noticed him and walked over to the pillar he and his father stood near.

    While his mother continued to orient the new potential hires, Blake asked, ¡°Kuruk, who the hell are all these people?¡±

    ¡°Friends and family,¡± the young Apache answered simply.

    Blake gestured toward the crowd and replied, ¡°You¡¯re either related to or friends with every one of those people,¡± he asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Some are friends of friends,¡± he then corrected himself.

    ¡°How can you be sure one of them won¡¯t go to the cops when they find out Oliver and I are fugitives?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the police want to question your mother and I, too,¡± his father reminded him.

    ¡°They won¡¯t rat,¡± Kuruk assured them confidently.

    ¡°You can¡¯t know that,¡± Blake argued.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Kuruk rumbled. ¡°I can.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s too late to change anything now,¡± Peter said. ¡°They¡¯re already here, and they¡¯re going to find out sooner or later about our situation. I suppose we¡¯ll find out if you¡¯re right, Kuruk.¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± he replied. ¡°They already know.¡±

    ¡°WHAT!?¡± Blake shouted, and briefly interrupted his mother¡¯s speech. He mouthed, ¡®sorry¡¯ to her and repeated his question in a quieter manner. ¡°What do you mean they already know?¡±

    ¡°Two days ago, I told them that you and your family are wanted by the police. I also told them about the reward. I explained the entire situation and mentioned you need hard workers and are willing to pay.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised we don¡¯t already have the police down our throats,¡± Blake remarked.

    Kuruk shook his head. ¡°I lied about where the town is to test them. I had my sister watch the fake location and in two days, no police showed up.¡±

    Peter smiled. ¡°That was a great idea!¡±

    Blake had to agree.

    I suppose that¡¯s one way to do it. Although, it doesn¡¯t guarantee they¡¯ll stay quiet. Someone might demand more pay to stay quiet. Maybe I should tell Mom to put Kuruk in charge of something.

    He kept his concerns to himself. It was too late to change things, and he could only hope everything worked out for the best.

    It¡¯s gonna take over fifty mega-nano to invite them all. I better transfer another hundred over to the treasury after this is over.

    With an internal sigh at the cost, Blake tuned in to listen to his mother.

    ¡°...farmers, cooks, stonemasons, and all kinds of other jobs. We also have more dangerous work for those willing to take risks. If you¡¯re interested in working as a¡­ security guard¡­ then please talk to Blake. He¡¯s the one in the leather armor,¡± she pointed to Blake.

    All eyes suddenly focused on him. Some were obviously baffled by his attire, while others looked at him derisively, likely due to his age. Few people wanted to work for a teenager, which is what he appeared to be.

    Although, it could be the burns on my face.

    However, one by one, people began to trickle over until nine potential recruits stood near. His father begged off to return to the kitchen and left Blake alone with the small party. The group¡¯s ages varied, yet all except one were men. The single female was young, and looked to be in her upper teens or lower twenties.

    ¡°Dahteste,¡± Kuruk scowled. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    The girl smirked. ¡°I know what being a ¡®security guard¡¯ means,¡± she created air quotes with her fingers. ¡°... and I want in.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous,¡± he disagreed. ¡°Go back to the other group.¡±

    She suddenly looked furious. ¡°Just because I¡¯m your sister doesn¡¯t mean I have to listen to you. I¡¯m an adult and can do whatever I want.¡±

    Kuruk shook his head and angrily stomped away.

    Just what I need, family drama.

    ¡°Dangerous?¡± a thin man in his mid-twenties asked derisively. He looked Blake up and down with disdain. ¡°Why¡¯s a kid in charge of security?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m the one paying. If you can¡¯t handle taking orders from a teenager, then you¡¯re welcome to leave,¡± Blake gestured toward the row of parked vehicles, but winced when his shoulder twinged.

    The man shook his head. ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m good,¡± he assured Blake. ¡°I assume, since this job will be ¡®dangerous¡¯, that it pays more. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s got better benefits,¡± Blake replied evasively. ¡°Trust me, you¡¯ll be happy with them. That¡¯s not the issue. I need to know that everyone here is willing to listen and follow orders to the tee. I¡¯m going to invest a lot of time training you, and I¡¯ll be handing out expensive equipment, too. I don¡¯t want all that effort wasted when you die because you think you know better.¡±

    The thin man snorted.

    Blake frowned. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t have a problem?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t have a problem at all,¡± the man smirked.

    ¡°Then what¡¯s with the asshole routine?¡±

    Suddenly, the man¡¯s smile disappeared and he stepped forward angrily. ¡°Who are you calling an asshole?¡±

    ¡°You,¡± Blake said evenly and stood his ground. ¡°Now either shut up and let me talk, or go back to the others and become a farmer. I don¡¯t have time for this bullshit.¡±

    Another in his lower thirties put a hand on the irate man¡¯s shoulder and whispered, ¡°Jerome, just listen to him. The tribe said they won¡¯t hire you again. Who cares if he¡¯s just a kid?¡±

    Jerome shook off his friend¡¯s hand. ¡°I care. If this job actually IS dangerous, he could get us killed. Just look at his face! He probably did something stupid and almost got himself killed. I bet he¡¯s never been in a fight in his life. He¡¯s only in charge of security because his mommy¡¯s rich.¡±

    Blake glanced at the others and saw the doubt painted across their faces. Even Kuruk¡¯s sister, Dahteste, looked concerned. If Blake wanted to form combat teams out of these volunteers, he needed to convince them that he was worth listening to,

    I suppose a demonstration is in order.

    ¡°Actually, you¡¯re wrong on pretty much every front. You don¡¯t know a single thing about what¡¯s going on here, because you think you know best. First of all, I don¡¯t work for my mother, she works for me. Second, I¡¯ve been in literally thousands of fights, and I¡¯ve won all of them.¡±

    Jerome snorted. ¡°Bullshit. You¡¯re what, seventeen? Eighteen?¡± He shook his head and jabbed a finger into Blake¡¯s chest. ¡°You¡¯re still wet behind the ears. You look like you can barely even stand.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Blake responded. ¡°I was trying to be polite, but that obviously won¡¯t work here.¡±

    He grabbed the finger poking him in the chest and twisted it. Jerome screamed sharply as metacarpals snapped, and cradled his now broken hand. After a moment, Jerome looked up from his swelling fingers, shouted, ¡°YOU BASTARD! I¡¯LL KILL YOU!¡± and rushed forward to tackle him.

    Blake gently checked him with an extended arm and winced when the angry man fell to the ground, unable to breathe.

    Shit, that was still too hard.

    After a few moments, when Jerome¡¯s moans transitioned into deep breaths, Blake sighed in relief. He had not intended to kill the man, only humble him.

    Blake looked at the others, who had slowly backed away from the altercation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he just had the wind knocked out of him, is all. He¡¯ll be fine. Now, I have a long story to tell, so please, no interruptions until I¡¯m done. It¡¯s going to be hard to believe, but after I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll prove that everything I¡¯ve told you is true.¡±

 Chapter 70 - Teams

    Over the next twenty minutes, Blake explained everything to the new recruits. Since they were already aware of his fugitive status, he clarified exactly why he and his brother were wanted by the police. Although, he decided not to mention the officer he had killed.

    Thankfully, Jerome remained silent the entire time as he cradled his injured hand.

    When he was done, he invited all but the injured man to the Collective and then their faction. Blake did not want to waste his time on someone who would only cause problems for him and his faction.

    He showed them his Spatial Step, multiple times, and showcased the hardness of his skin with a borrowed knife. Eventually, even the most reluctant skeptic in the group conceded defeat.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jerome finally spoke up.

    Blake turned to the injured man on the ground in surprise.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know any of this. All I saw was a kid who thought he was hot shit because his mom runs things.¡±

    Not much of an apology.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to join your faction and kill goblins, or whatever else I need to.¡± When he saw that Blake did not appear to be swayed, he added,  ¡°I swear, I can follow orders.¡±

    Should I invite him?

    If Blake invited Jerome to the Collective, took the time to invest gear and nano into the man, and he still refused to follow orders, Blake would be pissed. However, if he turned Jerome away, the man would likely retaliate by going to the police for the reward.

    If I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll have to throw him in our new jail.

    Blake would not risk the future of the faction, and would confine the man until after Invasion day. Luckily, the man was rude, and he would not feel even the slightest amount of guilt if he decided to do so.

    Before he made his decision, he wanted to discover how the man thought. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°To join the faction.¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes. ¡°No, you just found out about that. I mean, why did you decide to come here this afternoon?¡±

    ¡°Oh. Cause I needed the cash.¡±

    ¡°Most people who need money are respectful and polite to their potential employers, regardless of how they feel. Why would you be openly hostile? You had to know there was no way I would hire you after you refused to listen to me.¡±

    Jerome frowned. ¡°Like I said, I didn¡¯t know. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t really thinking, I was just annoyed to find nepotism here, too.¡±

    ¡°Well, ¡®not really thinking¡¯ is going to be a problem. If all you were gonna do is get yourself killed, I wouldn¡¯t really care. But, you¡¯ll probably get your teammates killed as well.¡±

    Blake was leaning toward jailing the man.

    Kasey, the man in his thirties who had cautioned Jerome, sensed his thoughts and spoke up on behalf of his friend. ¡°Jerome can be an ass sometimes, but he¡¯s good in a fight. He won¡¯t let his friends down. If what you said is true, we need all the warriors we can get.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d trust him not to get you killed?¡± Blake asked.

    Kasey nodded.

    Blake then turned to the others. ¡°What about you guys? Do you want him on your team?¡±

    Dahteste and four others remained silent as they studiously avoided eye contact with Jerome. However, two men agreed to fight by his side.

    ¡°Then, it looks like we found our teams.¡± Blake turned to Jerome, who still cradled his left hand as he sat on the ground. ¡°Are you going to have a problem following Kasey¡¯s orders if I make him the team leader?¡±

    Jerome quickly shook his head. ¡°Not at all. That¡¯d be great, actually.¡±

    Blake grasped hands with the injured man, and inducted him into the Collective. As he did so, he cautioned, ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret my decision.¡±

    Jerome nodded and then asked, ¡°This Collective doesn¡¯t have any doctors, does it. Can I get some magic healing?¡±

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Blake responded. ¡°You¡¯ll have to heal the old-fashioned way for now.¡±

    He then turned to the rest and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to find you all some nano-gear to wear. Once you choose a weapon, I¡¯m going to transfer ten mega-nano over to each of you. You need to learn the basics of combat, and a general skill is the fastest way to do that. Also, unless you¡¯re already an expert, do NOT spend it on an attribute. I¡¯m going to spend almost a hundred mega-nano on you all already. You aren¡¯t getting more.¡±

    Blake hobbled to his temporary armory and handed out weapons and gear. By the time he was finished, his hoard was greatly diminished, and everyone was eager to test out their new equipment.

    He explained the process of purchasing a general skill, and then began to transfer over ten million nano to each trainee. After he transferred one hundred mega-nano to the treasury, spent nine to induct the new trainees to the Collective, and then transferred over another ninety so they could learn a combat skill, he was left with only ninety-five million nano.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Seventy-five after I build the Faction Hall in Payson.

    Blake grimaced.

    Just an hour before, he held almost three hundred mega-nano. Now, he was almost broke.

    Once these two teams get started, I¡¯m starting a faction tax. I can¡¯t keep doing this. I¡¯ll have mom break the news.

    As he had done with Montgomery and Jeff, he had them spar against each other for practice. Unfortunately, nine trainees was an odd number, and Dahteste was left without a partner. Blake would have trained with her, but his own injuries prevented him from doing so.

    ¡°Holy shit, Blake!¡± Montgomery strode up behind him, finally back from the goblin scenario. ¡°You look like shit!¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Blake responded dryly. ¡°Good to see you too.¡±

    ¡°Who are all these people?¡±

    ¡°These nine are our new combat team recruits, but there¡¯s another forty or so elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯d you find so many people?¡±

    ¡°Kuruk found them. According to him, they¡¯re friends and family,¡± Blake added dryly.¡±

    Montgomery whistled. ¡°That¡¯s a big family.¡±

    Jeff nodded in agreement.

    Blake laughed. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too, but he vouched for all of them.¡±

    Montgomery suddenly leaned in close to Blake and whispered, ¡°What¡¯s up with the hot chick?¡±

    Blake chuckled at his friend¡¯s expected reaction. ¡°That¡¯s Kuruk¡¯s sister.¡±

    ¡°Seriously?!¡± Montgomery blurted. ¡°They look nothing alike!¡±

    Dahteste had been closely observing her fellow trainees as they fought, but was finally distracted by the outburst. When Montgomery noticed he had her attention, he strode over to her with a big grin and said, ¡°Hey, my name¡¯s Montgomery.¡± He pointed behind him. ¡°And this is Jeff. We¡¯re the A team.¡±

    Smooth, Montgomery, smooth.

    The young woman wrinkled her nose in disbelief. ¡°Did you just say you¡¯re the ¡®A team¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Montgomery replied unapologetically. ¡°We actually just got back from killing a ton of goblins.¡±

    At the last statement, her curiosity was piqued. ¡°What¡¯s it like in a scenario? Do you really go to another world? How often do you do them?¡±

    Montgomery laughed. ¡°Hold up, I don¡¯t even know your name.¡±

    She flushed in embarrassment. ¡°Sorry. My name is Dahteste.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Tadosty,¡± Montgomery extended his hand.

    She offered her own hand in greeting. ¡°It¡¯s pronounced ¡®Ta-dot-se¡¯,¡± she corrected.

    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve never heard of a name like that. What¡¯s it mean?¡±

    ¡°My father named me after an Apache warrior woman.¡±

    ¡°And now you¡¯re going to be a warrior, too?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°Wanna spar?¡± Montgomery asked.

    Dahteste gripped her staff tight. ¡°I would love to.¡±

    ¡°Great. Is this your first time?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I have learned the staff mastery skill, but have not had a chance to test it out.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go easy on you,¡± he offered.

    She frowned. ¡°Please don¡¯t. I want to fight, not be coddled.¡±

    Montgomery shrugged. ¡°Suit yourself.¡±

    He collected his spear and shield and then slammed them together. ¡°Ready?¡±

    She set her feet wide, raised her staff at the ready, and nodded. Blake internally chuckled at his friend¡¯s awkward advances.

    Let¡¯s see how she does.

    Montgomery stepped forward and half-heartedly thrust his spear forward. She easily batted it aside with her staff, and followed the deflection with a strike of her own.

    He quickly raised his shield to block the attack, but at the last second, she redirected the staff low. The end of her nano-enhanced wooden pole slammed into Montgomery¡¯s knees, and she grinned in triumph.

    Nice.

    ¡°Good job,¡± his friend congratulated her. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see if you can block this.¡±

    He stepped forward and slammed his shield into her. She tried to intercept the blow with her staff, but there was no way she could resist his super-human strength. Dahteste was thrown backwards with a cry of alarm, and landed hard on the ground.

    ¡°Sorry!¡± Montgomery¡¯s eyes widened and he rushed forward. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    As he leaned over her, face full of concern, she abruptly twisted and swept his feet from under him. He fell on his side, and she quickly struck him hard across his chest with her staff.

    You gotta stop underestimating her, Montgomery.

    His friend barked a laugh from the ground. He slowly stood and turned to take in the fierce warrior woman. ¡°That was badass. You wanna join my team?¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°I thought you said you and Jeff were a duo and didn¡¯t need anyone else?¡±

    Montgomery turned to Blake in disbelief. ¡°Dude¡­ shut up. This chick¡¯s fire.¡±

    Dahteste frowned and then looked over her shoulder at the other trainees as they sparred. After a brief moment of indecision, she shrugged and said, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Montgomery¡¯s grin returned. ¡°Awesome!¡±

    Blake glanced over at Jeff to see how he took the news. The stocky man seemed elated to have another team member, and had a grin of his own plastered across his face.

    As he continued to watch the groups spar, he noticed that his chi reserves had finally refilled. He activated Focused Regeneration, and targeted his injured leg. Blake was tired of walking with a limp, and he hoped the wound would be fully healed before the end of the day.

    He was about to rag on Montgomery, when he unexpectedly received a message.

    Rajesh Kshetrapal: Hello? Is this working?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Rajesh! It¡¯s good to hear from you!

    Rajesh Kshetrapal: Hello, Blake. I wanted to apologize for my previous behavior. I realize now that you were trying to help, and I reacted badly.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s not a big deal.

    Rajesh Kshetrapal: Thank you for being understanding. Is the offer to join your faction still open?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Of course! I¡¯d love to have you. I actually already invited Montgomery and Jeff, those two friends I told you about. We¡¯re training a batch of new recruits as we speak.

    Rajesh Kshetrapal: If I drive out to your faction town this evening, could I receive similar training?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Sure! And you¡¯re welcome to stay here in the bunkhouse with us as well!

    Rajesh Kshetrapal: That is good. I have decided to drop out of university. If the end of the world is coming in a few months, it makes no sense to waste my time here, when it could be better spent elsewhere.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Exactly! Don¡¯t worry about food or shelter, we got you covered.

    Blake grinned fiercely as he messaged back and forth with his old friend. He shared their location and made plans for Rajesh to join them for a late dinner that evening.

    When he finally cut off communication, he could not help but be excited. His mother was right, Rajesh changed his mind, and he would now be reunited with all of his former teammates.

    He took in the sight of his new trainees sparring, with the luxurious faction hall in the background. New faction members were spread throughout the town as they filled their new positions. In the distance, he saw Jordan and Brent with two other new constructors, as they worked on yet another building for the budding town.

    Robert was joined by three new farmers in the field as they tended crops, now shin height. Jason showed off his wood shop to an interested member, while Owen gave a tour of the quarry. He even saw his brother, Oliver, lugging furniture to the bunkhouse, while his mother supervised.

    It¡¯s finally all coming together.

 Chapter 71 - Training Rajesh

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you could make it!¡± Blake greeted his friend with excitement, as Rajesh stepped out of his car.

    The Indian ex grad student nodded and tried to pierce through the darkness to see their budding town. Blake shined his flashlight on their destination, the cookhouse in the distance. Faint light escaped through the curtains over paneless windows.

    ¡°We already started dinner, but the food¡¯s still warm if you want some.¡±

    ¡°I already ate,¡± Rajesh replied, distracted.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°Well, come on. I¡¯ll introduce you to everyone.¡±

    His leg wound was mostly healed, and he no longer walked with a limp. Once his chi recovered, he planned to begin work on his shoulder¡¯s repair, but for now, his arms were stiff and did not move well.

    As they neared the faction hall, Rajesh showed great interest in the building. ¡°Can you shine the light on this?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Blake complied, with difficulty.

    Rajesh ran his fingers along the stone pillars that lined the front and began to circle the building. ¡°How long did it take to build this? How many people labored on it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Uh, not sure exactly how long, but from level one to three, I¡¯d say a little over a month. As far as workers, just two, Jordan and Brent.¡±

    His friend whistled. ¡°That is impressive.¡± He then glanced at the other buildings that surrounded them. ¡°Much more so than the other structures.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but most of them are pretty low level. They get more impressive looking as we upgrade them. They also get more features, like indoor plumbing, and even air conditioning.¡±

    Rajesh frowned. ¡°I thought you said electricity does not work after Invasion day.¡±

    ¡°It does, and it doesn¡¯t,¡± Blake waffled. ¡°Like you said before, the human body requires electricity to work, so it''s obviously not all gone. But, electronics don¡¯t work, lightning never shows up, and we never figured out a way to generate it outside a spell.¡±

    ¡°Then how will you refrigerate a structure?¡± Rajesh asked.

    ¡°I think it does it through a mana siphon and enchantment, but I¡¯m not sure. All I know is that after Invasion day, electricity only exists at the whims of the AI.¡±

    ¡°Enchantment?¡± Rajesh curled his lip in disdain.

    Blake laughed. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what it¡¯s called. Although, I think it¡¯s a translation issue. Essentially, any time you tie an object permanently to mana or the aether, it¡¯s called an enchantment. After you establish the connection, you can use the energy to pretty much do whatever you want with it.¡±

    Rajesh¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That sounds more like my area of expertise.¡±

    ¡°Probably so,¡± Blake agreed. ¡°Like I said, I think it¡¯s a translation issue. Most people see it as magic, so the AI assigned a magical sounding name to it rather than a physics based one.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the masses rarely understand how things work,¡± Rajesh noted. ¡°You said mana and aether, what of the other two energies? Can they be harnessed as well?¡±

    ¡°Kind of,¡± Blake hedged. ¡°I don¡¯t think you can establish a direct connection, but you can create something that can interact with psi or chi.¡±

    ¡°Interact, how?¡±

    ¡°Well, take my new spear, for example. It doesn¡¯t have a connection to chi, but it can channel my own energy into the tip to make it sharper.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, almost like circuits,¡± Rajesh mused. ¡°I would like to learn this, ¡®enchanting¡¯. It sounds interesting.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you do want to learn it, you can. But, then you can¡¯t have a combat class.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Hell if I know,¡± Blake admitted. ¡°But, that¡¯s the way the AI wants things. You have to pick one or the other. You can¡¯t have both.¡±

    Rajesh scratched his chin. ¡°I suppose studying it will have to be a hobby, then. Only a fool would give up the power a combat class offers.¡±

    Blake chuckled. ¡°Or, only a fool would risk their lives on a daily basis, when you could reap all the benefits and get rich in safety by making stuff.¡±

    Rajesh frowned. ¡°Do you not have a combat class?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I do,¡± Blake assured him. ¡°I¡¯ve just heard both sides of the argument.¡± He gestured toward the cookhouse. ¡°Come on inside, I think they¡¯re still serving desert.¡±

    As they neared the building, light spilled from the open windows. Rajesh startled when he finally saw Blake¡¯s condition and asked, ¡°What happened to your face?¡±

    He absently ran his fingers over the burns. ¡°Oh, this? I just got burned while fighting Manders. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be gone in a couple of days.¡±

    Rajesh shook his head in disbelief.

    The inside of the dining hall was lit by battery powered lamps scattered throughout the building. Four long tables took up the majority of the room, yet only one was occupied. At the closest table sat Blake¡¯s family, along with Montgomery and Jeff. The six of them were the only people currently living in the town, and Rajesh would be the seventh.

    Montgomery was in the midst of a tale of his prowess against the goblins, and had not yet noticed Blake and Rajesh¡¯s entry.

    ¡°... didn¡¯t know what to do, it just stood there. Then I¡­¡±

    Rajesh, glanced at the people at the table, but most of his attention was focused on the building itself. After a moment of observation, he turned to Blake. ¡°After Invasion day, will this be lit by candles?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, the cookhouse is level one right now, so it¡¯s kind of basic. Once we upgrade it, it gets lights, plumbing, and heating just like the bunkhouse. It also gets a freezer eventually, which we¡¯ll need if we want to feed thousands of people.¡±

    Rajesh looked at him in disbelief. ¡°You believe this one kitchen can feed thousands?¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°Of course not. It gets a lot bigger when it levels up, but not that big. No, we¡¯ll need like twenty of these at least.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Montgomery finished his story, so Blake spoke up before his friend could begin another. ¡°Hey guys, this is Rajesh.¡± He then gestured toward the people seated, one at a time. ¡°Rajesh, these are my parents, Donna and Peter, my brother Oliver, Montgomery, and that¡¯s Jeff.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Rajesh responded politely.

    ¡°Where¡¯d you find the new guy?¡± Montgomery asked.

    ¡°In Phoenix,¡± Blake answered. ¡°I actually saw him before I found you and Jeff. Like you guys, he was a part of my old combat team.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you could find another friend,¡± his dad told him.

    ¡°I told you he¡¯d change his mind,¡± his mother smiled.

    ¡°Rajesh, would you like some apple pie? It¡¯s freshly made.¡±

    ¡°No, thank you,¡± he declined. ¡°I ate on the drive here.¡±

    ¡°Well, I want a slice,¡± Blake announced as he strode over to the pie and helped himself.

    ¡°So, Rajesh,¡± Montgomery began. ¡°Are you sleeping here, too?¡±

    The Indian nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s cool. The bathroom sucks, but the beds are actually pretty comfortable. At least, once you fix them, they are.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I put those together.¡± Oliver interrupted. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the beds?¡±

    ¡°They squeak.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    Montgomery rolled his eyes. ¡°So, you have to tighten the screws all the way to stop it.¡±

    Jeff nodded his agreement.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Oliver complained and shoved another bite of apple pie in his mouth.

    ¡°Are you going to choose a combat class, or will you be a worker?¡± Donna asked.

    ¡°Combat,¡± he answered.

    ¡°I figured he can join Jeff and Montgomery¡¯s team since the others already have four members.¡±

    ¡°Now we have two Indians on our team!¡± Montgomery chuckled at his bad joke.

    Most at the table groaned.

    When Blake saw that Rajesh was confused, he explained. ¡°Their other team member is a Native American.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Rajesh nodded.

    They continued to talk over pie, until it was time for bed. Once Rajesh retrieved his bags from his car, Blake showed him his new room, and promised to start training him in the morning.

    <hr>

    ¡°Sorry, there¡¯s not really much of a selection anymore,¡± Blake said as he showed Rajesh the mostly barren armory. ¡°All the level one gear was already picked through.¡±

    All the new gear Blake had earned was distributed to their new recruits. The only things left were the rewards from his first scenarios and a few new ones that Montgomery and Jeff had received.

    ¡°That is fine,¡± Rajesh assured him. ¡°I will use the mace.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Blake shrugged. ¡°Here, let me transfer you some nano so you can raise your attributes.¡±

    They grasped hands, and he gifted his old friend forty mega-nano. Blake felt slightly guilty that he had not gifted any of the others nano to raise their attributes, only his three friends. However, he could not afford to spread around his nano to everyone.

    Not if he wanted to reach level three before Invasion day.

    ¡°Go ahead and sit down. Then you can purchase the ¡®Mace Mastery¡¯ skill,¡± Blake ordered.

    Rajesh sat on the wooden floor and nodded. A moment later, he grasped his head in pain as information overloaded his brain.

    When he recovered, Blake said, ¡°Hurts like a bitch, am I right?¡±

    His friend agreed.

    ¡°Okay, now use the rest of the nano to upgrade your Physical Power by three. After you do that, the two the necklace gives you should bring it up to nine.¡±

    Rajesh nodded. ¡°Will that hurt as well?¡±

    ¡°No, you won¡¯t feel a thing. In a couple of hours, you¡¯ll be as strong as a powerlifter, and as fast as an Olympic sprinter.¡±

    His friend shook his head. ¡°That is amazing.¡±

    Blake smiled. ¡°Just wait till you get magic.¡±

    For hours, Blake trained with Rajesh, while Montgomery and Jeff escorted Dahteste through a scenario. While they sparred, he answered every question Rajesh posed, of which there were many. He explained in great detail how scenarios worked, how to customize the interface, and how the progression system worked.

    ¡°So, you do not need to actually fight to grow stronger? You only need an abundance of nano-machines?¡±

    Blake laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve had this discussion, a LOT. You¡¯re talking about buying power versus earning it.¡±

    ¡°Why does ¡®earning it¡¯ matter?¡± Rajesh asked as he rested with his back against a pillar of the faction hall.

    ¡°It¡¯s true that you can buy your levels and attributes with nano. At least up to a certain point, anyway. But, in order to advance your skills and spells, you have to use them. Good luck doing that while you¡¯re sitting on your ass in a bar,¡± Blake chuckled. ¡°But, the big difference is the experience you gain by fighting. Using spells or your weapon becomes instinctual. There¡¯s no delay as you decide how to react to a situation, you just do. Sometimes, the difference between half a second is living and dying.¡±

    Rajesh frowned. ¡°I can see how that would be an advantage when one is close in levels, but what if you are wealthy and buy twenty levels worth of attributes and levels. No amount of ¡®experience¡¯ will overcome that.¡±

    ¡°True, but you can¡¯t just buy that many levels. In order to reach level ten, you not only have to drink a special alchemy potion, but you have to complete a series of directives, too.¡±

    ¡°Why is level ten special?¡±

    ¡°Level ten is when you get access to advanced spells. They¡¯re a lot stronger than the basic ones you start off with.¡±

    ¡°If they are so strong, why did you waste your time evolving the basic ones you have now?¡±

    ¡°Because the ones I have now are a lot more useful. If I want to keep soloing scenarios above my level, I need every advantage I can get.¡±

    ¡°What is in the ¡®special potion¡¯?¡± Rajesh asked. ¡°I hope it is not actually alchemy, but another translation issue?¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about it. I just know Alchemists make it from rare materials found off world, and it changes your DNA. You actually get a bit taller and better looking after you take it.¡±

    ¡°Is level ten the only time you go through this process?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, it happens again at level twenty-five. That¡¯s when you get to expert level spells.¡±

    ¡°What are those like?¡±

    ¡°Well, I actually just hit level twenty-five right before I went back in time. My only expert spell was Titanform, but while it was active, for a full minute, I was like a god. I was over fifteen feet tall, and could punch through mountains.¡±

    Rajesh frowned. ¡°Did you not say that you lost the fight?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I did. I don¡¯t think you understand just how strong Lord Zeleck was, is, whatever.¡±

    ¡°What comes after expert?¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. No one ever got that high. The highest level person I knew was level twenty-seven.¡±

    ¡°And you got stronger exclusively through scenarios?¡±

    ¡°Not really. Most of the time, scenarios are the most efficient way, but after Invasion day, the Architect will throw hundreds of directives at us. It¡¯ll give you a directive to eliminate a goblin stronghold in the local Builder Depot, or rescue a family from their home. Hell, it even gives directives to conquer the neighboring factions.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. Are you forced to complete these directives?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, they¡¯re just incentives. The only ones you need to complete are the ones tied to your breakthroughs. Level ten and twenty-five.¡±

    ¡°Why not only complete scenarios, then?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s kind of hard to say no to saving a family who¡¯s trapped in their house.¡±

    ¡°I suppose¡­¡± Rajesh agreed, doubtfully. ¡°How many portals are there?¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. At least tens of thousands worldwide. Around here, there¡¯s one in Show Low, Pinetop, and Whiteriver. If you go further out, there¡¯s one near Greer, Payson, Snowflake, and a bunch down by Phoenix.¡±

    ¡°You should create a list of all portal locations, with a description of what is inside, for the combat teams. That way, if something happens to you, we are not left in the dark.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Blake agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll get started on that when I get back from Payson.¡±

    ¡°What is in Payson?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to start our first expansion town. I¡¯m going to pick out a spot in the national forest, up by the rim, for our faction hall there. While it assembles, I figure I¡¯ll check out the Arachne scenario. I¡¯m kind of burnt out on the Manders.¡±

    He chuckled at his own joke.

 Chapter 72 - Arachne

    Blake slowed his old diesel truck to a crawl as he navigated the potholes in the rutted forest road. He sat almost thirty minutes north of Payson, Arizona, just below the Mogollon Rim. The Rim was the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau, and jutted upwards over a thousand feet into the sky for over two hundred miles.

    The cliff-face itself was relatively sparse of vegetation, but above and beneath it grew lush evergreens that climbed over a hundred feet high. Blake was a quarter of a mile away from the rock face, on a network of old dirt and gravel forest roads, which spider webbed throughout the forest.

    It had rained just the day before, and he was concerned that he may get his truck, or the trailer of materials he towed behind it, stuck in the mud. The flatbed trailer was stacked high with over a thousand pounds worth of wood, stone, and bits of metal.

    The metal was not needed to construct the level one faction hall. However, after he summoned his companion, he had learned they would not be able to transport materials to the new faction town until after he constructed a warehouse.

    Ideally, they would immediately construct a warehouse once the faction hall was assembled. Unfortunately, it required a level two faction hall, which in turn required a metal workshop, wood workshop, and a quarry.

    His trailer load did not have anywhere close to the amount of materials needed to construct that many structures. However, it had more than enough to get started, and they could always either harvest the resources locally, or haul another load in.

    Shit!

    A downed tree lay across the road. He stopped the vehicle, put on the parking brake, and exited to examine the tree. It was almost two feet in diameter, and over fifty feet tall. The tree had obviously fallen sometime during the winter, and the forest service had yet to clear the way.

    Blake grasped onto a thick branch and heaved in an attempt to pull the heavy arbor off the roadway. He cursed as the offshoot splintered away from the main trunk, and he stumbled backward, defeated.

    Stupid tree.

    He kicked the large plant in anger, but it refused to budge.

    Let¡¯s see just how strong I am right now.

    With a Physical Power of thirty-one point seven, Blake was over six times stronger than an Olympic level weightlifter. He estimated that with the proper leverage, he could lift a three ton object. If this tree weighed under four tons, he was sure he could at least drag it off the road.

    However, when he wrapped both arms around the trunk and heaved, it would not budge, no matter how many different grips and stances he tried.

    Just how much does this damn tree weigh?

    After almost ten minutes of failure, he decided to chop it to pieces rather than drag it off the road. Unfortunately, Blake had replaced his old self-repairing sword with a new chi spear he had earned by defeating the level three scenario.

    He collected the higher level weapon from the bed of the truck, stomped over to the roadblock, and slammed it into the center of the trunk. The tip of the spear sank a quarter inch into the wood and became lodged within. He yanked the shaft out, and inspected the small incision.

    That¡¯s it? This is going to take all day!

    Blake briefly considered building the satellite town here, at the side of the road. He was sure he could find a large clearing for the level one faction hall, and, with axes, they could clear-cut enough forest to place additional structures.

    No, it¡¯s too far from the portal.

    The road continued to the base of the cliff, which is where the Arachne portal was located. Blake wanted his new town to be as close to the scenario as possible, as they would rely on it for off world materials, and leveling.

    Let¡¯s see what adding chi does.

    He checked his heads-up display and found that his chi reserve was a bit over fifty percent full. Blake had healed the last of his wounds just a few hours before, which required most of his energy, and in the time since had only recovered half his pool.

    That¡¯s good enough.

    He reflexively siphoned chi into the conduits engraved upon the spear until the tip glowed bright with chi. In his past life, it had taken him days of trial and error before he was able to accomplish the complex task. There was no skill associated with it, which would download the necessary information into his head, or tutorial to guide him in the process. Instead, much to Rajesh¡¯s consternation, he had to go by feel.

    Once the end of his spear was enhanced with chi, he once again slammed it into the center of the trunk. This time, the tip sank three inches before it became lodged. It was an improvement, but not the end result that Blake aimed for.

    He flared his chi and closed his eyes.

    A wave of force, centered around the tip of his spear, expanded outward. Chips of wood peppered him and left welts along his unprotected skin. When the dust finally cleared, he examined the new void left within the trunk and nodded.

    An almost perfect sphere, six inches in diameter, was missing from the tree. He checked his energy levels once again and found that the exercise had expended six percent of his chi.

    I should have enough.

    It took another three chi explosions to fully cut through the log. Unfortunately, he had to repeat the process on the opposite side of the road if he wanted to drive his vehicle through. Five minutes later, he easily rolled the newly cut, ten-foot section off the road and climbed back in the old truck.

    When his vehicle reached the end of the old road, he found exactly what he remembered, a clearing in the forest, at least a hundred feet wide. The glade ran all the way up to the base of the cliff, which is where the portal was located.

    This is perfect.

    He unloaded all the materials from his trailer and stacked them neatly along the side of the road. Once that task was completed, he opened his interface and chose to construct a faction hall. The wire-frame hologram appeared before him.

    Blake rotated the building, moved it near the center of the clearing, and then accepted the placement. He dragged the five hundred pounds of wood and one hundred and fifty pounds of stone over to the building and fed it twenty mega-nano to start the assembly process.

    Just six hours, nice!Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Unlike the first time he constructed a faction hall, this time he supplied it with cut boards rather than whole trees. The processed lumber cut the assembly time almost in half.

    Once it began, he dusted off his hands and contacted Jessica. Without a smartphone and the ability to share a GPS location, it took quite a while before she was confident in his directions. She verified them through satellite imagery and promised to arrive shortly after the completion of the faction hall.

    Okay, time to check out the Arachne portal.

    For weeks now, Blake had endlessly fought against the Manders.

    With his level one spells, evolutions, and attribute placements, it was the most efficient scenario he could complete. He had meticulously planned his level one build with the direct goal of soloing a scenario two levels above him.

    Blake had accomplished that goal and upgraded his achievement.

    His next goal for his personal growth was to gain one point six billion nano and reach level two. Once he did so, he would no longer tailor his spells and attributes to a specific enemy. After all, he would need to complete many unique scenarios, scattered throughout the state, to gather materials for his growing town.

    He knew killing Manders was still the fastest way to accomplish his new goal, but could not bring himself to return to their caves just yet. The Arachne scenario offered a break from the monotony, and would serve as a diversion, even if it only rewarded him around ten million nano at level one.

    At least I get to keep most of what I earn now.

    Before he left, he had met with his mother and established a ten percent income tax on all nano gains. The income from their non-combat classes would be minimal for now, but with three separate combat teams clearing scenarios, the treasury would slowly start to fill up.

    He estimated the three teams would bring in one point five million nano per day at their current rate. Once they began clearing two scenarios per day, that number would double.

    Of course, Blake would still be the largest contributor through taxes. His Scion of Humanity title doubled his nano gain, and he could clear two scenarios per day, each a level above him. That would grant him around a hundred mega-nano per day. Ten percent of that would now go directly to the town treasury to pay for new buildings and upgrades.

    Eventually, when they had far more members, his own contribution would be a small percentage of the total rather than the vast majority. However, they still had three and a half months until Invasion day. Until then, they had to stay under the radar, and could not go on a recruiting spree.

    Enough math, time to do this.

    Blake turned sideways to enter the small crevice in the cliff. He ducked below a low overhang, and then straightened when he entered the tiny cave. His fingers traced the rock to his side as he blindly maneuvered through the dark.

    Suddenly, he was pulled into the void.

    As it was the first time he had completed this scenario, at least in this life, he was not presented with a choice to increase the difficulty. Instead, he was given his objective for the level one scenario.

    Kill the queen Arachne.

    Too bad it¡¯s just level one. I could¡¯ve made a LOT of nano.

    Blake had completed this exact mission type before. Last time, there were hordes of enemies between his team and the queen. The objective could be completed through stealth and assassination, but he preferred the opposite approach.

    It was far more lucrative.

    For this type of objective, the scenario boundary would be far larger than normal. He would be forced to explore a truly massive area until he found his quarry.

    The Arachne queen his team killed, in his past life, had a grotesquely extended abdomen. She was immobile and defenseless as she continuously gave birth to her young.

    She was also heavily guarded.

    With their somewhat stealthy approach, it had taken them hours to find the queen¡¯s abode. They had attempted a scenario a level above them for the increased nano gains, and were wary of drawing too many enemies down upon them.

    That¡¯s not a problem this time.

    Blake now had the attributes of someone six to seven levels above him.

    Faint light appeared in the distance, and he suddenly found himself ejected from the void. Blake stumbled after he landed in the soft leaf-laden soil of the dark forest floor, but quickly caught himself.

    He kept his spear and shield at the ready as he first searched the immediate area for threats, and then froze as he listened for anything headed his way. Once he was sure he was safe, he paused to examine his new environment.

    It looks just like last time.

    Even though it was likely midday, hardly any light breached the thick canopy of leaves above. The gravity of the Arachne planet was close enough to Earth¡¯s that he barely felt the difference. However, the air was much thicker.

    The high levels of humidity made it even harder to pierce through the fog of the forest. Its presence forced him to rely more upon his sense of hearing than sight, which was limited to only a few dozen feet.

    He cast Improved Flame Shield upon himself, in case he ran across a fire based mana user. However, it was unlikely to be useful, as the human spider hybrids¡¯ spells were split almost exclusively between psi and aether.

    Which way should I go?

    Blake checked his map, and found himself close to the center of the boundary. He had hoped to enter close to the edge, as that would suggest a likely orientation to start his search. Instead, the queen could be found in any direction.

    Wait a minute, why go to them when I can make them come to me?

    Blake threw caution to the wind and shouted like Montgomery had days prior, ¡°Hello, Arachne! Come and get me!¡±

    He paused to listen. A moment later, he heard the high-pitched chatter of Arachne voices in the distance and prepared himself for battle.

    He grinned.

    Montgomery would be proud.

    The somewhat intelligent creatures came from behind him and to his left. He marked their estimated current location on his map and reoriented himself. The density of Arachne increased as one neared the queen, and the location of enemies could help guide him towards his objective.

    Blake grimaced as his boots sank into the soft ground.

    The eight legs of the Arachne would give his opponents the advantage on the spongy surface. They would use that edge to quickly surround him and attack as a unit. Luckily, he could use Guided Spatial Step to overcome their ambush and create one of his own.

    Patience, Blake, patience.

    Blake acted as if he were unaware of their presence as they slowly surrounded him. Their soft chitters sent a chill up his spine, yet he ignored the instinctual sensation.

    As long as he was careful, he had nothing to fear.

    Now!

    A distinct double click was the sound he had been waiting for, their signal to attack. He teleported forward, twenty feet, and reoriented himself to face the opposite direction.

    Directly before him was the backside of a confused Arachne. Its target suddenly disappeared, and it was left directionless when their carefully planned ambush failed. He thrust his spear into the backside of its humanoid head, and pierced its skull.

    It died instantly.

    After he removed his spear, he paused to listen to his enemy¡¯s high pitch voices.

    ¡°Where did it go?¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Do we go back?¡±

    ¡°No! I will use Sense Mind!¡±

    Blake rushed toward the closest voice, an Arachne just fifteen feet to his left. His passage through the forest floor was loud, and alerted his enemy to his presence. It immediately alerted its kin and quickly turned to face him. However, it was too slow.

    A single thrust of his spear ended its life with a squeal.

    Two down.

    The Arachne, finally aware of their target¡¯s location, descended on him as he stood his ground. They were enraged by the death of their kin, and ignored all strategy to quickly reach him.

    Blake welcomed their anger.

    They suddenly appeared before him in the fog. Three separate spells partially affect him. He suddenly became slightly heavier, was blinded by a bright flash of light, and felt his mind become sluggish.

    Blake shook off the sensations and cast a Directed Mind Blast in a cone in front of him. Suddenly, the spells were interrupted as every Arachne before him suddenly became stunned. His Magic Power was much higher than their own Magic Resistance, and even at the spell¡¯s maximum range, they felt the full effect.

    His enemies never stood a chance.

    He systematically executed all fourteen of the stunned Arachne. Once the last died, he checked his log and saw that he gained on average three hundred thousand nano per kill.

    In just a single fight, he had received a little over four mega-nano with what felt like very little risk, and there were likely hundreds of enemies left within the boundary. If he eliminated them all, he could earn more than a hundred million nano with just a few hours of work.

    This actually might be better than the Manders.

    Blake knew that the AI¡¯s risk assessment calculation ignored bonuses granted from achievements. It had to, or the policy would disincentivize people from attaining them. After all, why would you want an achievement that lowered your nano rewards. It would be counter-productive to the Architect¡¯s goals.

    Blake grabbed a handful of leaves from the forest floor and removed the ichor from his spear. He stomped through the forest until he reached his map¡¯s marker, once again yelled a greeting, and then paused to listen.

    The Arachne responded.

 Chapter 73 - Faction Expansion

    Jessica Nguyen: I believe I am almost there. I just passed a cut up tree.

    Blake immediately dismissed the message, to focus on the battle. He was still within the Arachne scenario, although he had killed the queen and collected his level one reward hours ago.

    However, just because the objective was completed did not mean all enemies suddenly disappeared. The free nano was too hard to pass up, and Blake had spent the last few hours slaughtering the spider people while he waited for Jessica to arrive.

    Just as he felt their aether and psi spells partially affect him, he teleported behind and interrupted the connection. He cast his own psi spell, Directed Mind Blast, and all eight Arachne doubled over in agony.

    Before they could recover, he systematically executed them.

    Once the grisly task was done, he wiped the ichor off his spear and replied to his second chancellor.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Okay, thanks for the heads-up. I¡¯ll be there as soon as I can.

    Jessica Nguyen: I thought you were already there, waiting?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: No, I was killing spiders in the nearby portal while I waited.

    Jessica Nguyen: Spiders?! Are they going to escape?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: No, it doesn¡¯t work like that, well at least not yet. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll fill you in when I get there.

    Blake checked his map and immediately set out for the portal. He was not concerned about making noise, and sprinted as best he could through the soft forest ground.

    A sentry spotted him on his way, but he ignored it. He would reach the portal before it could overtake him, and the Arachne could not follow him to Earth.

    After ten minutes of sprinting, Blake finally reached the swirling red portal. The red-tinted fog near the hole in space swirled, and resembled a whirlpool as it was sucked in. He stepped inside, unconcerned, and soon after exited the void into the dark crevice on Earth.

    Blake carefully traced the limestone wall with his empty left hand, until the sun finally lit his path. Once in the open, he located Jessica and headed towards her. She stood outside the almost completed level one faction hall with hands on her hips, and looked like she had a bitter taste in her mouth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Blake said as he came to a stop beside her. ¡°That¡¯s just what a level one building looks like. It gets bigger and nicer as it levels up.¡±

    She raised her brows. ¡°It better, or no one will want to help build this town.¡±

    Blake chuckled. ¡°You should see what it looks like at level three. I¡¯ll have to give you a holo-chat call when I get back home, so you can check it out. Or Mom can show you.¡±

    Jessica nodded in disbelief. ¡°So, what is the plan?¡±

    ¡°Well to start, once it is finished, I¡¯m going to officially make you a chancellor so you can invite people, assign jobs, and place structures.¡±

    She waved his statement away. ¡°No, that is an immediate task. I mean, what is the long-term plan?¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°I want to save as many people as possible on Invasion day. That¡¯s why I created this expansion town, and why I want to create more as soon as I can.¡±

    ¡°Why not create them all now?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Who would run it? Where do we find someone I can trust?¡± Blake shook his head. ¡°Hell, where do we find enough people?¡±

    ¡°You could run one of them,¡± she pointed out.

    ¡°I¡¯m too busy,¡± he disagreed. ¡°Besides, we can only build one more town until we upgrade our faction hall again.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the random ass limitations the Architect puts on stuff,¡± he vented. ¡°The faction hall has to reach level two before we can expand. At level three, we get two expansions, at level four, four expansions, and so on.¡±

    ¡°Is it worth it? Will people be safe within the town?¡±

    ¡°Kinda,¡± Blake hedged. ¡°Well, eventually. Monsters can¡¯t appear within the town limits, but they can still enter after they get to Earth. It¡¯ll need a wall to keep most out, and eventually a force field to block the stuff that can fly or climb over a wall.¡±

    ¡°How long before a ¡®force field¡¯ can be constructed?¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°Maybe five or six months? I¡¯m not sure exactly how long it¡¯ll take. I guess it depends on how quickly we can track down whatever materials it needs.¡±

    ¡°So, this town will only be protected by a wall on Invasion day, and it will be weeks before that changes.¡±

    Blake nodded.

    ¡°Then, we will need rifles and a stockpile of ammo to fend off the monsters. There is no way we will make that timeline.¡±

    ¡°A few rifles and some ammo is a good idea for the short term, but we don¡¯t want to rely on that. The Architect only rewards you with nano if you put yourself at risk. There¡¯s not much risk in sitting on top of a wall and shooting monsters like fish in a barrel.¡±

    ¡°But, the refugees would be safe,¡± she countered.

    ¡°Yeah, but every few months, the monsters get stronger and higher level. Eventually, bullets won¡¯t do anything. If people rely on guns, they¡¯ll stay weak and won¡¯t be able to stop them.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said a force field will protect the town?¡±

    ¡°It will, but that can only soak up so much damage. You have to go outside it and kill the monsters, or it¡¯ll eventually fall, and your whole town is screwed.¡±

    Jessica frowned. ¡°You need to write all of this down.¡±

    ¡°Why? It¡¯s faster to just tell you and answer your questions.¡±

    ¡°Because I am not the only one that needs to know. I need a document for onboarding.¡±

    ¡°Onboarding?¡± he asked in confusion.

    ¡°Yes. Have you never held a job? Once people join us, they will have hundreds of questions they want answered. It is best if there is a document they can read that answers most of them. That way, my time is not taken up answering questions.¡±

    Blake scratched his head. ¡°I guess I could write something down. As soon as I get back to Pinetop, I¡¯ll ask my mom for some pen and paper.¡±

    Jessica frowned. ¡°Are you serious?¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    The Asian woman sighed. ¡°What do you have against technology?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, but it won¡¯t work after Invasion day.¡±

    ¡°It works now,¡± she countered. ¡°And, you can edit a typed document far easier than a written one.¡±

    ¡°I suppose,¡± he shrugged.

    She laughed. ¡°You are a Luddite like my father. He, too, is afraid of computers.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of them,¡± he snorted and shook his head. ¡°I just haven¡¯t used them in ten years.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure your mother will help if you need it.¡±

    Blake was about to respond, when he suddenly received a notification and held up a finger to ask her to wait.

    You have gained 10m nano for completing a directive.

    Blake checked his interface and found that only a single directive remained, to gain over a thousand faction members. However, at a million nano per person, and with the cops and possible feds breathing down his neck, there was no way he could invite that many people to his faction before Invasion day. At least one of them would run to the cops. Either for the reward, or for moral reasons.

    ¡°Looks like the building¡¯s done,¡± Blake said. ¡°Come on inside, and I¡¯ll make you a chancellor.¡±

    He placed his hand on the white sphere, and asked her to do the same. A moment later, she was made chancellor, and began to navigate her new menus.

    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± she mumbled.

    ¡°Unlike me, you can access the town interface anywhere,¡± he explained. ¡°And, if you have any questions, you can just message my mom. How long until you can get some people here to work?¡±

    Her eyes suddenly focused on him. ¡°Two can start work tomorrow, but it will be a few days for the rest.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± he assured her. After a moment of hesitation, he added, ¡°I don¡¯t think you should tell whoever you invite about me just yet.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a wanted man. All it takes is one person going to the cops to screw everything up.¡±

    ¡°I trust them,¡± she said. ¡°But, if it will make you feel better, I will refrain from mentioning your name.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± he nodded in appreciation. ¡°Here, let me transfer some nano over to the treasury real quick.¡±

    Before he did so, he checked his status.

    Nano - 120m

    After Blake had fed the faction hall twenty million nano to begin its construction, he was left with only thirty-five. However, the level one Arachne scenario had been very lucrative. After taxes, he had gained sixty-eight mega-nano from killing the spider hybrids, and then another nine from his directive.

    He checked to see how much nano was already stored within the treasury. Unlike the warehouse, it could be accessed from any town.

    Just sixteen million? They¡¯re blowing through it crazy fast.

    Blake was disappointed that their new tax policy could not yet keep up with their expenses, but he could not afford to slow things down. He concentrated and transferred all but thirty-six mega-nano over to the treasury. Once he was done, he let go of the orb and told Jessica, ¡°Okay, there¡¯s a hundred million nano stored in the treasury now. That should last for a while.¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s gonna get dark soon, so I¡¯ll head back home and get to work on that ¡®onboarding¡¯ document you want.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she smiled. ¡°It will be far easier and more efficient if I am not constantly explaining things to people.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I can see that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back here tomorrow with a few workers. They¡¯ll get started on building up the town.¡±

    Blake said goodbye and drove back to Pinetop. This time, there were no fallen logs to eliminate, and it only took him two and a half hours to return home. By the time he pulled into their gated community, it was dark.

    He parked his old diesel truck on the grassy field and strode toward the cookhouse. As he approached the small structure, his pace increased. The smell of roasted Mander made his mouth water, and he was eager to sample another of his father¡¯s dishes. He was surprised how easily his father had taken to the new type of cooking, he did not remember the food of his past faction fondly.

    ¡°...telling you, it was the right call!¡± Blake heard Montgomery say as he stepped through the door. The argument was so heated, neither party noticed him.

    ¡°You are wrong,¡± Rajesh replied. ¡°It would have been far more prudent to establish a search grid while we stealthily reconnoitre the area. If we could remain undetected, the advantage would be ours.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way we could be that quiet!¡± Montgomery argued.

    ¡°Not with how much you talk,¡± Rajesh muttered.

    ¡°If we did it your way, we¡¯d still be there.¡± Montgomery turned to his silent friend. ¡°Right, Jeff?¡±

    Jeff opened his mouth to reply, but was immediately cut off by Montgomery.

    ¡°See? Trust me, we have way more experience with this than you do.¡±

    ¡°It is my understanding that you just began these scenarios a short time ago. A few days'' experience hardly gives you the right to ignore simple logic.¡±

    ¡°Hey Blake,¡± his mother ignored the argument and greeted him warmly with a hug.

    ¡°Hey mom.¡± He nodded toward his two friends. ¡°How long have they been at it?¡±

    Donna sighed. ¡°It¡¯s been like that ever since they got back, hours ago. Oliver couldn¡¯t take it and headed back to his room, and your father¡¯s in the kitchen cleaning up.¡±

    ¡°How did the combat teams do? Was anyone lost?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No, they¡¯re all fine, just exhausted. They ate and then went home and said they¡¯d be back in the morning.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Blake smiled and then changed the subject. ¡°I talked with Jessica. She said I should type up an ¡®onboarding document¡¯ that explains everything.¡±

    Donna nodded. ¡°I was going to ask you to as well, but I¡¯ve seen how busy you¡¯ve been. You¡¯ve been overworking yourself. You need a break.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Actually, I was thinking I¡¯ve been taking it too easy lately. I need to get to level two soon and upgrade my Physical Resistance. I¡¯m worried about those Feds, or whoever they are. Speaking of Feds, have you seen any sign of them since we got Oliver back?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re still there. Your father tried to drive past the fire tower to see what¡¯s going on, but they have the whole road shut down.¡±

    Blake sighed. ¡°Well, it was too much to hope that they¡¯d just leave it alone. They definitely found the portal, or they would¡¯ve opened that hiking trail by now.¡±

    His mother smiled and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s head over to my office and get started on that document. I¡¯m tired of listening to those two.¡±

    Blake could only agree. While the roasted Mander smelled amazing, he did not want to get in the middle of the argument.

    I¡¯ll come back after we¡¯re done.

    She glanced back at Rajesh and Montgomery. ¡°I thought you said they were friends.¡±

    Blake laughed and exited the cookhouse at his mother¡¯s side. ¡°What? Friends can¡¯t argue?¡±

    Donna turned on her flashlight and shook her head. ¡°They can, but this doesn¡¯t seem like an argument between friends.¡±

    ¡°Give it time,¡± Blake suggested. ¡°Rajesh kind of rubs everyone the wrong way when they first meet.¡±

    She laughed. ¡°You can say that again.¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°Was he rude to you as well?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. Rajesh is perfectly polite every time he speaks to me.¡± She frowned as they stepped into the lobby of the faction hall. ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be any warmth or friendliness behind his smile. He wears it like a necessity.¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just freaking out or something. I didn¡¯t meet him until two years after Invasion day, so I don¡¯t know how he handled it.¡±

    The moment they entered the building, overhead lights turned on and illuminated their passage. Donna turned off her flashlight and led the way up the stairs as they continued their conversation.

    ¡°You know, he¡¯s not that same person. If you treat him like you¡¯ve been friends for years, things may not go well for you.¡±

    Blake considered her warning as they reached the second floor and turned down a hallway.

    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Blake said as they stepped into his mother¡¯s office. ¡°But, even if we don¡¯t become friends again, we still need him. We need all the combat classes we can get.¡±

    ¡°Just so you¡¯re aware.¡±

    Donna opened her laptop, typed in her password, and then gestured at the office chair. ¡°Here, have a seat.¡±

    Blake sat before the desk and reached for the mouse she had plugged in. He moved the cursor across the screen, but did not know what to do next.

    ¡°Just open Word,¡± his mother suggested.

    ¡°Uh¡­ how do I do that?¡±

    Donna giggled. ¡°Do you really not remember how to use a computer?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been over ten years,¡± he defended.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll all come back to you quick. It¡¯s like riding a bike.¡± She took control of the mouse and opened the word processing program for him. ¡°There. Now you can just start typing.¡±

    Blake rested his fingers on the keyboard, but paused as he stared at the blank screen.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten how to type, have you?¡± she asked, incredulous.

    He shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m just trying to figure out what to say.¡±

    ¡°How about you start with everything you know about Invasion day and go from there.¡±

    Blake nodded and searched the keyboard for the first letter. After thirty frustrating seconds, his mother interrupted his hunting and pecking and booted him out of the chair. ¡°Okay, change of plans. You¡¯re going to dictate, and I¡¯ll type everything up.¡±

    He nodded in relief and began to tell his story.

 Interlude - Guilt

    Captain Jeremy Jackson shifted impatiently at the kitchen table in their Pinetop rental while Captain Jacob Roberts led the debriefing. He only half paid attention to what was said as he absently fingered his new ring, consumed by self-reflection.

    The jewelry was his reward for completing what the ¡®Architect¡¯ called a ¡®scenario¡¯. It was currently useless to him, as he had no access to spells, and only increased his Magic Power by one point. He was glad it was a plain gold band. So far, no one had noticed its presence.

    Should I keep quiet?

    He felt conflicted. For the first time in his career, he contemplated hiding the truth from his CO, and he hated the idea. If it were just Captain Roberts, he would have no problem sharing everything he knew. The man had his mouth firmly planted up Scott Peters¡¯ rear, but he at least cared about the welfare of his men.

    Their CIA dictator, however, did not. If Mister Peters found out he was initiated into the Collective, Jeremy would never see the light of day again.

    How is he even getting away with it? There¡¯s no way someone hasn¡¯t blown the whistle on him.

    Jeremy knew that eventually, the CIA man¡¯s sociopathic behavior would get him investigated and thrown in jail. He just hoped that no one else died before that happened.

    Luckily, every member of their team had escaped the most recent alien planet and returned home safely. Jeremy was the last to return. He was also the only one that had difficulty eliminating the alien bear creatures. The others had working rifles the entire time, with plenty of spare magazines.

    ¡°Captain Jackson, report.¡±

    The order jolted him out of his introspection, and he hid his hands beneath the table. He began his account. ¡°I arrived on the alien world in a rocky desert. Gravity seemed to be at least thirty percent higher, but I was able to compensate with effort. I scouted the area and came across a large bear-like creature. I eliminated the creature, but in the process, my rifle was damaged beyond repair.¡±

    ¡°Did you attempt communication with the alien before you eliminated it?¡± the Captain asked.

    Jeremy shook his head. ¡°No, sir. It was incredibly hostile and incapable of speech.¡±

    ¡°How did you know it was unable to speak if you did not attempt communication?¡±

    Is he serious?

    ¡°Sir, there was no time. It attacked, and I had no choice but to defend myself.¡±

    ¡°Very well, continue.¡±

    Jeremy sighed and shifted once more in his chair. ¡°After my rifle was destroyed, I was left with only my grenades and my combat knife. In the next few encounters, I was able to heavily wound the enemy with a frag before I finished them off with my knife. Unfortunately, I had to kill the last creature with just my kay-bar.¡±

    Jeremy heard a few whistles of appreciation around the table at the revelation.

    ¡°That¡¯s impressive,¡± Captain Roberts admitted, and then moved on to the next question. ¡°During your time on the alien world, did you encounter any other beings?¡±

    ¡°No, sir.¡±

    ¡°Did you attempt to leave the local area?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir. I encountered what I think of as the ¡®Invisible Fence¡¯ multiple times. Each time, I was forced back.¡±

    ¡°Was there anything else of note?¡±

    Jeremy swallowed at the question he had been contemplating since he learned of the Architect, but eventually answered, ¡°No, sir.¡±

    ¡°Very well, the next order of business is¡­¡±

    His commanding officer continued, but Jeremy heard none of it. The ring suddenly felt out of place on his hand. All he felt was guilt at his lie. Guilt, because he had discovered exactly why no one else had been inducted.

    The proof was in the combat logs.

    For hours after he had returned, Jeremy scoured through the interface. It took him far longer than he expected to master it, as there was no tutorial or help menu that he could discover. The interface mostly reacted to his desires, but if he was unable to find something, there was no Selftube video to help him.

    Eventually, he discovered the combat logs and pored over the information. The nanomachines that infused his body recorded every battle since he entered his first portal.

    In every instance, he received very little nano for defeating his foes. If he had continued on in the same vein, it might have been months or years before he joined the Collective. It was only when he fought what it called the ¡®Ursa¡¯ with just his knife that he received millions as a reward.

    The greater the risk, the greater the reward. I guess that¡¯s what the little welcome speech meant.

    Jeremy discovered that the nanomachines were a kind of currency that you could spend to upgrade yourself. Unfortunately, as long as they relied on firearms or grenades, they were essentially not rewarded for their efforts.

    But, there was no way he would go to the alien planet unarmed. He would need something larger than his knife, like a spear, if he wanted to test the theory. For that to happen, he would have to inform his superior. He wanted to pass the information on to his team, but was afraid of the consequences.

    Maybe I¡¯ll just test the waters and see how they react.

    After the meeting was over, Jeremy and his team members relaxed outside in the backyard of the vacation rental. It had a gazebo with a hot tub, grill, and plenty of lawn chairs. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Everyone celebrated their successful mission, the first with no casualties. Music blasted from the speakers, and they unwound in a half circle, drinks in hand. So far, no one had tested the water of the hot tub, despite the copious amount of alcohol they had consumed.

    After Renner, one of his team members, finished retelling a story, Jeremy decided to see how they would react. He cleared his throat and cautiously asked, ¡°What do you guys think happened to Miller?¡±

    ¡°Who?¡± Sergeant Godfrey asked.

    ¡°Justin Miller, the guy that told us about the portals,¡± Jeremy reminded them.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Godfrey shrugged and sipped his beer. ¡°Hell if I know. He¡¯s probably in some lab somewhere getting poked and prodded.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, poor dude¡¯s probably been through the MRI so much he¡¯s got cancer by now,¡± Sergeant Lee added.

    Godfrey snorted and sprayed beer out of his mouth. ¡°You don¡¯t get irradiated from an MRI, dumbass.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Then why don¡¯t they send everyone through them all the time?¡± Lee asked.

    ¡°Because they¡¯re expensive.¡±

    While the conversation was slightly amusing, Jeremy decided to bring them back to the original topic. ¡°What do you think would happen if we got an interface like Miller did?¡±

    ¡°Then, we¡¯d be the poor bastards in the lab,¡± Godfrey responded. ¡°If he even got an interface.¡±

    ¡°Ain¡¯t gonna happen,¡± Renner said.

    ¡°How do you know?¡± asked Lee.

    ¡°Because it hasn¡¯t happened yet,¡± Renner replied. ¡°That dude went to another planet just one time and came back with a computer in his head. We¡¯ve been, what, ten times now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, something like that,¡± Godfrey agreed.

    ¡°Like I said, if it was gonna happen, it¡¯d have happened by now,¡± Renner finished and took a gulp of beer.

    ¡°You think it¡¯s a one time thing?¡± Jeremy prodded. ¡°You think he¡¯s the only one?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all bullshit,¡± Godfrey interrupted. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have some magical interface.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he does,¡± Renner insisted. ¡°And I bet that fugitive kid has one, too. Only a matter of time before they catch him.¡±

    ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Jeremy asked.

    Renner leaned in. ¡°I overheard Davis talking about it.¡±

    ¡°Who the hell¡¯s Davis?¡± Lee asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s on the quarantine team,¡± Renner rolled his eyes. ¡°Anyway, get this. Some high school kid got in a fight.¡±

    ¡°So? I was in tons of fights back in school.¡± Godfrey said.

    ¡°Same,¡± Renner agreed. ¡°But this kid never showed back up to school afterward. The cops looked for him everywhere, and bugged his family like crazy, but there was still no sign.¡±

    ¡°Is this story going anywhere?¡± Lee asked, annoyed.

    ¡°Hold your horses,¡± Renner advised. ¡°I¡¯m getting to the interesting part. So, they get a judge to let them track his cell phone¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Godfrey interrupted. ¡°You¡¯re telling me they got a warrant for truancy?¡±

    Renner shook his head. ¡°No, the kid¡¯s technically an adult and sent a minor to the hospital. The poor guy was in critical condition for like a week. Messed him up like that with one hit. That, and the hurt kid was the Sheriff¡¯s nephew or something, I¡¯m sure that motivated the judge some.¡±

    ¡°Damn. That¡¯s hardcore,¡± said Godfrey.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Renner agreed. ¡°The cops said they just wanted to scare him straight or something, but it ended up backfiring. They found him out in the middle of nowhere. Turns out, he had a tent, food, supplies, and everything. They tried to arrest him, especially with him being near the airport, but he broke the cuffs like they were paper, beat the crap out of them, and ran.¡±

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Lee said. ¡°Dude¡¯s a beast!¡±

    ¡°Here''s the best part,¡± Renner added. ¡°The kid¡¯s a skinny little thing who¡¯s never been in a fight before in his life.¡±

    ¡°He couldn¡¯t have been too skinny if he broke through handcuffs,¡± Godfrey disagreed.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, they said he weighs like a buck fifty, soaking wet, and runs faster than Usain Bolt.¡±

    Godfree snorted. ¡°Cops are probably just overweight and out of shape.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Renner admitted, ¡°But here¡¯s the crazy part, he was wearing some kind of armor and had a sword strapped to his waist.¡±

    Jeremy leaned forward and pushed his hands into his pockets, now far more interested in the tale. Not only did the kid show increased strength and speed, he had a strange weapon as well.

    Is this kid killing aliens for nano? I need to find him and see what he knows.

    ¡°Kid¡¯s got mental problems.¡± Lee shook his head.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not just the kid,¡± Renner informed them. ¡°His whole family¡¯s screwed up. They arrested his older brother for dealing drugs, and the judge put a super high bail on him.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Godfrey asked.

    Renner shrugged. ¡°They said he had priors, and they wanted to pressure the family to give up their other son. Didn¡¯t work. The family somehow came up with the money. After a few weeks, they just kind of gave up on the whole thing, and moved on. That is, until they tried to arrest the older brother a second time. That idiot was dealing right in front of the grocery store.¡±

    He paused and took a sip of his beer before he continued. ¡°The druggy dropped his stash and ran. They said he had like a kilo on him, and they called in backup. Somehow, two cops went missing before backup arrived. Then, when backup does finally show up, they disappear too, right where the distortion is.¡±

    ¡°You think they ended up on the bear planet?¡± Godfrey asked.

    Renner shrugged. ¡°Who knows? But, at least one of them was killed here on Earth. They brought dogs in and found brain matter splattered all over the ground. That psycho family not only killed a cop, but tried to hide the evidence, too.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Jeremy asked.

    ¡°They still haven¡¯t found the five cops or their bodies. Someone in that crazy family drove one of the cop cars into a lake. Then, the parents withdrew over three hundred grand from the bank and went on the run.¡±

    ¡°Jesus,¡± Lee swore.

    No wonder the cops were pissed at us. They¡¯re five men down, and we just took over their crime scene.

    ¡°They still haven¡¯t found them?¡± Jeremy asked.

    Renner shook his head, ¡°Davis said they tracked their cell phones to a bus in California, but haven¡¯t seen them since.¡±

    ¡°You think the whole family was dealing?¡± Godfrey asked.

    ¡°Had to be,¡± Renner said. ¡°Who else has that kind of money sitting in the bank and is willing to take out the cops, too? The fact the brother was so eager to drop his stash, they had to be.¡±

    ¡°You said you think he has an interface. What makes you think that?¡±

    Renner swallowed. ¡°Oh yeah, sorry. I got sidetracked. They never found five of the bodies, right outside the fire tower, where the distortion is. The family obviously knew about it, and threw the bodies inside.¡±

    ¡°Bunch of psychopaths,¡± Lee muttered.

    Jeremy nodded in agreement with the group.

    Maybe I don¡¯t want to find him.

    ¡°So?¡± Godfrey challenged. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean they have computers in their heads.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Renner agreed. ¡°But, some skinny little kid somehow gets strong enough to break through cuffs, runs like an Olympic athlete, and wears a sword?¡± He shook his head. ¡°If that doesn¡¯t scream alien influence, I don¡¯t know what does.¡±

    ¡°Influence?¡± Godfrey frowned. ¡°You think the aliens are mind controlling them? You think that¡¯s why they have Miller locked up?¡±

    Renner shrugged. ¡°Who the hell knows?¡±

    Jeremy¡¯s guilt resurfaced. He wanted to give his opinion, but in order to do that he would have to expose himself. If he did that, he would likely never see the light of day again.

    If Godfrey thought the nanomachines could control the minds of those with the interface, it had to have crossed the minds of those in charge as well. He would never be released, and would never be trusted again.

 Chapter 74 - Alchemy Problems

    Blake shoveled the last piece of bacon into his mouth before Montgomery could steal it. His friend absently reached for another slice and was surprised when the plate was empty. Montgomery frowned at Blake¡¯s smug grin and then extended his arm towards Jeff¡¯s plate.

    Jeff slapped his hand out of the way with a growl and pulled the food closer to himself.

    Peter laughed at the display. ¡°We have plenty of bacon if you want seconds, Montgomery.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no thank you,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±

    Blake took a sip of coffee and swallowed his last remnants of food. ¡°If ¡®you¡¯re good¡¯, then why do you keep stealing ours?¡±

    Montgomery shrugged. ¡°Just bored, I guess.¡±

    ¡°You know,¡± Blake¡¯s father put his hands on his hips. ¡°If you¡¯re bored, I can always use some help in the kitchen. I need the splattered grease scrubbed off the stove, some veggies cut for lunch, and the floor needs to be mopped.¡±

    Montgomery¡¯s eyes widened and he hastily replied. ¡°Sorry, there¡¯s no time. We gotta meet up with Dahteste and Rajesh at the goblin portal. If we don¡¯t start soon, we won¡¯t be able to finish two today.¡±

    The volunteer firefighter grasped his friend¡¯s arm and pulled him from his seat. Jeff resisted long enough to collect the rest of the bacon off his plate before he was escorted promptly from the building.

    As they left, Peter and Blake chuckled.

    He turned to his father and said, ¡°If you need some help around here, I¡¯m sure we can get one of the new workers to help you.¡±

    Peter waved the offer away. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I was just messing with him. Although, speaking of messing with him, you might need to sit down and have a conversation with those two and Rajesh.¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°Is it that bad?¡±

    His father nodded. ¡°If you notice, Rajesh didn¡¯t eat at the table, he just grabbed some food from the kitchen and brought it back to his room.¡±

    ¡°Well, he is a bit anti-social,¡± Blake explained.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Peter agreed. ¡°But, this goes beyond that. ¡°Every time I see them, they¡¯re yelling at each other.¡±

    Blake thought back to how his old team operated. After a moment of reflection, he realized that he had always acted as the team¡¯s diplomat. He solved disputes, mostly between Rajesh and Montgomery, and calmed tempers.

    Plenty of heated arguments took place, but in the end, they remained a team. Eventually, hurt feelings or anger evaporated, and they fought against the monsters together.

    Should I split them up?

    As much as Blake would love to join them and act as an arbiter once again, he knew he could not. The faction towns needed a steady supply of nano to expand, and if he joined them, he would gain a tenth of what he did now.

    They also already had a fourth team member, Dahteste. While there was no limit on how many people could team up within a scenario, the Architect reduced nano gains for every person who joined. At first, the reduction was barely noticeable, but after five or six people grouped together, the penalty became steeper.

    I wonder if they¡¯re fighting over the Dahteste?

    Blake snorted and shook his head.

    He was sure her presence contributed to their bickering, but removing her from the party would not fix the underlying issue. No, he either needed to split them apart, or find someone to replace Dahteste who would act as an arbitrator.

    Blake sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±

    His father smiled. ¡°While you¡¯re at it, can you go check on your brother as well?¡±

    Blake tensed. ¡°What¡¯s Oliver done now?¡±

    Peter chuckled. ¡°Oh, nothing bad,¡± he assured Blake. ¡°But, he¡¯s having trouble making potions, or whatever he does in there. Maybe you can help him out.¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°I doubt it, it wasn¡¯t really my thing, but I¡¯ll stop by and see.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, son.¡±

    Blake left the building and strode across the trampled grass field toward the relatively new alchemy workshop. Along the way, he admired the progress they had made. In the week since he established the Payson expansion, their main faction town had exploded with growth. He had not had much time to admire the changes, as he had been busy grinding for nano.

    The bunkhouse had been upgraded to level two. It now stood four stories tall, held double the rooms, and looked far less primitive. The windows were glass, each floor had a community bathroom with plumbed water and sewage, every room was now heated, and lights adorned the ceiling.

    The bunkhouse finally felt like a real, modern residence, instead of a primitive cabin. Blake could not wait until they upgraded the faction hall to level four. Once that occurred, they could upgrade the bunkhouse again. At that point, it would grow to eight stories, with sixty-four rooms. The entire building would be air-conditioned, not that you really needed it at seven thousand feet, and it would gain an elevator.

    Its biggest change, however, would be the small kitchenettes added to every room. They included stove tops and sinks, as well as small enchanted refrigerators. Once every room had a way to store and reheat food, people would no longer have to rely on the cookhouse for their meals. Most would still do so, as it was cheaper, but eventually, you could buy your favorite foods from vendors and eat the leftovers at your leisure.

    We¡¯re still a long way from that point.

    At the moment, they were still reliant on dollars. Despite the taxes he had implemented, they had no true economy. They functioned as a communist compound, where everything was provided, free of charge.

    In another three months on Invasion day, however, that would change. All of their workers would no longer be paid in dollars, and would live in town. By then, they would be self-sufficient, and would earn nano for what they produced.

    As Blake approached the alchemy workshop, he heard banging and cursing within. He entered the small structure and saw his brother, Oliver, beat his hands against the table in frustration.

    ¡°Everything okay?¡± he asked.

    Oliver whirled. ¡°No, it¡¯s not okay!¡± he screamed. ¡°This is impossible!¡±

    Blake raised his hands and said softly, ¡°Calm down.¡±

    He immediately regretted the words, as his brother¡¯s temper flared higher.

    Yeah, that never works.

    ¡°How the hell am I supposed to calm down when I can¡¯t even make a simple stamina potion! It¡¯s been almost a week, and I haven¡¯t made shit! It¡¯s just failure after failure!¡±

    Blake sighed. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know anything about alchemy. Let me summon Metal and see if he can help.¡±

    Oliver huffed. ¡°I doubt it. I know EXACTLY what¡¯s wrong. I just don¡¯t know how to fix it.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    He frowned as he held off summoning his companion and carefully asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, then?¡±

    His brother raised his hands before him. ¡°It¡¯s the Parkinson''s! I can¡¯t stop my hands from shaking! It ruins every single potion,¡± he added bitterly.

    ¡°Maybe someone else should be the alchemist,¡± Blake suggested.

    ¡°NO!!¡± Oliver suddenly yelled. ¡°I can do it! I know I can!¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°But, you just told me you can¡¯t. Why not let someone else level up first. Once you¡¯re cured, you shouldn¡¯t have any problems.¡±

    ¡°I can make my own damn cure,¡± Oliver insisted.

    Blake ran his fingers through his long hair and sighed. ¡°I understand you¡¯re determined to cure yourself, but I have to think of the big picture. Our combat teams need potions. They¡¯re in danger every day they fight without them. If you can¡¯t provide, then I need someone else who can.¡±

    ¡°Then just upgrade the building so you can make another alchemist,¡± Oliver suggested.

    ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± Blake shook his head. ¡°We have to upgrade the faction hall to level four first.¡±

    ¡°Then just build another damn level one workshop!¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Blake replied. ¡°It¡¯s a waste of nano and time. I don¡¯t know how we¡¯re going to build enough bunkhouses by Invasion day as it is.¡±

    Oliver clenched his fists and grunted.

    Blake could see how much his brother wanted to succeed. He wished he could give Oliver the time he needed to overcome his disease, but Invasion day was swiftly approaching. They could not afford to go without an alchemist.

    After they stared at each other in silence for a few moments, Blake finally broke the awkwardness. ¡°How about this? In a week, I¡¯m going to reach level two. If you can brew a potion by then, you can keep your job.¡±

    Oliver grinned.

    ¡°But,¡± he held up a finger to forestall his brother¡¯s early celebration. ¡°If not, I¡¯m going to have to replace you.¡±

    His brother opened his mouth to argue, but Blake cut him off. ¡°You can try alchemy again when we have an opening, but we need those potions now.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Oliver grumbled and turned back to the bench. ¡°Then, I¡¯ve got work to do.¡±

    Rather than leave immediately, Blake decided to observe his brother. He leaned against the wall to watch Oliver work.

    Oliver reached for a large flask that contained a brown liquid. He slowly poured it into a smaller glass until it was half full, and then sat the beaker over a small flame and waited until it began to boil. Once bubbles appeared within the glass, he filled an eye dropper with another chemical, and squeezed a single drop out of it.

    Immediately, a cloud of blue smoke rose from the beaker and the brown liquid turned yellow. His brother nodded to himself and then pulled the beaker from the flame. After he sat the beaker on a hot pad, he retrieved a rod from the bench, took a deep breath, and slowly began to stir the concoction.

    As he stirred, the mixture began to thicken and turn color once again. From the bottom up, the yellow liquid transformed into a faintly glowing orange, the color of a stamina potion. After a few minutes, when almost half the beaker was changed, he could tell his brother was excited with his progress. Oliver¡¯s stir speed increased, and the once steady rod faintly shook.

    Suddenly, the compound sizzled, and refused to finish its transformation.

    After a few more moments, when Oliver was sure he had failed, he banged the table with his empty hands and cursed. ¡°Damnit! I was so close!¡±

    ¡°You were doing fine until you got excited,¡± Blake noted.

    Oliver jumped and whirled around. ¡°You watched the whole thing?¡±

    Blake nodded.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± his brother sighed. ¡°I can keep my hands steady if I concentrate, but as soon as I get distracted, they start to shake and ruin the potion.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you just need to learn patience.¡±

    Oliver snorted. ¡°You sound just like mom.¡±

    Blake shrugged and turned to leave. As he walked out, he called over his shoulder, ¡°Remember, three days.¡±

    Within the shop, he heard his brother grumble, ¡°No pressure¡­¡±

    Blake smiled and left to retrieve his spear from his room as he considered his brother.

    Oliver had always been impulsive. However, in order to succeed, his brother would need to cultivate patience. If he could learn to keep his composure for long periods of time, it would not only aid him in his alchemy, but in life as well.

    He needs this. Hopefully a bit of pressure is just what he needs.

    ¡°Blake!¡±

    He was startled from introspection by his mother¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Up here!¡±

    His mother waved from the second floor window of her office in the faction hall. When he locked eyes with her, she motioned for him to join her and pulled her head back inside the room.

    Blake entered the large structure and climbed the stairs. After he entered her office, he sat down on a plush chair and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got good news and bad news,¡± she answered.

    He groaned.

    ¡°Not that kind of bad news,¡± she assured him.

    ¡°Hit me.¡±

    ¡°So, the constructors have finished all the buildings and upgrades needed to bring the faction hall to level four.¡±

    ¡°That was fast.¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Donna agreed. ¡°Four constructors really do make a difference. Thanks for grabbing the supplies we needed, by the way.¡±

    To upgrade a building to level three, they needed special materials from specific scenarios. Luckily, he was able to obtain all the supplies they needed from the Arachne portal in Payson and the Lupus portal in Snowflake. The enhanced wolves were fierce and hunted in large packs, but with his advantages, he easily defeated them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he waved her gratitude away. ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll cost three hundred and eighty mega-nano to upgrade it.¡±

    Blake winced. Almost all of that would come from him, and would delay his progress to level two by at least four days. ¡°I mean, that sucks, but it doesn¡¯t sound like that big of a problem. It¡¯ll just take us a bit longer, is all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the biggest issue,¡± she informed him. ¡°It needs the same special granite you brought us a few days ago, from that portal up in Snowflake. But it specifically says it has to come from a level four scenario.¡±

    ¡°Damnit!¡± he cursed. ¡°There goes that plan.¡±

    ¡°What plan?¡± his mother asked.

    He quickly filled her in.

    In order to defeat a scenario two levels above him, he had tailored his spells and attributes to counter the Manders. That kind of specialization was dangerous in the long run, and he knew it. If you focused too heavily in one area, you left yourself open in another.

    However, the decision had allowed him to upgrade his achievement, which gave him another twenty-five percent more attributes. To fix the imbalance, Blake had planned to create a more general, well-rounded build at level two.

    That was no longer possible.

    Even with his attribute advantage, there was no way he could defeat Lupus two levels above him unless he once again chose his spells and attributes to counter them.

    ¡°Why not just wait until you reach level three? Then, you won¡¯t have to specialize, right?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t wait that long. We only have a little over three months until Invasion day. I¡¯ll be lucky if I can reach level three before then.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Why will it take so long?¡±

    ¡°Level one took eight hundred mega-nano to reach,¡± he explained. ¡°Level two is going to take sixteen hundred, twice that.¡±

    ¡°Is level three going to double it again?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯ll only cost twenty-four hundred, but my level two attributes cost thirty mega-nano per point. That¡¯s three hundred and sixty for all twelve, and I¡¯ll also have twice as many spells to evolve, so another four hundred.¡±

    ¡°Can we use the faction tax to fund it?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°We can, but it would be pointless. My taxes give the faction more nano than everyone else combined. I could exempt myself, but then we wouldn¡¯t have enough to keep expanding.¡±

    ¡°Then, can¡¯t you just wait till later to upgrade your spells?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, you can only evolve a spell once per level. If you level up, you lose that upgrade chance forever.¡±

    Donna frowned. ¡°Okay, but that¡¯s just a little over three thousand mega-nano.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, that¡¯s just to reach level three. I¡¯ll need to spend another four hundred and eighty on attributes just to be safe.¡±

    ¡°Four hundred and eighty?¡± she repeated, confused. Suddenly, she realized where he got the number. ¡°Oh, it costs forty million nano to increase an attribute at level three, fifty million at level four, and so on.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°So, then what, six weeks from now?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, I still have another week before I reach level two, so seven weeks,¡± he corrected her. ¡°But, that also assumes I grind out scenarios every single day for almost two months with no break, I take away the ten percent tax, and don¡¯t contribute nano toward the town.¡±

    Donna frowned. ¡°I see what you mean.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Yeah. I figure I¡¯ll reach level three just before, or just after Invasion day, depending on how things go. We can¡¯t wait that long.¡±

    His mother sighed. ¡°I suppose we can¡¯t. So, how long will it take you?¡±

    ¡°First, I have to reach level two. That should take about a week. Then, I need to max out my attributes and evolve my spells. Since I¡¯m not going to be fighting above my level, I figure that¡¯s another week and a half. Two, if I add more nano to the treasury,¡± he added.

    ¡°So, three weeks before we can start upgrading the faction hall to level four. I suppose they can start building and upgrading more bunkhouses in the meantime.¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t forget the enchanter¡¯s workshop,¡± he reminded her. ¡°If we get someone who can do the enchantments on bunkhouses and the other upgraded buildings, it¡¯ll cost us a lot less nano to upgrade.¡±

    For the next half hour, they discussed their plans for the town. After they firmed up their schedule, his mother promised to fill in Jessica with the details, and Blake left for the Mander scenario.

    He had a lot of work to do, and not much time to do it.

 Chapter 75 - The Next Level

    Blake swiftly thrust his chi empowered spear forward. The glowing tip penetrated through the Mander¡¯s Hardened Shell, and sank deep into its chest. He yanked sideways on the shaft until the metal tip shredded the beast''s heart, then extracted his weapon.

    The last living Mander finally recovered from Blake¡¯s Mind Blast and began to cast a spell. He lunged toward the final monster and threw his weapon. A moment later, his spear sank deep into its open mouth and ended its life.

    Easy-peasy.

    You have successfully completed the Combat Scenario. Would you like to choose your reward now?

    Yes.

    A list of options were presented to him, and he quickly perused them.

    No. No. Finally! YES!

    The third option was an earring that would increase his Magic Resistance by three. He had completed dozens of level two scenarios, yet this was the first time he was presented with the reward he most desired.

    And of course, I get it just as I¡¯m about to hit level three.

    Some would praise the Architect for the prize. Blake was just annoyed. He selected the reward and opened his status to see how much nano he had accumulated.

    Nano - 1,601m

    He stared at the number in disbelief before he began to laugh uncontrollably. Blake could not believe the irony of the situation.

    The strongest aspect of the Manders was their Magical Power. That meant that his Magical Resistance was his most important attribute when he faced them. Blake finally received the upgrade he most desired, after he was likely done fighting them.

    Once his laughter died down, he wiped the tears from his eyes and shook his head.

    The Architect is an ass. Whatever. It¡¯s time to move on.

    Blake quickly spent one point six billion nano to reach level two. However, the effect was not immediate, and he was forced to wait impatiently within the Mander caves for the nano to finish their work. He was at least comfortable, as the Flame Shield absorbed all the excess heat. In the past, the experience would have been horrible.

    Once Blake recovered from his injuries almost three weeks ago, he had decided not to throw himself against level three Manders. The chance of injury was too high, and in the end, even with another twenty-five percent increase to his attributes, it was just not as efficient as level twos.

    He could complete two level two scenarios per day with little risk and gain a hundred million nano. Meanwhile, if he attempted a level three, the risk and time investment would dramatically increase for that same hundred mega-nano.

    Just a few minutes after his new earring was assembled, a message appeared within his vision regarding the level upgrade.

    Connection to chi energy strengthened.

    Connection to mana energy strengthened.

    Connection to aether energy strengthened.

    Connection to psionic energy strengthened.

    Would you like to select your spells?

    Yes!

    Select a basic chi spell to learn.

    As at level one, an extensive list of abilities was presented to him. However, he had already considered which spells were best to combat the Lupus threat. Unlike the Manders, they were mostly physical creatures, who specialized in chi and aether.

    Over the last week, he had pondered which spells would give him an edge. He had narrowed his choices down to two, but had yet to make his decision.

    Do I get Hardened Shell or Alacrity?

    He was faced with the age-old conundrum: does he become almost immune to physical force, or does he speed himself up enough to avoid it all together.

    Hardened Shell was a purely defensive spell which restricted his movement. Alacrity, on the other hand, could be used defensively to avoid attacks, or offensively to land a blow.

    His issue with Alacrity, however, was that it was not foolproof. There was no guarantee that he could avoid all attacks while it was active. Just because he would be faster did not mean he would run at the speed of light.

    On the other hand, Hardened Shell came with its own drawbacks. While the spell was active, his movement was heavily restricted. During this time, the highly nimble Lupus could quickly surround him until he was trapped between them.

    Blake sighed.

    Better to go with Alacrity.

    He selected the spell and read its description before the final selection.

    Alacrity - Increases the caster¡¯s movement speed by a moderate amount based upon the caster¡¯s Magic Power for ten seconds. This spell consumes a small amount of chi energy, and takes one minute to recharge.

    He had already known the spell¡¯s effect, as it was quite popular among chi users. However, it was good to refresh his memory of how it operated when not evolved. Alacrity was one of the few spells he customized in his past life, and he wanted to verify its limitations. It specified ¡®a moderate amount¡¯ rather than a specific percent, which meant it scaled off his Magic Power.

    He selected the spell.

    Select a basic mana spell to learn.

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    This time, he knew exactly which spell to choose, Gale. It would provide him with space when he became surrounded. While he would love to fry his enemies with a Fireball, or shock them with Electrocute, their cast times were too long for his style of combat. Even his chosen ability took a full second to complete, but it was the best he could do until he evolved it. Montgomery would be disappointed in his selection.

    Gale - Creates a high pressure blast of air which expands outward in a cone. This effect takes one second to form, consumes a moderate amount of mana energy, and can be cast once every thirty-six seconds.

    The spell did not usually directly damage those caught within its effect. However, if it was used strategically, it could completely eliminate his enemies nonetheless. Especially if a group was blown backward off a cliff, or thrown into a trap. The spell did not specifically mention how his Magic Power affected it, but he knew from experience that the pressure wave increased alongside the attribute.

    Select a basic psi spell to learn.

    Again, Blake knew exactly which psionic ability to select. If he was going to fight a pack of Lupus in their native environment, he needed a way to locate his enemies. Mind Sense would ensure he was never surprised, and could potentially enable him to create ambushes of his own.

    Mind Sense - Release a subtle wave of psionic energy in all directions to search for sentient life. For a moderate amount of psionic energy, this pulse will penetrate solid objects at a moderate distance based upon the caster¡¯s Magic Power.

    He scoffed at the phrase ¡®a moderate distance.¡¯

    The spell¡¯s description was purposefully vague. Its effective distance was heavily affected by the caster¡¯s Magic Power attribute. And, if his target¡¯s Magic Resistance was high enough, the spell would give away his own position in the process.

    In his past life, when Jeff first learned the spell, his friends and he had been disappointed by its limitation to ¡®sentient life¡¯. They assumed it would only be useful against intelligent beings who could communicate verbally.

    However, when Jeff found out he was able to locate Ursa with the ability, they learned the difference between the words ¡®sentient¡¯ and ¡®sapient¡¯. Most animals were sentient, as they were able to perceive and experience emotion.

    Humans, however, had self-awareness, something necessary for sapience. The word was even used in science as a label to distinguish ourselves from animals. We called ourselves Homo Sapiens.

    Rajesh, of course, stated he knew the difference all along. He allegedly wanted the other¡¯s to learn from their errors.

    Select a basic aether spell to learn.

    Unlike the other energy types, there were multiple relevant abilities to choose from which could counter the Lupus. He could use a Flash of Light to blind his opponents, or a Sonic Blast to disorient them. Force Resistance would instantly create a small impenetrable shield in a location of his choice, while Minor Illusion could be used to distract. If he wanted to go the stealthy route, he could learn Dampen Sound to mask his footsteps, Fade to blur his form, or Suppress Scent to hide from their sensitive noses.

    Every one of the spells were incredibly useful, and he intended to eventually learn them all. However, he had to choose just one to counter the Lupis.

    Do I pick something for the middle of a fight, or something that allows me to set up an ambush?

    If he planned to only fight against Lupus a level above him, he would likely pick a spell like Sonic Blast. They had sensitive ears, and the spell would leave them stunned and disoriented. Unfortunately, against creatures two levels above him, the spell would be less effective.

    Yeah, stealth is the way to go.

    The wolf-like animals were fierce and fought as a pack. Blake decided he would be best served by creating an ambush and eliminating one or more of the Lupus before they were aware of his presence.

    With the aid of his psionic spell, Mind Sense, he was reasonably sure he could locate them at a distance. If he wanted to remain undetected, he needed to choose a spell that would hide his presence.

    Unfortunately, they had both a keen sense of smell and sensitive hearing. Basic spells could only target one sense at a time, so he was forced to choose. Against the Lupus, Fade would do little, so he was left with only two options.

    Do I get rid of my scent, or my footsteps?

    In his past life, his team had only tried stealth once, and it ended badly. Surprisingly, Montgomery had actually been able to keep his mouth shut the entire scenario. However, like Oliver, they all proved too impatient for the task. Inevitably, they would make a mistake and give away their position.

    Oh, yeah. Now that I have a class, I need to check up on Oliver.

    For the last week, he had carefully avoided his brother. While he hoped for the best, deep down, he knew he would be forced to fire him. He could already imagine the drama that would cause, and feared he would be forced to hold his brother in a cell to keep him out of trouble.

    His mother would be heartbroken.

    It was the reason he gave him a full week to succeed. Blake hoped to avoid the event altogether. In the meantime, as long as he avoided Oliver, he could pretend his brother learned to master his nerves and successfully produced the potions they needed.

    Oh my God! I can¡¯t believe I forgot about the scent potion!

    Blake suddenly remembered an alchemical tincture capable of hiding a person¡¯s scent. His team had never bothered to use it in the past, as it was expensive, and they excelled at direct combat, not stealth.

    Well, that makes the choice obvious. Oliver better be up to it.

    Blake selected his aether spell and attempted to renew his faith in his brother as he read the short description.

    Dampen Sound - Consume a small amount of aetheric energy to baffle sound waves in a small area around the caster.

    Like most aether spells, it was channeled, and Blake would likely never use it in combat. He doubted he could maintain his full martial prowess while he split his focus. However, if he used Mind Sense to locate his prey, a potion to mask his scent, and Dampen Sound to hide his approach, he could ambush even the highly alert Lupus.

    Of course, that assumes I have an alchemist who can make it.

    Blake sighed and prepared himself for the coming confrontation with his brother as he exited the portal. For the entire thirty-minute drive home, he went over every possible solution to his problem. However, in the end, he knew he had to confine his brother until Invasion day.

    After he pulled through the newly constructed gate and into the grassy field, he parked his truck and retrieved his spear from the bed before he set off to find Oliver. He passed Brent, hard at work as always on a new bunkhouse, and absently returned the dour man¡¯s nod with a wave of his own.

    Owen and three other stonemasons were focused on the partially constructed wall which would eventually surround their property. The fortification had been an option since they upgraded the faction hall to level two.

    Despite its availability, Blake had hesitated to approve its construction. Not only would it be highly visible from outside the property, but until Invasion day, it would be limited to the fifty acres of their leased property.

    However, after he spoke to Metal, his companion, he learned that a level two wall was required by the Shield Generator. The knowledge forced his hand, and construction began immediately. Luckily, once they upgraded their quarry to level three, they were allowed to appoint three additional stonemasons.

    At least the wraith¡¯s knowledge prevented them from unnecessary construction.

    Finally, Blake reached the alchemy workshop and paused at the entrance to gather his thoughts. After a moment, he heard a curse from within, and sighed.

    Best to just get it over with, like ripping off a bandage.

    He strode inside and leaned his spear against the wall. As he did so, he witnessed his brother pour out a spoiled potion into a trash bin. ¡°Hey, Oliver.¡±

    Oliver flinched in surprise, but quickly recovered and returned the greeting. ¡°Hey, bro. What¡¯s up?¡±

    Blake decided to skip small talk and skip to the chase. ¡°I just reached level two and came to see your progress.¡±

    Oliver¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Already? Damn, that was fast. Congrats, bro.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a week,¡± he reminded his brother. ¡°And, judging by the cursing I just heard, I assume you haven¡¯t made any progress?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Oliver wrinkled his brows. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯ve made LOTS of progress.¡±

    ¡°Really¡­¡± Blake responded doubtfully as he eyed the waste from his brother¡¯s recent failure.

    Oliver followed his brother¡¯s vision to the trash bin and chuckled. ¡°Oh, sure. I still fail about ten percent of the time, but look at all my successes!¡± he gestured toward the bench.

    Against the wall sat a retort stand filled with thirteen vials. Each stoppered container was filled with an orange liquid, which glowed faintly in the dim room. Blake had been so distracted with his imagined drama, that he failed to notice the obvious sight.

    His brows rose. ¡°Wait. Seriously? You did it?¡±

    Oliver nodded excitedly. ¡°Yeah, it took a while, but I figured out how to suppress my tremors. At least for a little while,¡± he admitted. ¡°But, now that I can, BOOM, potions,¡± he exclaimed dramatically.

    Blake grinned in relief and congratulated his brother¡¯s success.

    I can¡¯t believe he actually did it!

 Chapter 76 - Drama

    ¡°So, how long until you can make it?¡± Blake leaned in, excited.

    ¡°Dude. I already told you, I don¡¯t know,¡± replied Oliver.

    ¡°Come on, you must have some idea.¡±

    Oliver shook his head. ¡°Look, all I¡¯ve made so far is low level stamina potions. All they can do is raise your Physical Stamina by one for an hour. After I make like a hundred of them, I can move on to the magical variety. When I ¡®master¡¯ those,¡± Oliver used air quotes. ¡°I¡¯ve got four other freaking attributes to get through. Then, and only then, can I choose which potion to ¡®master¡¯ next.¡±

    ¡°Well, how long will it take you to brew a hundred potions?¡±

    Oliver threw his hands up. ¡°How the hell am I supposed to know?¡±

    ¡°Math,¡± Blake replied, deadpan. When his brother failed to respond, he continued, ¡°I watched you make one before. It takes, what, thirty minutes?¡±

    His brother shrugged. ¡°Give or take.¡±

    ¡°Give or take how much?¡± Blake pressed.

    ¡°AGAIN. How the hell am I supposed to know? The stupid nanomachines in my brain don¡¯t have a clock.¡± He pointed directly in Blake¡¯s face. ¡°And, you destroyed my phone.¡±

    ¡°Then borrow someone else¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Oliver huffed. ¡°Cause that worked out so well the last time.¡±

    ¡°That time, you wanted to surf the web,¡± he reminded his brother. ¡°Just tell them what you need it for, and I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be more than happy to help you out.¡± After a moment of consideration, he added, ¡°Just don¡¯t ask Brent.¡±

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it,¡± his brother relented but seemed worried at Blake¡¯s enthusiasm.

    ¡°Thank you. For now, let¡¯s just assume you can make two potions an hour. If it takes fifty hours to master an attribute, it¡¯ll be three hundred to finish all six of them. That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s like an entire month.¡±

    ¡°Where are you getting this ¡®fifty hours¡¯ number?¡±

    ¡°You said you have to make a hundred potions to gain mastery.¡± Blake reminded him.

    ¡°No, I said LIKE a hundred of them,¡± Oliver emphasized.

    Blake groaned. ¡°Oliver, Oliver, Oliver¡­ You gotta help me out here. How many does it tell you to make to master the potion?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t. It just has this bar that slowly gets filled up. Look, I was just excited I was getting somewhere, and you have to go ruin the mood with math.¡±

    Blake ignored the complaint and continued. ¡°It¡¯s probably the same mastery bar my spells get. When you focus on the bar, does it give you an exact progress percentage?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± his brother crossed his eyes as his focus turned inward. ¡°Yeah. It says twenty-two point three percent.¡±

    ¡°Okay then,¡± Blake took a deep breath but smiled. ¡°Here¡¯s what I want you to do. Go borrow someone¡¯s cell phone and see how long it takes you to brew a potion. Then, look at the bar and see how much progress you¡¯ve made. When you combine the two numbers, you can figure out how many hours it¡¯ll take.¡±

    ¡°That sounds complicated.¡±

    Blake was taken aback. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of math,¡± his brother complained.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s been a while since I used one, but don¡¯t cell phones have calculator apps?¡± Blake replied sarcastically.

    Oliver rolled his eyes. ¡°No, I mean, like figuring out what numbers to use and when to multiply.¡±

    ¡°Did you fail algebra?¡± Blake asked in disbelief.

    ¡°What? No!¡± he protested. ¡°But, that was like four years ago!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been ten for me,¡± he reminded his brother.

    ¡°Yeah, well, I¡¯m not a nerd.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Blake said deadpan. ¡°Cause¡¯ I''m benching cars and fighting every day, while you¡¯re playing with your beaker set.¡±

    Oliver raised his shaking hands. ¡°That¡¯s cold, bro. I wanted to fight, remember? But ¡®Lord Blake Summers¡¯,¡± he mocked. ¡°Said no.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Sorry. Just get those numbers. I¡¯ll be back in an hour, and we¡¯ll figure it out together.¡±

    He left his brother to his work and strode toward the cookhouse, spear in hand. Blake was elated with his brother¡¯s progress and hoped he did not dampen it in his enthusiasm. It had been hours since he last ate, and his stomach protested its ill-treatment. After a moment of thought, he decided he could store his weapon later, after he was full of tasty food.

    On his way, he heard voices raised in an argument. With a sigh, he detoured around the bunkhouse to investigate the commotion. When he rounded the corner, he found Jordan in a heated discussion with a young woman in her upper twenties.

    ¡°I won¡¯t put up with your gaslighting anymore,¡± the woman scolded. ¡°It needs to stop, or you don¡¯t get to see Noah again.¡±

    Blake stopped short, unsure if he should approach the couple.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that, Bella!¡± Jordan yelled, his southern accent strained. ¡°He¡¯s my son, too! And, I¡¯m not ¡®gaslighting¡¯ you, there really is magic! I told you, I can prove it!¡±

    Bella threw her hands into the air. ¡°Do you seriously expect me to believe that crap!? I¡¯m not some six-year-old that¡¯ll believe everything his dad says. You¡¯re confusing him, Jordan, and it needs to stop.¡±

    Jordan closed his eyes and clenched his fists with shaking arms.

    ¡°What, are you going to hit me now?¡±

    Jordan slowly breathed out to control his temper, and opened his eyes. ¡°You know I would never do that,¡± he said.

    ¡°Oh, you won¡¯t hit or yell,¡± she agreed. "You¡¯ll just shut down and leave, like you always do.¡±

    ¡°I never left you,¡± he reminded her evenly. ¡°You kicked me out.¡±

    Yeah¡­ I don¡¯t want to get in the middle of this.

    Blake slowly backed away, careful to remain unseen. As he retreated, the heel of his foot caught on a rock. He quickly caught himself, but the damage was done. The sudden movement alerted Jordan.

    ¡°Blake!¡± he yelled, eyes alight with victory. ¡°You have to show her!¡±

    Blake froze, eyes wide.

    Bella turned with a frown to see who interrupted their private conversation. Her eyes tracked down from his young, lightly-stubbled face, past his stained leather armor, to the spear he held in his hands. She curled her lip and sneered. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m definitely gonna believe some high schooler playing dress up.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you will in a minute,¡± Jordan replied confidently.

    Blake raised his hands, his palms outward. ¡°Uh¡­ this seems like a private argument. I don¡¯t really want to get in the middle of it.¡±

    ¡°Too late,¡± Jordan disagreed. ¡°Just show her some magic and put this argument to rest.¡±

    Bella put her hands on her hips and replied sarcastically. ¡°Yes, Blake. Show me a magic trick. Maybe make a rabbit appear out of your ass,¡± she suggested.

    Both Jordan and Bella stared expectantly at him as they waited for a show. Immediately, his mind considered the four new spells he had yet to cast. Unfortunately, none of them were flashy. Alacrity would make him faster, but speed was a hard thing to judge while close up. Mind Sense had no visual effect, and the distant clang of a hammer on steel would overwhelm the effect of Dampen Sound.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    I guess Gale it is.

    Blake, however, did not wish to kill or heavily injure the woman, no matter how unpleasant she currently seemed. If he used it against her at this close range, she would be picked up and crushed against the warehouse wall.

    Okay, I¡¯ll show her two spells.

    ¡°Watch closely, and don¡¯t blink,¡± Blake advised.

    He turned his head so he could see behind him and activated a Guided Spatial Step. The world around him shifted, and he immediately appeared twenty feet away.

    Then, before either audience member could react, he raised his hands and completed the short cast sequence Gale required. With the sound of an explosion, the built-up pressure wave was released. Both Jordan and Bella stumbled sideways until they caught themselves against the wall.

    Oops! Still too close.

    Blake underestimated the spell¡¯s power. It was meant to be used in combat to fling his enemies away, not against normal humans.

    ¡°What the hell was that!¡± she shrieked as she pushed off from the wall unsteadily.

    ¡°That,¡± Jordan said with a smirk. ¡°Was magic.¡±

    Bella whirled on her ex-boyfriend. ¡°No, I¡¯m serious!¡± She then addressed Blake. ¡°How did you do that?¡±

    ¡°The short explanation is magic.¡± He shrugged. ¡°The long explanation is¡­ well¡­ long.¡±

    She wrinkled her brows. ¡°Are you talking about the little bugs? The¡­ nano-thingies?¡±

    ¡°Oh, so he already told you.¡±

    Jordan snorted. ¡°She stopped listening to me about five seconds after I started talking.¡±

    ¡°You were saying ridiculous things!¡± she defended.

    ¡°Not so ridiculous now, is it?¡± Jordan pointed out.

    ¡°I mean,¡± she trailed off. ¡°It¡¯s possible the wind just happened to blow when he raised his hands.¡±

    ¡°Uh huh,¡± he said dryly. ¡°And the teleportation?¡±

    ¡°I probably just blinked!¡±

    ¡°He told you NOT to blink.¡±

    ¡°Well soooorrrry. I was surprised.¡±

    Jordan turned back to Blake. ¡°Think you can give her another show?¡±

    He sighed and checked his interface. According to it, he had to wait another thirteen seconds before the spell could be recast. He let them know, moved another ten feet away, and waited while the couple bickered.

    I just wanted to get some supper.

    Finally, when the cooldown period ended, he gained their attention and recast the spell. Once again, they were rocked backward, although this time with less force than before.

    ¡°Is that good enough?¡± Blake asked.

    Jordan turned to Belle to await her answer.

    The confused woman remained frozen as she tried to come up with a logical explanation for the phenomenon she just witnessed. After she failed to explain it away, Bella slowly nodded.

    ¡°Good,¡± Blake nodded once. ¡°Then, I¡¯m going to get some food.¡± He turned and stalked away. Over his shoulder, he said, ¡°You two can work out whatever argument you were having without me.¡±

    Behind him, he heard a new argument begin, and he did his best to tune the bickering out.

    That¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t miss.

    Over the years, Blake had been in a few relationships, but none had lasted. He liked to keep things casual and without labels. However, he had yet to find a woman who shared his views. Inevitably, his partner became serious and wanted to confine him in an imaginary box of her design. When he resisted their efforts, each took it personally and left.

    As he neared the cookhouse, he considered the past. For all his casual relationships, he realized he was lonely.

    He observed the budding village. Now that they had four constructors and a plethora of people, the town was taking off. He knew his father would be bustling in the kitchen and ecstatic to show him his latest meal. His mother, he was sure, was ready to showcase something she had learned about the town. Meanwhile, Oliver was hard at work for once in his life.

    The ten-foot wall around their fifty acres was almost completed. Once finished, they would begin its upgrade so they could utilize the shield generator as soon as it became available. At level two, the wall doubled in height, and added a ¡®wall walk¡¯ along with crenelations. This allowed town defenders to remain safe above the enemy while they rained down spells against their attackers.

    He shook off the thoughts.

    I don¡¯t have time for a relationship, but at least my family¡¯s alive this time.

    As Blake neared the cookhouse, he heard raised voices inside, and paused to listen.

    ¡°Why do you gotta be such a dick all the time?¡± Montgomery yelled.

    ¡°I am not being ¡®a dick¡¯,¡± Rajesh replied calmly in his Indian accent. ¡°It is not my fault you can not take constructive criticism.¡±

    ¡°Constructive criticism!¡± Montgomery¡¯s voice rose beyond his prior yell. ¡°Is that what you call it? Here¡¯s some ¡®constructive criticism¡¯,¡± Montgomery said sarcastically with air quotes. ¡°Don¡¯t be a dick!¡±

    ¡°That is not helpful, and it is rude,¡± Rajesh replied, annoyed.

    ¡°Oh good, now you know how it feels.¡±

    Blake deflated as he hung his head in frustration.

    I just wanted some freaking food!

    Even though Blake had promised his father he would sort his old friend¡¯s drama out, he had avoided the issue. Despite their heated disagreements, they continued to function as a team, and Blake hoped they would come to an understanding on their own.

    It looks like I have to intervene after all.

    He barged into the cookhouse and immediately interrupted the argument. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough.¡±

    Only Montgomery, Jeff, and Rajesh were seated within the small dining room, but at Blake¡¯s command, all eyes immediately shifted to him.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to work out whatever problem you have between you before you run everyone out of the faction like you did the cookhouse.¡±

    Rajesh frowned and glanced at the empty tables beside him.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t run anyone out,¡± Montgomery argued.

    ¡°Really? Then where¡¯s Dahteste?¡± Blake asked.

    Montgomery shrugged. ¡°She said she likes to eat at home.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me, after fighting goblins all day, she¡¯d rather eat hot dogs alone at home than my dad¡¯s free gourmet cooking?¡±

    ¡°Oh. When you put it like that¡­¡± His friend frowned.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the real problem between you two?¡± Before they could answer, he added, ¡°Remember, I know you two can work together. After all, you did it for years.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like torture to me,¡± Montgomery muttered under his breath.

    Jeff nodded.

    Rajesh ignored the insult and stated, ¡°He is too reckless.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too cautious,¡± Montgomery countered with a pointed finger.

    The Indian opened his mouth to respond, but Blake silenced him, ¡°Both of you, shut up.¡± He turned to Jeff and asked, ¡°Tell it to me straight. Is Montgomery being too reckless?¡±

    Jeff tilted his head and considered the question. After a moment, he raised his hand and rocked it back and forth.

    So there IS some truth to the claim.

    ¡°Okay, Jeff, let me guess how it goes. Montgomery comes up with a risky plan, and Rajesh disagrees. They argue for ten minutes until Montgomery just goes ahead and implements it. You and Dahteste just go along with it, even though you two probably have suggestions of your own, but in the end it works out. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Montgomery blurted.

    Blake quickly silenced the man with a stern glare and turned back to Jeff to see his reaction.

    Jeff reluctantly nodded.

    Blake sighed. ¡°Okay. The way I see it, we have two options. We can either split you guys up, or I appoint a team leader.¡±

    ¡°Who was the leader before?¡± Rajesh asked.

    ¡°You mean before I went back in time?¡± After the Indian nodded, he replied, ¡°We didn¡¯t have one. We essentially voted on what we¡¯d do.¡±

    Montgomery snorted.

    Rajesh pointed across the table. ¡°I assume that he and I often disagreed, and Jeff sided with him. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°Jeff didn¡¯t always side with him,¡± Blake corrected, ¡°But yeah, you and he always saw things differently.¡±

    Rajesh nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Then YOU moderated his reckless behavior. YOU were the leader of the group.¡±

    ¡°No, I was more of a diplomat. I just calmed tempers and made sure we came to an agreement.¡±

    Rajesh shook his head. ¡°Unlikely. According to you, there were four of us. If you sided with me in an argument, what happened?¡± Then he further explained, ¡°It would be two against two.¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°Montgomery usually just gave in.¡±

    The Indian nodded. ¡°It is as I thought.¡±

    Was I really the group leader?

    Blake thought back to the past. In the beginning, nothing ever got done, as Montgomery and Rajesh argued endlessly. Eventually, Blake was no longer able to take it. He demanded they vote on any issues, and took charge of the process. When the group was evenly split, he was almost always the deciding vote.

    Maybe I was. It definitely didn¡¯t feel like it.

    ¡°Well, as much as I¡¯d like to join your group and make it like it used to be, that¡¯s not an option. So, do we appoint a leader, or split the group?¡±

    ¡°That depends on the leader,¡± Rajesh replied.

    For once, Montgomery agreed.

    ¡°Well, I doubt either of you would follow the other, right?¡±

    They both nodded.

    ¡°Then that leaves Dahteste or Jeff.¡±

    ¡°Appointing Jeff is the same as appointing Montgomery,¡± Rajesh argued.

    Jeff crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes.

    Blake snorted. ¡°Oh, you¡¯d be surprised what he has to say when Montgomery¡¯s not around.¡±

    Montgomery frowned and glanced over to his friend, but Jeff¡¯s expression did not change.

    ¡°Can he even speak?¡± Rajesh asked.

    ¡°I can,¡± Jeff confirmed. ¡°I just choose not to most of the time.¡±

    ¡°Why stay silent?¡± Rajesh asked.

    Jeff uncrossed his arms and shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡±

    The simple response summed up the quiet man completely. He chose not to answer the question directly, and did not even bother to clarify his statement.

    Blake knew what Jeff meant by the answer, but Rajesh likely did not. He decided to elaborate. ¡°He doesn¡¯t see the point in filling the silence like Montgomery does, and as long as he doesn¡¯t have a strong objection, he¡¯ll just go with the flow.¡±

    Jeff nodded.

    ¡°Then he is a natural follower, not a leader.¡± Rajesh argued.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Blake admitted. ¡°But, why not give him a chance. It can¡¯t be worse than it is now, right?¡±

    ¡°Why not Dahteste?¡± Rajesh asked.

    ¡°Do you think she¡¯d be a better leader than Jeff? I honestly don¡¯t know anything about her,¡± Blake admitted.

    Rajesh grew quiet as he contemplated the answer. Finally, he shook his head.

    ¡°Okay, then it¡¯s settled. The next time you go out, Jeff will decide what to do.¡± He saw the man grin in satisfaction and pointed his finger at him. ¡°That means you have to explain what you want them to do fully. Don¡¯t just grunt and hope they understand.¡±

    Montgomery snorted, while Jeff looked offended.

    Whatever. I need to eat.

 Chapter 77 - Surprise

    Blake stalked through the forest with Dampen Sound active. He had already used Mind Sense to locate the pack of Lupus and now focused on his ambush. The Aether based spell easily hid the crunch of leaves and branches from the creature''s delicate ears.

    Unfortunately, it did nothing for his scent.

    The wind, which had been sporadic since he stepped through the portal, suddenly switched direction, and two of the five wolf-like monsters abruptly raised their snouts to sniff the air. A moment later, their barks alerted the others of an incoming threat.

    Damnit! Stupid wind!

    This was the seventh time Blake attempted to ambush a pack of Lupus, and the seventh failure. However, the changing wind was not always to blame. Once he got close to the pack, his visible form consistently gave him away. While their vision was actually worse than a human¡¯s, their eyes easily picked up his movement.

    I need something to hide my outline.

    Blake canceled the channeled spell and gave up all pretense of stealth. Before the level two monsters could react, he used a Guided Spatial Step to close the distance and loosed a Directed Mind Blast.

    Four Lupus yelped simultaneously and crashed to the ground, stunned. The fifth barely escaped his psionic spell and sprinted toward him. As it neared, its movement slowed, and its entire body began to glow with chi.

    Hardened Shell. Poor choice.

    It leapt toward his throat and showed fangs gleaming with chi. However, its defensive spell slowed its movement enough for Blake to take advantage. He raised his spear and channeled chi into its tip.

    Just as the creature was about to collide with him, Blake thrust his weapon forward. The imbued tip penetrated its defense and sank deep into its chest, despite the Lupus¡¯ Hardened Shell.

    A moment later, the glow of its fangs dimmed, and life left its eyes.

    Blake kicked the corpse off his spear and activated Alacrity. He sprinted toward the nearest downed creature, with twenty-five percent greater speed, and quickly ended its life. After he deftly retrieved his spear, he executed another downed beast before the final two recovered.

    Suddenly, he felt his speed return to normal as a Slow only partially affected him. At the same time, he was blinded by a Flash of Light.

    Both of them use aether, good.

    While they channeled their spells, their focus was split, which reduced their combat effectiveness. He immediately backpedaled while blinded and cast Gale. A second later, he directed a gust of wind before him.

    Both Lupus were caught within the spell.

    They were forcibly thrown away by the pressure wave, and Blake was no longer constrained by their channeled spells. He immediately cast Focused Regeneration on his eyes, and then blinked them repeatedly to restore his vision.

    Come on, come on.

    A few moments later, his Alacrity expired, and he raised his spear to intercept the blurry shape headed his way. The tip pierced its jaw, but failed to end its life. Before it could escape his grasp, he yanked his spear to the side and sent the Lupus airborne.

    It sailed through the air twenty feet and rolled. Meanwhile, its pack mate did not remain idle. It used Minor Illusion to create a copy of itself, and made it appear as if two monsters angled toward him. When Blake could not immediately discern which wolf was real, he used Mind Sense to pierce through the illusion, which sent a spike of pain into his brain.

    Got you!

    The fake creature failed to return a mental signature. Despite his knowledge, he pretended not to know which was real and turned toward the fake. The real Lupus continued to maneuver the duplicate closer while it closed the gap.

    When it was only a few feet away, it leapt forward and simultaneously sent its duplicate in from the opposite direction. Blake ignored the fake copy, whirled, and skewered the real Lupus with his spear.

    ¡°Nice try.¡±

    He easily mopped up the last Lupus of the group and checked his status.

    Nano: 31m

    Just enough to increase another attribute.

    Blake had already completed one scenario that morning, and spent thirty mega-nano to increase his Magic Power to sixteen point nine. Most of his new spells benefited from the attribute, and it had been tied with Magic Stamina as his lowest.

    What should I increase next?

    Blake noticed most of his energy levels were low and opened his status to check his attribute allocation.

    Attributes - Increased by 69%

    Physical Power - 28.7[3]

    Physical Stamina - 22[1]

    Physical Resistance - 22[3]

    Magic Power - 16.9

    Magic Stamina - 15.2

    Magic Resistance - 25.4[3]

    Magic Stamina was now his weakest attribute at fifteen point two. It determined how quickly his energy levels recovered, and would need to be increased if he wanted to continue to complete two scenarios per day. With twice the amount of spells to cast, he had finally begun to consume the majority of his energy.

    Since Blake chose his level two spells with the Lupus in mind, he wanted to round out his attributes to counteract the imbalance. That way, when he reached level three, he could finally choose a more generalized path. His days of grinding a single species were likely over.

    Okay, Magic Stamina it is.

    Blake spent thirty mega-nano and increased the attribute. Once his selection was made, he checked the scenario objective and found that only a single pack remained.

    I should wait a bit before I kill the last pack.

    All of his energy reserves were low, but most were high enough to get him through one last battle. It was only his aether that was below ten percent. While he stalked the Lupus packs, he kept his new spell, ¡®Dampen Sound¡¯ active, which consumed energy at a steady rate. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    While he waited for his reserves to regenerate, he checked up with his mother and Jessica. He was glad to hear that steady progress had been made in both towns, and Blake found himself barely able to keep up with the many changes.

    The Payson expansion¡¯s faction hall was level two, and they now worked diligently on building a warehouse with the two constructors the upgrade allowed. Once it was completed, they would be able to transport any necessary materials to the town without having to hook up a flatbed trailer and haul it.

    It was necessary, as all level two buildings required off world materials, and there were no combat teams stationed at the budding village. Blake would have liked to establish another team immediately, but according to Jessica, none of her workers had volunteered.

    They were excited by the technology of the nano-machines, and what they could build with their aid, but still treated their new responsibility as a job. The Payson workers only put in forty hours of labor per week, despite the overtime Jessica offered them.

    Maybe I should stop by and talk to them.

    Blake was sure he could properly motivate them if he paid a visit, but he was concerned someone might turn him in if they discovered he was wanted by the police. The ¡®onboarding document¡¯ he and his mother had written never mentioned his identity, nor his recent exploits. It only contained information about the Collective, how it worked, and when major events like Invasion day would take place.

    An hour and a half later, a notification appeared in his vision. He opened the message and was surprised by what it said.

    As the first of your species to have all attributes break through their unenhanced limits, your achievement has been upgraded. - [Super Human] ¡ú [Limit Breaker]

    The [Limit Breaker] achievement awards you four of every attribute.

    What? That doesn¡¯t make any sense. All my attributes have been over ten for weeks!

    Blake immediately poured over his status to determine where his assumptions were wrong. He finally discovered his mistake when he removed the sixty-nine percent attribute gain from the total. Without that percent increase, his Magic Power and Magic Stamina were at ten. At least, they were before his achievement was upgraded. Now, they were both at twelve.

    Why does it count the flat increases toward the achievement, but not the percent?

    Blake shook his head.

    Just one more stupid thing the Architect does.

    He opened his status to see how high his new attributes would be once the nanomachines completed their job.

    Attributes - Increased by 69%

    Physical Power - 28.7¡ú(32.1)[3]

    Physical Stamina - 22¡ú(25.4)[1]

    Physical Resistance - 22¡ú(25.4)[3]

    Magic Power - 16.9¡ú(20.3)

    Magic Stamina - 16.9¡ú(20.3)

    Magic Resistance - 25.4¡ú(28.7)[3]

    That¡¯s ridiculous.

    Blake had just gained an entire level¡¯s worth of attributes, and he was still able to increase them ten more times before he leveled. It was a huge advantage, and would allow him to drastically move up his timetable.

    I can¡¯t believe people had this kind of advantage and wasted it.

    After his brother recorded the time he took to brew a potion and the progress each success made towards mastery, Blake had helped him calculate how much time it would take to unlock the scent potion. As long as his success rate stayed the same, it would take around a hundred and eighty hours to unlock the scent potion.

    That number ignored his current lack of supplies. Oliver would be forced to take time away from his work to travel to the goblin planet and harvest plants after Jeff and his group cleared the scenario. By his calculations, if his brother worked around the clock, it would take him at least three weeks to produce a scent potion.

    With only two and a half months left until Invasion, that was far too long.

    Now I don¡¯t have to wait.

    Blake still planned to max out all of his attributes before he attempted a Lupus scenario two levels above him, but that would take him just three more days.

    Since he no longer needed to wait on Oliver, he would also hold off on evolving his spells. It would be weeks before he mastered them, and he wanted to use the level four materials to get started on the faction hall upgrade as soon as possible.

    Blake found it funny that it was not the nano costs that held him back, but his mastery. In his past life, he had plenty of time to master his spells before he leveled. It was always the expense that held him back. This time, however, he could easily raise the required nano in less than a week.

    How things change.

    Blake chuckled to himself at the reversal, but the laugh turned to a grimace when he suddenly realized his mistake.

    Why the hell did I have to choose Dampen Sound?

    Now that he no longer needed to ambush the Lupus, he regretted unlocking the aether spell. With an additional full level¡¯s worth of attributes, he would be far better served by Flash of Light or Force Resistance.

    Although¡­ Maybe once Oliver unlocks the potion, I can use it to upgrade my Master Solo Warrior achievement again.

    It took almost three hours for the nanomachines to finish their work. By the time they were done, his aetheric energy was at forty-one percent, and he was long past ready to go.

    With his high attributes, the final pack was effortlessly eliminated, and he chose a pair of boots as his reward. His new footwear not only self repaired, but increased his Magic Stamina by two. That attribute was important, because the changes he intended to make to most of his spells would vastly increase their energy cost.

    Blake exited the portal in north-west Snowflake, and drove back to their base of operations. The trip took him forty-five minutes, and by the time he pulled through the gate, he was hungry for his father¡¯s gourmet food.

    It was long after dark, yet a crowd of workers remained. His headlights illuminated at least ten people as they stood in a circle near the faction hall.

    What the hell¡¯s going on?

    Blake parked his old diesel truck, which had yet to be converted to crank start, and quickly strode over to see what the commotion was all about. He weaved through the gathered workers and finally saw what had their attention.

    Jerome, the young man he had injured over three weeks before, kneeled on the ground, mouth duct taped shut, and hands bound behind his back. His mother stood next to the captive and tried to soothe the crowd¡¯s tension. When she saw his approach, she let out a sigh of relief and said, ¡°Good, you¡¯re finally here!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why didn¡¯t you call me through holo-chat?¡±

    ¡°I was trying to handle everything on my own,¡± Donna explained over the angry murmurs of the crowd. ¡°Although, that hasn¡¯t worked out so well,¡± she admitted.

    Blake glanced down at Jerome. ¡°Why¡¯s he tied up? What did he do?¡±

    ¡°I followed him to the sheriff¡¯s office,¡± explained a nearby man in his thirties.

    On closer inspection in the dark, he was revealed to be Kasey, Jerome¡¯s team leader. He scowled as he threw a look of disgust down at his subordinate.

    ¡°Did he tell the cops anything?¡± Blake asked.

    Kasey shook his head. ¡°No. I kicked his ass and brought him back before he had a chance.¡±

    Blake let out a sigh of relief.

    When he allowed the man to join their faction, he had been under no illusions about the man¡¯s loyalty. He was glad he had pulled Kasey aside and informed the new team leader that he would share all responsibility for Jerome¡¯s actions. That included any retribution Blake would hand out if he tried to collect the reward.

    Looks like Kasey took the job seriously.

    At the time, he felt the decision was better than the alternatives. The only other options were to jail him or kill him. He had feared something like this might happen and had taken steps to protect against it. Blake had even assigned someone besides Kasey to keep track of the malcontent.

    ¡°Good job,¡± Blake praised the man. After his gaze returned to the bound man, he said, ¡°Looks like the jail¡¯s going to get some use after all.¡±

    ¡°Blake!¡± his mother admonished. ¡°We can¡¯t just hold him here forever!¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to. Invasion day is in just two and a half months,¡± he reminded her. ¡°After that, we can turn him loose, and he¡¯ll be someone else¡¯s problem.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± she desperately looked to the crowd for support, but found none. ¡°He at least needs a fair trial!¡±

    He shook his head sadly. ¡°A trial might make you feel better, but the verdict¡¯s already a foregone conclusion. He¡¯s guilty.¡± Blake put a hand on his mother¡¯s shoulder and tried to calm her down. ¡°Think of it this way, mom. Not only will he be perfectly safe until Invasion day, but when we release him, he¡¯ll have an advantage others won¡¯t. He¡¯s upgraded at least four attributes already and has experience fighting monsters. He¡¯ll be fine,¡± Blake assured her.

    When she ran out of arguments, he turned and spoke to the crowd with a raised voice. ¡°Kasey here just saved a lot of lives. If Jerome had told the police about our town, they would¡¯ve come to arrest us all. Obviously, I can¡¯t let that happen. A lot of cops would¡¯ve died, and possibly some of us. I don¡¯t know how far things would have escalated in the end, and I don¡¯t want to know. Luckily, we have a jail for instances just like this. He¡¯s going to rot down there until Invasion day. After that, his greed can¡¯t hurt us anymore.¡±

    Blake saw a few heads nod in agreement, and was relieved he would not have to add even more people to the cells. He lifted Jerome into his arms, carried him through the front door of the faction hall, and then down the stairs into the cells below.

 Interlude - Exposed

    Captain Jeremy Jackson shifted anxiously in his seat within the heavily guarded room. While he waited in trepidation for his boss, Scott Peters, to return, he mentally reviewed the series of events which put him in his current situation.

    Almost a week ago, Sergeant Godfrey¡¯s rifle malfunctioned halfway through his mission. Like Jeremy, he was forced to defend himself with his knife and barely survived. Godfrey¡¯s firearm was irrevocably damaged in the altercation, and he was forced to finish the scenario without it.

    According to his after action report, the sergeant continued to fight with his grenades and knife until the explosives were expended. Like Jeremy, he victoriously defeated the last Ursa on his own and was inducted into the Collective. But, unlike Jeremy, he lost his leg in the process.

    He was also forthcoming with his induction.

    Immediately after his report, the operation was paused, and all teams were transported back to Washington. Once they arrived in the medical facility, they were separated, and Jeremy was put through a battery of tests.

    Then, for some reason, he was left alone for over a full day.

    Jeremy sighed and once again glanced around the empty room.

    Captain Jackson had learned many things since he joined the Collective. From the logs, he ascertained that he and his teams had been violating some rule by entering the scenarios with modern firearms and explosives. As a result, the AI in charge of the spatial distortions had removed over ninety-nine percent of their reward.

    The first time he entered a portal while infused with nanomachines, he was surprised by the messages he received. The Architect had somehow read his mind, and knew he wanted his combat team to accompany him. Unfortunately, he was informed they were not yet inducted into the Collective, and it could not comply.

    Each time he discovered a new piece of knowledge, his guilt over his silence only increased. Over the next few missions, he continuously considered revealing what he knew. However, each time, he considered the potential consequences and remained silent.

    Poor Godfrey.

    Jeremy flinched as the door to his room suddenly opened, and Scott Peters entered his room. He watched warily as his CIA boss calmly strode over to the chair opposite him, sank into it, and sighed.

    The man looked highly disappointed.

    ¡°How long?¡± Scott asked.

    ¡°Sir?¡± Jeremy asked.

    A flare of anger flickered across his face. ¡°Stop playing dumb. We¡¯ve gone over your blood draws. You have the same density of nanomachines as Sergeant Godfrey. Now, how long have you had them?¡±

    Shit! He knows.

    Jeremy swallowed and remained silent as he considered how to answer the man.

    When he did not immediately reply, Mister Peters shook his head. ¡°You know, when I found out, I considered locking you up for treason.¡±

    Treason?!

    ¡°For some reason, you decided to hide incredibly important information about an alien invasion from the US government. At first, I believed you were promised rewards if you remained silent. However, after Godfrey explained that the AI wants him to spread that knowledge far and wide, I became confused. Why? Why keep it to yourself?¡±

    What should I tell him?

    He clearly had to say something, as they already knew he was in the Collective. Jeremy considered lying and attempting to weasel his way out, but could not think of anything believable.

    Screw it.

    Jeremy looked his superior in the eyes. ¡°Because of you.¡±

    Scott¡¯s brows rose in surprise. ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°You throw our lives away without a care, for nothing. And, when we object, you threaten to imprison us or worse. Then you take our cell phones and sic guards on us so we can¡¯t tell your bosses what you¡¯re doing. Hell, you¡¯ve broken so many laws, I don¡¯t know how you aren¡¯t in prison right now.¡±

    After Jeremy finished his rant, Mister Peters barked a short laugh and shook his head. ¡°I can see how you¡¯d be upset, but you¡¯re missing critical pieces of information.¡±

    ¡°Then enlighten me,¡± Jeremy said dryly.

    He chucked again and leaned back in his chair. ¡°You know what, I think I will. For some reason, you¡¯re under the mistaken impression that I¡¯m doing something wrong and deserve to be in jail. In times of war, discretion is allowed if it breeds results. Contrary to what you believe, I¡¯ll likely be promoted when we¡¯re done here.¡±

    Jeremy scoffed. ¡°War? We aren¡¯t at war! And even if we were, there¡¯s no law that says you can do whatever you want during it.¡±

    He bared his teeth. ¡°Oh, but we are at war. We¡¯ve been invaded by aliens. Hell, you¡¯ve got their technology in you, for God¡¯s sake! And, as long as I continue to produce results, Uncle Sam won¡¯t care how I achieve them.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Jeremy looked at the CIA man in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s just¡­ wrong. How can you sleep at night after you sent my men to their deaths?¡±

    ¡°Pretty well, considering my section is the only one that has produced results. Yes,¡± Scott added when he saw the surprise on Jeremy¡¯s face. ¡°We aren¡¯t the only ones tasked for this. See, the others in my position have done as you suggest and played it safe. After the first round of casualties, they put a halt to all operations until more data was gathered. I don¡¯t see how they were going to gather more data if they didn¡¯t send anyone else through, but that¡¯s beside the point. Eventually, they grew a pair and went back. When they had even more casualties, they decided to close up shop. Meanwhile, I took risks, and they paid off. Because of me, we know about the AI threat.¡±

    ¡°Because of you?¡± his jaw dropped. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you going to alien planets! I didn¡¯t see you losing your leg fighting alien monsters!¡±

    Scott shrugged. ¡°Someone has to stay behind to coordinate and make the tough decisions. Look, I know you don¡¯t approve of what I¡¯ve done. But, it was necessary for our survival.¡±

    Jeremy shook his head. ¡°Why are you even here? Like you said, why aren¡¯t I in jail?¡± Suddenly, Jeremy froze as the man¡¯s motivations became clear. ¡°You need me for something, and since Godfrey¡¯s missing a leg, I¡¯m guessing you need me to go through the portal.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s partially true,¡± Scott admitted. ¡°Your cooperation would help tremendously, but ¡®need¡¯ is too strong a word. I would prefer that you protect your country as you swore to do when you put on that uniform.¡±

    The heavy-handed appeal to his duty pissed him off.

    Jeremy grit his teeth. ¡°What do you need from me?¡±

    ¡°As you surmised, we need to find out more about this AI, this ¡®Architect¡¯. What are its plans? Who controls it? How does it work?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know any of that.¡±

    ¡°Neither do we,¡± Mister Peters nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why it''s so important that we find out. I need you to lead your team to the alien planet to discover everything you can.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll just get separated again,¡± Jeremy reminded the man.

    Scott showed his teeth. ¡°See, that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. As it turns out, you can instruct the ¡®Collective¡¯ to group you with others, as long as they¡¯re also in the AI¡¯s system.¡±

    How the hell did they figure that out?

    ¡°So you want me to do what, group up with Godfrey?¡±

    Mister Peters shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, the sergeant¡¯s days in the field are over. No, you¡¯ll take charge of Lee, Renner, Esteves, and Jacobs.¡±

    Jeremy frowned. ¡°But, they aren¡¯t in the Collective.¡±

    ¡°They are now.¡±

    What? How?

    ¡°When the initial blood draws came back, only two people had elevated levels of nanomachines. You and Godfrey. That obviously led us to ask why. When we compared your after-action reports, the answer was obvious. Both you and Godfrey eliminated the enemy without the aid of modern weaponry. The combat logs Godfrey found in the interface confirmed this.¡±

    Jeremy nodded along absently until an awful thought occurred to him. ¡°Tell me you didn¡¯t send them over without any weapons!¡±

    Scott frowned. ¡°Of course not. That would be the height of stupidity.¡±

    He let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°No, the men were instructed to eliminate the first few targets with their firearms. However, once they were certain only a single enemy remained, they were to destroy their rifles and engage in direct combat using their supplied spears.¡±

    ¡°And it worked?¡±

    Mister Peters snorted. ¡°Of course it did.¡±

    ¡°If everyone else is in the Collective, then why do you want me to lead the team? Why not send Captain Roberts, or Captain Frederick? Hell, why not just promote Renner?¡±

    The CIA man sighed. ¡°Roberts and Frederick failed to return from their missions, as did most of their team members. That¡¯s why we need you to lead the survivors.¡±

    Jeremy¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You sent that many men to their deaths?!¡±

    Scott shook his head sadly. ¡°They made the ultimate sacrifice so we could learn about our enemy and the technology it utilizes.¡±

    ¡°You still didn¡¯t answer my question, why not promote Renner?¡±

    Mister Peters sighed and then muttered, ¡°I suppose you¡¯ll learn eventually.¡± After a deep breath, he stated, ¡°For some unknown reason, the survivors seem to trust you. They refused to cooperate unless you were placed in charge.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they trust me because I actually care if they live or die.¡±

    The CIA man scoffed. ¡°You think I wanted to lose good men? Despite being the only group that has shown progress, my request for reinforcements was denied. The five of you and Godfrey are all I¡¯ve got.¡±

    ¡°I was wondering why you didn¡¯t just send more soldiers through the meat grinder. Looks like your bosses don¡¯t like it when most of your men die.¡±

    ¡°If you must know, they cited security concerns as the reason, not losses.¡±

    ¡°Security concerns?¡±

    ¡°Evidently, they are hesitant to bring more people into the fold. They want to keep news of the invasion from the public at all costs.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s idiotic! How can they even do that? Aren¡¯t the distortions showing up all around the world?¡±

    Scott smiled once more. ¡°See, we agree, it is very short-sighted. As to the rest of the world¡­ You¡¯d be surprised at the amount of leverage the US has over other countries. But, back to the original question, will you lead your team so we can learn more about the threat? Take a moment.¡±

    Do I really have another choice?

    While Jeremy still viewed Scott Peters as a ruthless sociopath, he agreed that they needed to discover everything they could about the AI and the aliens that control it. And, if he were placed in charge, he could at least mitigate the reckless behavior the man before him showcased.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it, but with a few conditions.¡±

    Scott¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Before we begin the next operation, we need extensive training in the use of spears and other primitive weaponry, along with group tactics.¡±

    The CIA man shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no time for that.¡±

    ¡°Then my answer is no. Without that training, we might as well be throwing our lives away. There¡¯s a reason most of the men under your command are dead. We¡¯re trained on firearms, explosives, and hand to hand, not spears.¡±

    After a brief hesitation, Scott nodded. ¡°Fine, you¡¯ll have two weeks. Anything else?¡±

    Jeremy wanted to protest the limited amount of training time granted, but held his mouth shut. It would have to do.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken to my mother in months, and I¡¯m sure the others haven¡¯t either.¡±

    ¡°Monitored communications with family can be arranged,¡± Scott agreed. ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡°When I first met you, you told us not to worry, we had advanced tech. Why haven¡¯t we used it? What are we waiting for?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ may have been an exaggeration,¡± Scott admitted.

    ¡°What? You made it all up?¡±

    ¡°Not all of it. The details were fabricated to sniff out security leaks. We do have advanced tech, just not antigrav or ZPMs.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then why not use it?¡±

    Scott sighed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work. Every time we send the drones through the spatial distortion, we lose contact. Hell, they stop working the second they get near it.¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯re on our own?¡±

    Mister Peters nodded. ¡°We¡¯re on our own.¡±

 Chapter 78 - Results

    ¡°So,¡± Montgomery leaned forward across the table. ¡°How bulletproof are you now?¡±

    Blake sat across from his old friend inside the cookhouse while they ate. Rajesh, Jeff, and Dahteste all perked up at the question, and all eyes fell on Blake. Based on their eager expressions, Blake immediately guessed that a bet was involved. Before he answered, he quickly checked his attributes to refresh his memory.

    Attributes - Increased by 72%

    Physical Power - 32.7[4]

    Physical Stamina - 27.5[1]

    Physical Resistance - 27.5[4]

    Magic Power - 27.5[4]

    Magic Stamina - 27.5[2]

    Magic Resistance - 29.2[2]

    Over the last week, Blake had been busy in the level three scenarios. He had upgraded his Slayer achievement to the third tier, which increased his attributes by another three percent. In that time, he also replaced his entire set of armor and jewelry.

    To his chagrin, the only thing he had not replaced was his spear, as he had yet to find a suitable upgrade. The ability to infuse his weapon with chi was too useful to set aside. It allowed him to bypass most defenses and kill creatures in a single blow.

    Lastly, Blake had placed all twelve of his level two attribute points. His desire to round them out led him to place five in Magic Power, five in Magic Stamina, one in Physical Stamina, and one in Physical Resistance. Now, everything but his Physical Power and Magic Resistance were even. Those two attributes were still slightly higher than the rest, but Blake felt it matched his fighting style.

    ¡°Well, with my new ring, my Physical Resistance is at thirty-one point five. At this point, I¡¯d say, no gun can kill me. Although,¡± he added after a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°A fifty caliber sniper rifle would definitely leave a bruise.¡±

    ¡°Holy shit, dude!¡± Montgomery gushed while Jeff sank his head into his hands. ¡°That¡¯s freakin¡¯ awesome! You should go take back the fire tower. Those feds won¡¯t stand a chance!¡±

    ¡°That is inadvisable,¡± Rajesh warned dryly.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Montgomery turned to the Indian as Jeff transferred him nano. ¡°What are they gonna do to him? What CAN they do to him?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not pick a fight with the government,¡± Blake said softly.

    ¡°More to the point,¡± Dahteste added. ¡°The Feds haven¡¯t done anything to us. What reason would we have to attack them?¡±

    Montgomery cleared his throat and raised a finger. ¡°One, they¡¯re keeping us from the Ursa portal.¡± He then added a second digit. ¡°Two, Blake says they capture and experiment on anyone they find in the Collective.¡±

    ¡°Allegedly,¡± Blake corrected. ¡°I never had any direct proof, just hearsay.¡±

    Montgomery rolled his eyes. ¡°What are you, a lawyer?¡±

    Blake snorted and took a bite out of his Lupus Steak.

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, he COULD take them out if he wanted to, not that he should.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Rajesh stared directly into Montgomery¡¯s eyes. ¡°You suggested exactly that.¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Montgomery muttered after he was called out.

    ¡°We should leave it alone,¡± Jeff finally spoke up, the first time that evening. After the rare suggestion, the subject was dropped, and everyone resumed their meals.

    After a minute of awkward silence, Blake swallowed a large bite of the stringy, but spicy meat, and asked, ¡°So, how are things going with you guys? Are you getting along better?¡±

    Dahteste shrugged and continued to focus on her steak.

    ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Montgomery responded between bites.

    After those resounding endorsements of Jeff¡¯s leadership, Blake turned to Rajesh to get his opinion.

    The Indian hesitated a moment before he replied, ¡°While I do not always agree with Jeff, he is at least a sensible alternative to Montgomery.¡±

    Wow. Coming from Rajesh, that¡¯s almost a ringing endorsement.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Montgomery blurted in outrage. ¡°I¡¯m sensible!¡±

    All three of his teammates turned to stare at the irate man.

    Montgomery threw his hands into the air and stood. ¡°Fine! I can tell when I¡¯m not appreciated. I¡¯ll do the sensible thing and head to bed.¡±

    ¡°Finally,¡± Rajesh sniped. ¡°He does something reasonable.¡±

    Montgomery turned and stalked out of the now expanded cookhouse. A moment later, Dahteste stood and yawned. ¡°It¡¯s actually getting late. I should head back home and get some sleep.¡±

    She went for her utensils and plate, but Blake stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯ll get the dishes.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± the Native replied and then left. A moment later, Jeff joined her with a nod of thanks.

    When Blake was finally alone with Rajesh, he asked, ¡°So, what do you really think about Jeff¡¯s leadership?¡±

    Rajesh opened his mouth to respond, but Blake interrupted him. ¡°Remember, I know you.¡±

    The man frowned and then wobbled his head. The half nod, half shake movement was common among Indians. For Rajesh, in particular, it meant that he acknowledged the statement, but did not necessarily agree with it.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Regardless, he finally admitted, ¡°It has been a challenge. Many times, I have had to hold my tongue to keep from contradicting him.¡±

    Blake smirked. ¡°I can imagine.¡±

    Rajesh opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly paused and shook his head.

    I wonder if this is another case of him biting his tongue.

    After a moment, the Indian stated, ¡°The benefits of keeping the peace are too great to cast away. I am unlikely to find another team that will accept me, and I do not wish to fight alone as you have. It is far too dangerous.

    ¡°You¡¯re right about that,¡± Blake agreed. ¡°I can only do it because of the crazy amount of achievements I¡¯ve gotten.¡±

    ¡°No one in your past fought alone?¡±

    ¡°Oh, they did, but they also died. A lot. I don¡¯t plan on doing that. It¡¯s why I wanted to wait until I got a full set of gear and all my attributes maxed before I take on the level four Lupus portal.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to do that soon?¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Tomorrow morning. The faster I can get that granite, the sooner they can start the faction hall upgrade.¡±

    ¡°What are the advantages of that again?¡±

    ¡°All kinds of stuff.¡± Blake grinned. ¡°At level four, we can finally build a shield generator and portal room. Plus, we can upgrade the bunkhouse to level three, which adds four more levels, an elevator, AC, and a refrigerator! We can upgrade this cookhouse again, too. It¡¯ll add a walk-in freezer, and upgrade the kitchen.¡±

    Rajesh nodded and leaned in slightly. ¡°What about the portal room? How does that work?¡±

    ¡°Well, once a day, any faction member can pay ten mega-nano and open a portal home from anywhere on Earth.¡±

    ¡°Only on Earth? It does not work from a failed scenario?¡±

    Blake shook his head.

    ¡°That is unfortunate. Still, ten million nano-machines is a steep price to pay for convenience. With that cost, I can only imagine it being used in emergencies.¡±

    ¡°More than just that. Remember, in less than two months, there¡¯s going to be monsters everywhere. Sure, it¡¯ll save you if you get surrounded, but once the Payson expansion gets its portal room, we get free, unlimited travel between the two towns.¡±

    ¡°You are right, that is very cost-effective.¡±

    ¡°Damn right it is.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for answering my questions.¡± Rajesh stood. ¡°I believe I will call it a night as well.¡±

    ¡°Good night,¡± Blake nodded and gathered their used dishes. He entered the kitchen, hands full, and found his father wiping down the stove top.

    ¡°Oh hey Blake,¡± Peter smiled and then noticed the heavy stack in his arms. ¡°You can set them in the sink over there, and I¡¯ll have my helper wash them in the morning.¡±

    Blake nodded and carefully set the stack down. When he was sure the ceramic cups and plates would not topple and break, he turned to leave.

    ¡°Hey Blake,¡± his father said, his tone serious. ¡°I wanted to thank you for helping your brother.¡±

    He froze in the doorway and smiled. ¡°Happy to help. I¡¯m just glad he¡¯s actually contributing now.¡±

    Peter nodded in agreement as he rinsed the rag beneath the sink. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him this committed to something since he was addicted to that video game.¡±

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s determined to create his own cure. That¡¯s a big incentive right there. And, you¡¯d be surprised how hard people are willing to work when they feel what they¡¯re doing matters.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± his father agreed. After a brief pause, he added, ¡°I didn¡¯t hear any yelling and screaming coming from the dining room, does that mean your old friends are getting along now?¡±

    Blake waffled his hand back and forth. ¡°Not really. I think they¡¯re just putting up with each other because it¡¯s better than the alternative.¡± He frowned. ¡°It¡¯s weird because when I first met up with them in my old timeline, they were already a team and seemed to get together okay. Sure, they argued, but nothing like they did here.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because they haven¡¯t gone through the same life-changing events.¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°Sure, but they¡¯re still the same people.¡±

    His father sighed and shook his head. He put the rag down and leaned on the counter as he faced his son. ¡°No, they¡¯re not. You said that Montgomery and Jeff both lost their family to the monsters, am I right?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°That is emotionally scarring and changes a person. Just look at you. You¡¯re a completely different person than you were six months ago.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that different.¡±

    His father burst out laughing. When he finally recovered, Peter said, ¡°Just a few months ago, your mother and I could barely get you to clean your room. All you wanted to do was watch Selftube and play on your console. Your mother and I were actually worried that you and your brother were going to be bums the rest of your lives.¡±

    Blake scowled.  ¡°I wasn¡¯t that bad.¡±

    Peter looked him straight in the eyes and disagreed. ¡°Yes. You were. Why do you think we believed you so quick when you said you were from the future?¡±

    ¡°Because of Metal?¡±

    ¡°Sure, that helped,¡± his father agreed. ¡°But you also talked differently. You took things seriously and didn¡¯t use gen z slang anymore. You even carried yourself differently.¡±

    Blake furrowed his brow as he considered the changes in himself. Before he went back in time, he often daydreamed about what might have been if his family had lived. He imagined himself safe within the walls of a faction town with no pressures placed upon him

    Would I have chosen to fight?

    He decided that he would not have. His father was right. Without their deaths as a catalyst, he would have never gone off the rails. Most likely, he would have been forced into a non-combat class to contribute and would have remained safe until the faction was overrun by monsters.

    Maybe I really don¡¯t know my friends after all.

    The thought sobered him and a sense of isolation washed over him.

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± Blake admitted.

    ¡°Of course I am,¡± his father grinned. ¡°Now, you should probably head to bed. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got a big day of killing monsters tomorrow, and I have to wake up early as well.¡±

    ¡°You could always have someone else do the food prep if you want to sleep in,¡± Blake suggested.

    Peter shook his head. ¡°No, if I¡¯m not involved, I won¡¯t master my class skills. Besides,¡± he gestured toward the far wall. ¡°We¡¯re getting another shipment of food tomorrow morning, and I need to let them know where to store it.¡±

    Blake glanced at the wall his father intimated. Cans of dry goods were stacked halfway up to the ceiling, and pushed into the room at least three feet.

    ¡°Where are you going to store it all? The room looks pretty full already.¡±

    ¡°Well, I want the commonly used items stored here so I can access them. But, your mother had a good suggestion for the rest. There are seven more jail cells in the basement of the faction hall. We figured we could use them for storage since the bunkhouses are going to be filled with people. Unless you plan on putting more people in jail¡­?¡±

    Blake exhaled loudly. ¡°I sure hope not, but I can¡¯t guarantee anything. If it¡¯s anything like the first time around, there¡¯s going to be a lot of troublemakers.¡±

    ¡°Was there a lot of theft?¡±

    ¡°Less than you think. No, it was mostly people either refusing to work or demanding that they be put in charge. But, I won¡¯t put those types of people in jail, they¡¯ll just be kicked out. We can¡¯t afford to feed them,¡± he explained.

    His father frowned at the statement but did not disagree.

    After the conversation dulled, Blake pushed off the wall he had been leaning against and waved. ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    ¡°Goodnight,¡± Peter responded.

 Chapter 79 - Survival

    Blake hurried down the isthmus between water-filled gravel pits to reach the Lupus scenario. The portal sat outside the small town of Snowflake in an industrial area where workers used heavy machinery to load gravel onto trucks.

    On his way through their private property, he was once again spotted by a machine operator. Blake glanced over his shoulder as he sped along the land bridge to see the man¡¯s reaction. The worker stumbled from the backhoe and began to waddle towards him, two-way radio in hand.

    Good luck catching up to me.

    He was obese, with baggy clothes and a long beard that swayed back and forth as he walked.

    Blake was not worried.

    By the time the employee came close enough to make out his features, he would be long gone. Just as he was last time and the time before.

    Where do they think I go? How long do they search for me before they give up?

    Blake shrugged off the idle thoughts and slowed down as he neared the portal. The entrance was not located on the thin strip of land between pits, but underwater. Like the Stoltar scenario in Phoenix, he was forced to dive into the water to travel to the Lupus planet.

    If it were not hidden so well, dozens of people would have gone missing by now as they chased him down. Luckily, no one wanted to jump in a gravel pit to search for him.

    The first time he was seen, he had fretted that a squadron of cop cars would be waiting for his return. However, that never happened. And, each time he had been spotted since then, the area was clear on his exit.

    I wonder if they¡¯re doing something illegal and don¡¯t want the cops involved.

    Blake inhaled deeply before he sprung forward. He broke through the surface and plunged into the water until the world disappeared around him. When a familiar prompt appeared before him, he increased the difficulty twice and was presented with his objective.

    Shit.

    Survive until dawn.

    Why do I get the hard missions every time I attempt a scenario two levels above me? Does the Architect do it on purpose, or am I just cursed?

    So far, he had only been presented with simple elimination objectives within the Snowflake portal. Once he killed thirty to forty Lupus, the scenario was completed, he would receive his reward, and would then be allowed to leave. This time, however, there would be an almost unlimited number of Lupus pitted against him.

    At least Montgomery isn¡¯t here to give our position away this time.

    Suddenly, he was spat from the void and into a dim forest. After he ensured the area was clear, he observed his surroundings. The Lupus¡¯ star had just set, and its last rays faintly illuminated the thick forest around him.

    It must be Autumn here.

    The trees had already lost most of their leaves, which now blanketed the ground. Piles up to a foot thick surrounded him, which would impede travel. Blake took a single step forward and winced when they crunched loudly beneath his boots.

    How the hell am I supposed to stay hidden in this?

    He could only maintain Dampen Sound for so long before he ran out of aetheric energy. The day-night cycles were also much longer on the Lupus planet. If he were to hazard a guess by the stars above, it would be at least another thirteen hours before dawn.

    Blake used his psionic ability, Mind Sense, to search the nearby woods, and found no sentient creatures in the area. However, just because there was nothing nearby now, did not mean a patrol could not arrive at any moment.

    I should probably use Mind Sense every ten minutes or so.

    Blake would have loved to send out a psionic ping every thirty seconds, but the rapid use of spells would quickly drain his psionic energy, which took hours to regenerate. His father¡¯s hearty breakfast and Oliver¡¯s alchemical potions provided a boost to his attributes, but their addition would not be enough for him to recklessly spend his energy.

    That attribute increase from breakfast lasted four hours, and after a few alterations, Oliver¡¯s potions now lasted two. Normally, his meal¡¯s boost lasted the entire dungeon, and he only needed to refresh his potions once. This scenario, however, would last at least thirteen hours.

    Luckily, I brought plenty of Oliver¡¯s potions.

    So far, his brother had been able to produce a large quantity of potions that could enhance all three Physical Attribute enhancement potions as well as his Magic Stamina. Unfortunately, Oliver had yet to get to Magic Power or Magic Resistance.

    Blake had brought along five vials of each, or twenty total, which filled the entirety of his Spatial Storage. The general skill had already been upgraded twice, which allowed him to store almost five pounds of mass.

    Soon, he would be able to upgrade it again, which would increase the limit to nine pounds. Since each vial of nano-enhanced liquid only weighed a few ounces, that would be enough to hold an entire day¡¯s worth of boosts for all six attributes.

    Okay, how should I play this? Should I try hiding, or should I run?

    Blake observed the tall, barren trees, and judged they could support his weight. If he climbed to the peak, in the dark of night, he may evade their notice.

    I can always run or fight if I¡¯m seen.

    Since no monsters were near, he trudged through the heavy leaves without Dampen Sound active until he reached the base of a towering tree. With his prodigious strength, he easily scaled the trunk until it began to bend under his weight.

    Maybe I can just stay up here for the rest of the night.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    He was over fifty feet up, and could not see the forest floor. With any luck, the Lupus would not be able to see him either. As far as he knew, their eyes were no better than a wolf¡¯s. If he remained still, he should remain unnoticed.

    Hopefully I¡¯m too high for my scent to be an issue.

    Twenty minutes later, his third Mind Sense returned a hit. A pack of five Lupus were almost a hundred feet away on the ground below, headed his way.

    Just a coincidence.

    Blake remained calm and kept his assumption of obscurity, right up until his tree shook violently from an impact. He strained his eyes, but could still not see anything below. Unfortunately, a quick ping of Mind Sense showed the pack as they circled around the base of his tree.

    How the hell did they see me? One of them must have Infravision.

    If one did have the chi ability, his body heat would blaze brightly in the dark, and could be seen for hundreds of feet. He would need to eliminate it quickly, as its vision gave it an advantage in the dark.

    Fine. Let¡¯s do this.

    Blake unhooked the spear from his belt, released the trunk, and pushed off with his feet. The wind rushed past his ears as he plunged to the ground below. When he was halfway to the ground, he finally made out the outlines of the monsters below. One Lupus tracked his movement and steadily backed away, while the others remained steady.

    That one.

    It was ten feet away, out of his reach, but Blake was not worried. He began to cast Gale in the opposite direction of his target. A second later, the spell completed and a blast of wind rocketed out of his left hand and propelled him toward the lone Lupus.

    Blake barely had time to aim his spear before it slammed into the surprised monster. The tip pierced through its ribs as he flew past, and the weapon was ripped from his hands. He continued to tumble along the ground until he slammed into a tree.

    Get up! Use your spells!

    He shook off his dazed head and bruised body to quickly rise to his feet and activated Alacrity. After a split second, he located the dead creature and rushed forward to retrieve his spear.

    Unfortunately, by the time he had both hands on the trapped weapon, the other Lupus had already reacted, and he was forced to dive to the side to avoid the closest.

    He held onto his spear as he dodged, and used it as a club to beat the monster as it soared past. The creature glowed with the telltale sign of chi, and his swing did very little to damage it. However, after the impact, the corpse of the first Lupus was dislodged, and his spear was free.

    Finally!

    He sprang to his feet and readied to defend himself when he was suddenly tackled from behind. Pain engulfed his shoulder as its sharp canines penetrated his leather armor.

    Where the hell did it come from!? It must have used a Spatial Step!

    Blake quickly dropped his spear and reached for the Lupus¡¯s jaw as he twisted to extract himself from its grip. Only after extreme effort was he able to rip the sharp teeth out of his shoulder, along with half his flesh.

    He immediately activated Focused Regeneration and searched the unlit ground for his spear as the Lupus¡¯ howled. His left arm hung useless, and he was at a severe disadvantage against the four remaining monsters.

    I need to get out of here!

    There!

    He snatched the weapon and whirled to sprint away when his movement slowed to a crawl.

    ¡°Stupid aether users!¡± Blake cursed as he faced his opponents. When he noticed they were clumped together, he triggered a Directed Mind Blast, and was relieved when his movement returned to normal speed.

    Blake took off at a sprint through the dark woods until he found a large branch twenty feet off the ground. He used a Guided Spatial Step to appear atop the large offshoot, with his spear already snapped to his belt, and his arms wrapped around the wood.

    Such a good upgrade.

    If he had not evolved the ability the way he had, his momentum would not have been instantly arrested, and he would have fallen from the tree. He would have also been unable to secure himself with the spear in hand.

    Blake¡¯s Alacrity expired, and a moment later, the Lupus sprinted by, their noses to the air. He froze and held his breath in an effort to hide himself from their sensitive ears.

    Shit! I can¡¯t hide my scent.

    When his trail suddenly disappeared, they began to spread out directly below him. He watched as they circled around in an effort to lock on to his position. When they did not immediately find it, they called loudly for reinforcements.

    I can¡¯t stay here.

    A minute and a half later, his Guided Spatial Step was once again ready, and the Lupus below showed no sign of leaving. Blake searched the dark for a branch large enough to hold his weight, and was relieved when he found one just fifteen feet away. However, with their acute hearing, he was concerned any movement would alert them.

    I need to use Dampen Sound.

    Unfortunately, aether spells needed to be channeled, and it was not possible to use two at the same time. In his past life, Rajesh had complained many times about his inability to use two spells at once.

    Although¡­ Rajesh didn¡¯t have a ninety-four percent affinity like I do.

    Aether was by far Blake¡¯s highest propensity. He had only ever come across a few people with an affinity over ninety, and none of them were aether users.

    Well, it doesn¡¯t hurt to try. The worst thing that can happen is nothing.

    Blake channeled Dampen Sound, focused on the far branch, and activated Guided Spatial Step.

    Nothing happened.

    He growled in frustration but refused to give up. Blake concentrated on his intent as he again tried to trigger the second aether spell. Once again, it failed to activate. However, through his focus, he was able to discern a single point of resistance. With that point firmly in mind, he once again tried to use both abilities simultaneously, and yet again failed.

    He glanced down at the Lupus.

    I have time.

    Normally, continuous failures would discourage him. However, each time he did not succeed, he sensed that he came closer and closer to success. Finally, after what must have been the hundredth attempt, what felt like a blockage was destroyed and the spell was completed.

    Yes!

    Blake was so surprised by his success, that he almost fell from the branch he now clung to. Luckily, his Dampen Sound remained active and prevented the noise from his sudden movements from escaping. To conserve his aether, which was now at seventy-four percent, he deactivated Dampen Sound while he waited for his teleportation spell to recover.

    A minute and a half later, he reactivated Dampen Sound, and attempted to use a Guided Spatial Step simultaneously. To his relief, there was only a slight resistance, and he found himself another nineteen feet away.

    After Blake used his Mind Sense ability to search for the now hidden Lupus, he found that reinforcements had arrived. To his relief, none of them headed his way.

    For the next fifteen minutes, he traveled through the trees and put as much distance as he could between himself and the Lupus still searching for him. Each time he moved, he used his Mind Sense to locate the packs to ensure he remained undetected.

    When he felt he had reached a safe distance, he halted his flight and remained stationary high in the canopy while he waited for his shoulder to heal.

    Blake estimated that a normal human would take around three weeks to recover from the bite. With his Physical Stamina attribute currently at thirty-two point five thanks to his temporary increases, it would heal at almost two hundred times that rate.

    If his math was correct, he would need to remain hidden for two and a half hours before he regained use of his left arm. As Blake settled in to wait, he cast Mind Sense and then sighed in relief when the ping failed to return an enemy.

    Hopefully I can just stay hidden up here the rest of the night.

 Chapter 80 - Stealth

    To Blake¡¯s relief, either his math was wrong, or his injury was not as severe as he feared. After only a scant forty-five minutes of hiding, he regained partial use of his arm. Now, thirty minutes after that point, the limb was almost completely healed.

    Unfortunately, he would soon need to test its stability in combat.

    For the last fifteen minutes, Blake watched as patrols appeared beneath him. He could do nothing to block his scent from being carried away by the wind, and while it did not give away his exact position, they knew he was nearby.

    When the Lupus failed to locate him, they organized search groups to systematically flush him out. Despite the darkness, and his shelter residing over fifty feet above the ground, it would only be a matter of time before his exact location was pinpointed. However, he had no desire to move until forced.

    What the hell is that?

    Blake stared off into the distance as the forest began to slowly lighten. The remote trees became visible and eventually the source of the light was revealed.

    Illumination

    The aether based spell produced a floating globe of light so bright, it provided visibility for almost a hundred feet in all directions. Its use was almost guaranteed to give away his position, especially when a second globe appeared on his right.

    On a hunch, he strained his eyes to search the trees above the two sources of light.

    Damnit! I knew it!

    The Lupus did not just travel along the ground. He could faintly hear the rustle of the monsters that stalked through the bare branches above. They came from downwind, and by Blake¡¯s estimation, would converge on his location within a few minutes.

    I knew they¡¯d find me eventually. At least it was a nice rest.

    His first instinct was to run and hide, as he had successfully done before. However, with the addition of the light, that would be a losing proposition. They could keep up the efficient spell for hours, and their sensitive noses would never cease to function.

    Meanwhile, Blake had used a large portion of his aetheric energy in his earlier flight, which had only recovered to sixty-six percent. Between his Dampen Sound and Spatial Shift, the two spells consumed a large amount of resources quickly. If he chose to flee, he would not be surprised if he ran out of energy within half an hour.

    No, I need to take out those two aether users.

    Unfortunately, with Lupus in the trees, it would be difficult to repeat his earlier performance and ambush them from above. Either the pack leader was brighter than the average monster, or these creatures learned from their mistakes. Neither possibility comforted him.

    I need to get back on the ground and go on the offensive.

    Unlike the Lupus, Blake needed to utilize Spatial Step to reliably travel through the canopy. Once he teleported onto a branch, he remained immobile until his spell was ready to be used again. That strategy worked fine while he fled a single pack, but now he would need speed to remain ahead of the horde.

    No time to climb down.

    Before the approaching light could reveal his location, he activated Dampen Sound and stepped off the branch that had been his shelter. After a brief moment, he began the spell form for Gale and aimed it downward. A second later, a blast of air left his extended hand and immediately slowed his fall.

    The maneuver was not perfect, but it shed enough of his velocity that he was able to land without breaking his legs. He hit the ground hard and rolled in an effort to soften the landing further. As he tumbled, his spear stuck into the ground and forced him into an immediate stop.

    Despite the complication, he came out of the risky move with only light bruises. With his back to the ground, Blake pumped his fist into the air in celebration.

    That was badass!

    He chuckled to himself as he stood and then activated Mind Sense.

    Good, they didn¡¯t hear.

    Blake had been worried that Gale would produce enough of a racket to give away his position. Luckily, Dampen Sound affected a decently large area, something he planned to use to his advantage soon in his new plan.

    With his aether spell still active, he sprinted through the woods at an angle from the two sources of light. Eventually, one of the creatures would run across his scent trail and follow it, but hoped to kill his targets before that happened. He circled around the area in a wide arc and used Mind Sense to locate his first target.

    Perfect.

    Blake chose a lone Lupus on the edge of the pack. He hoped to use Dampen Sound to block out the commotion of his ambush, but was not certain it would be effective enough. To determine the feasibility of his strategy, he would need to test out the method on a single enemy. If he was wrong, he could flee and come up with a new plan to take out his two eventual targets.

    He hid most of his body behind a tree and dropped his aether spell as he waited for his target to approach. A minute later, he heard the sound of leaves rustling in the distance. After straining his eyes, he faintly saw the shadow of movement in that general direction.

    The wolf-like monster moved slowly as it zigged and zagged, its snout just off the leaf covered ground. Blake could hear its sniffs from even forty feet away as it searched for his trail.

    Blake waited until there was only twenty feet between them before he activated Dampen Sound, and unsheathed his spear. He channeled chi into the tip, and then used a Guided Spatial Step to appear behind the distracted Lupus. The moment he arrived, he thrust his spear forward and impaled the surprised beast.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Its yelp was short-lived, and the moment his combat log confirmed the kill, he immediately dislodged his weapon from the corpse. Blake used Mind Sense, and let out a sigh of relief when the brief pulse confirmed he remained hidden.

    I can¡¯t believe this works so well.

    Blake accomplished something unheard of in his past. Aether users who focused on stealth were generally not effective until after level ten. Even then, they were best utilized as scouts, not assassins.

    Basic aether spells were only able to counter a single sense. Since they needed to be channeled, the spell caster was forced to choose. Blake did not seem to have that problem, and could only assume it was his high affinity which let him break the rules.

    At level ten, combat classes gained access to advanced spells. These abilities were capable of affecting multiple senses at the same time, although their energy requirement was much higher.

    High level aether users could easily remain hidden from their enemies, but they had a weakness. They struggled to eliminate their targets quickly. In order to maintain their Invisibility against even level targets, they had to heavily focus on their Magic Power and Stamina. This meant their Physical attributes lagged behind.

    Dual classes could somewhat overcome the issue if they utilized chi or psi based spells. However, that was not nearly as effective as Blake¡¯s performance. He was not fighting even level monsters.

    The Lupus he faced were two levels above him.

    Each enemy he killed in this scenario granted him around six million nano. It was twice the amount he received from the same monsters a single level above him. If his ambush tactics remained effective, he would receive a giant windfall of nano by the time he was done.

    If I survive. Time to focus, Blake.

    He shrugged off the distracting thoughts and focused on his next target, a Lupus almost a hundred feet away. His Mind Sense revealed the creature as it traveled along the lower branches of a tree.

    Before he engaged in combat, he quickly checked his status, as he had a theory he wanted to confirm.

    Guided Spatial Step - 58%

    It was the first ability he evolved, and was also the closest to mastery.

    Blake sprinted forward through the dark and relied on his Dampen Sound to mask the sound of his feet as they crushed the leaves. When he was only thirty feet away, he watched the Lupus leap from one tree to another.

    Before it could do so again, he channeled chi into his spear tip, and used Guided Spatial Step to appear behind the Lupus. He thrust his weapon forward. The enhanced weapon easily pierced through the creature¡¯s toughened hide and instantly killed his enemy.

    Blake almost reflexively kicked the corpse off his spear, but stopped himself before he inadvertently announced his presence. Instead, he dragged the dead body with him as he intentionally rolled from the branch, and used the bubble of Dampen Sound to muffle his hard landing. Only then did he extract his spear.

    After his weapon was clear, he performed a quick check with Mind Sense. He was reasonably certain they remained unaware of him, otherwise their howls would fill the air. However, the ping doubly assured him that he remained hidden, and he quickly checked his status once again.

    Guided Spatial Step - 62%

    I was right!

    It was well known that spells were mastered far more quickly in combat. That was why he did not just use the ability repeatedly from the safety of his bunkhouse. The safer method worked, but would take him weeks to reach mastery in a single spell. It was far more efficient to gain nano while he simultaneously mastered his abilities at a faster rate.

    However, his simple experiment showed that he had just gained an entire scenario¡¯s worth of mastery in a single use.

    Is it because they¡¯re two levels above me, because I¡¯m channeling two spells at the same time, or both?

    Blake considered the question. While he had killed monsters a level above him in his past life, he had done so with a full team. If there had been a difference in mastery gained, he had never noticed, and neither had anyone else he knew. Although, it was quite possible that someone had discovered the information and kept it secret to give themselves an advantage.

    Blake snorted in disgust and shook his head.

    Sounds about right.

    Unlike others, he planned to share it with everyone. That is, as soon as he figured out the mechanism behind the increase. Bad information was worse than no information.

    I wish I would have thought to check when I fought the Kofa.

    Blake could not blame himself too harshly for not thinking of the experiment earlier. At the time, he was heavily wounded and desperate. He needed to eliminate his rivals before they finished the scenario objective, or he would be stuck on the Mander planet forever.

    It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll have plenty of time to experiment in the future. Assuming I survive.

    If Blake¡¯s math was correct, he would be able to evolve his aether spell after only ten more kills. A quick check of his status confirmed that his Dampen Sound ability also gained mastery at an increased rate. Although, it would take far longer than his teleport to reach one hundred percent.

    For the next fifteen minutes, he slowly picked off Lupus at the edges of the pack. Each successful assassination gave him greater confidence, and brought him closer to evolution. Now, he just needed a single kill, and he could evolve his ability a second time.

    Unfortunately, that was when his luck ran out.

    Howls echoed through the woods as a Lupus pinpointed his fresh scent trail. It was now only a matter of time before they tracked it back to his location and surrounded him.

    Better get the next kill fast then.

    He used Mind sense and located a nearby Lupus. It had briefly frozen when it heard the howls, but now loped forward toward the source. Blake immediately sprinted after it and quickly closed the distance. When he was only twenty feet away, he charged his spear with chi and teleported beside the monster.

    Unfortunately, the Lupus unknowingly evaded his attack.

    The creature dashed to the side to dodge a large rock, and Blake¡¯s spear only grazed it. Regardless, it yelped from the injury, and its head swiveled to see what damaged it. When it saw Blake, its eyes widened in alarm, and it howled in warning.

    Blake did not have time to find out if his Dampen Sound kept their fight a secret. He needed to immediately end the fight and escape to evolve his spell. However, before he could thrust his spear forward once again, the Lupus blinded him with a Flash of Light.

    Shit! No way they miss that.

    For a split second, the entire woods lit up, bright as day.

    Blake blindly lashed out with his spear, but felt no resistance. After his attack failed, he immediately shifted his Focused Regeneration away from his shoulder to his eyes in an effort to speed their repair. He then activated Alacrity to speed up his actions.

    Rather than thrust forward again, he twirled his spear in a circle around him, and was elated when the end slammed into his enemy¡¯s form. With the monster located, he quickly pulled his spear back and thrust it forward. This time, he felt resistance as the chi enhanced tip pierced through the Lupus¡¯ hide.

    Yes!

    Without his eyes, he was not sure if his weapon was lodged in a critical location, and was unwilling to take the chance that it would live. He heaved his spear first to his left and then to his right to widen the injury. Unfortunately, his combat log confirmed it still lived.

    How much does it take to kill this thing?!

    With a grunt of effort, Blake levered his spear to lift the entire Lupus off the ground and over his head. He then slammed it down hard into the ground. A moment later, he received six mega-nano for its death.

    Blake immediately used Mind Sense and swore when it showed him seven Lupus converging on his location. Since Blake was no longer hidden, he decided to drop Dampen Sound. There was no need to waste his energy when it would do no good.

    While Blake could normally take out two or three at a time, seven was a bit much, even for him. That also assumed he could see. Without the use of his eyes, he had no chance of escape, and did not like the odds of direct combat.

    Come on, damnit! Heal faster!

 Chapter 81 - The Second Evolution

    Blake cast Mind Sense again and winced after what felt like a spike was hammered into his brain. Blood dripped from his nose, and he absently wiped it away as he faced the oncoming group and slowly backed away.

    According to his second scan with the spell, seven Lupus would converge on him in the next five seconds. He quickly searched for a way to defeat them or escape, but without his vision, he came up empty. Suddenly, his back hit a tree and he smiled as an idea formed.

    Blake began the short spell form for Gale and aimed it downward. Just before it was completed, he jumped. With a Physical Power of almost forty, the action was many times more effective than a normal human, and he rose over fifteen feet off the ground.

    However, that was still not high enough to accomplish his goal. When he had almost reached his apogee, the mana-based spell completed, and he was thrown upward again by the wind.

    After he rose another eight feet, his back slammed into a thick branch. Blake quickly twisted and ignored the pain to wrap his left arm around it. He immediately folded a leg around his new perch and balanced atop it. A moment later, his Alacrity expired.

    Hopefully this buys me enough time.

    The Lupus below easily located him, and it was only a matter of time before they scaled the trunk. However, he reasoned it should take multiple minutes for them to do so. In that time, he expected his eyesight to at least partially recover, and he would have time to evolve his teleport for a second time.

    Nothing like a little pressure to speed things along.

    He admitted to himself the whole experience was thrilling, and he only wished his friends were along to share it. Blake¡¯s mind flew through the interface, selected Guided Spatial Step, and paid the fifty mega-nano required for evolution. He had long considered his next upgrade, and knew exactly what changes he planned to make to it.

    The ability to change his body¡¯s position and cancel out or create momentum at will was incredibly powerful. The surprise it created almost guaranteed him a kill each time he used it. However, the minute and a half cooldown period between uses meant he could only use it once or possibly twice per battle.

    Blake aimed to correct that deficiency.

    Without delay, he focused on the spell in its entirety and duplicated it in his mind. He overlaid this copy overtop the original and used his will to force them to combine.

    The change he wanted to make was not an original idea. As a chi user, he had never evolved a spell this way in his past. However, he had many conversations on how to grow more powerful over a beer with friends. Theorycrafting spell evolution was a popular topic, one in which Rajesh thrived.

    His friend had proven to be a genius on the subject and had given them many ideas. One such example was a way to shorten spell cooldown periods without paying a heavy cost.

    The Architect gave nothing away for free. If he were to try and shorten the cooldown directly, it would likely increase the energy requirements dramatically. The ability was already expensive, and he had no desire to make it even more so.

    However, if he made certain changes to the spell, it would allow him to build up a second ¡®charge¡¯. This ¡®charge¡¯ as they called it, enabled immediate reuse of the ability without an increase to energy requirements.

    He crossed his fingers that the AI would allow the change.

    Finally, after thirty full seconds of concentration, the Architect approved the alterations and his ability was updated. After the change was made, he immediately opened his status and focused on the spell.

    Charged Guided Spatial Step - Consume a moderate amount of aetheric energy to shift your position by twenty feet. The targeted destination must be in visual range. You may adjust your body so it faces any direction upon arrival, and you can alter your momentum as necessary. Once used, Spatial Shift can be immediately recast by consuming a charge. The spell can not be used again for two minutes, and another two minutes are required to build up a charge.

    It worked!

    He refused to thank the Architect but did relax on his perch.

    The evolution increased the recharge period by a third, but the cost was well worth it. Now, every four minutes, Blake was able to teleport twice in a row. However, after he did so, he did not have to wait the full four minutes before he could use the spell again. He could reactivate it after two minutes and reset the cooldown. A charge would only build after he went four minutes without using the ability.

    With this evolution, he could teleport next to his distant target, which channeled Illumination, kill it, and then immediately teleport away to safety. At least, he could once his eyesight was restored.

    The sound of claws on bark beneath him distracted Blake from his plans. He glanced down toward the noise and was relieved when the blurry outline of a Lupus was revealed. It was only ten feet beneath him as it scaled the trunk of his tree.

    Finally!

    While his vision had yet to fully recover, he was able to see well enough to defend himself. Now, he just needed to stall for a few more minutes, before his eyes were completely healed, and he could execute his plan.

    Blake wrapped his legs around the branch and used both hands to grasp his spear tightly. He raised it above his head, channeled chi into its tip, and thrust it downward with his full strength as the creature lunged towards him.

    The Lupus yelped and then froze as his spear impaled it. A moment later, gravity took over, and it slid off his weapon. It tumbled through the air below until it disappeared from his recovering vision. Two seconds later, Blake heard a thump, and his combat log confirmed its death.

    Like shooting fish in a barrel.

    Unfortunately, they did not make the same mistake twice in a row.

    The pack of six spread out and climbed up the trunks of nearby trees until they reached his height or slightly above. Once he was surrounded, half of the pack paused and used their aether-based spells to disrupt him, while the other three began their attack, enhanced by chi.

    Blake felt his movement slow and his weight increase, as he was hit by Amplify Mass and Slow simultaneously. Worse, he was hit by a Sonic Blast, which destroyed his hearing, and temporarily stunned him. At the same time, all three Lupus leapt toward him, jaws wide.

    Screw this!

    Blake released his leg¡¯s grip, and rolled off the branch into empty air. Without his presence, the Lupus¡¯s attacks missed, and they desperately scrambled to find purchase before they plummeted with him. A moment later, the aether users lost sight of him, and the Slow and Amplify Mass spells were disrupted.

    He cast a Gale downward to slow his fall, and then landed hard on the ground. Just a moment later, two Lupus landed hard beside him. Rather than manually inspect their still bodies, he swiftly checked his combat log instead.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    After Blake confirmed he received six mega-nano each, he turned and sprinted toward the distant light. Now that he could once again see, Blake wanted to assassinate the two Lupus who channeled Illumination as quickly as possible and then flee.

    After all, he only needed to survive the remainder of the night, not kill every enemy.

    As both groups sprinted toward him, he quickly closed the distance and was soon surrounded by dozens of monsters.

    Oh, thank God!

    He had feared his progress would be hindered before he could teleport to his target. Luckily, their overconfidence would be their downfall. The Lupus opened a path into their center to ensure he could not escape. A quick glance over his shoulder as he ran toward the source of light showed that they had already closed the trap behind him.

    Come on! Just a few more feet!

    Suddenly, dozens of aether spells assaulted him. A few partially affected him, while others were fully resisted. Blake shrugged off the effects as best he could while he relentlessly raced toward his target.

    Yes!

    He channeled chi to the tip of his spear, activated Charged Guided Spatial Step, and appeared directly before his target, who¡¯s eyes widened. The aether users lost sight of their target, and their channeled spells were wasted. His target had no time to react before his spear pierced its skull.

    Blake did not stop to gloat. He ripped his weapon out of his target¡¯s head and continued to run through the temporarily stunned group. When the Illumination spell suddenly died behind him, he was plunged into partial darkness, and celebrated his victory.

    Just one more.

    However, before he could attempt to kill his remaining target, he had to escape this current group and wait for his teleportation spell to fully recharge. Suddenly, multiple spells slammed into him, and before he could falter, he used his second charge of Charged Guided Spatial Step to escape.

    He smiled as he forced them to pointlessly expend their spells.

    Blake appeared twenty feet away, outside the group¡¯s reach, and activated Alacrity. With his current Magic Power, his run speed almost doubled, and he quickly outpaced his pursuit.

    For the next ten seconds, he ran at over a hundred miles an hour, through the forest, in the dark. Even with his incredible reaction time, he barely kept himself from slamming into a tree.

    Finally, his Alacrity spell ended, and his pace returned to normal. Of course, normal was still faster than the speed limit on most highways, but the Lupus behind him were also enhanced.

    With Blake¡¯s achievements and temporary enhancements from his breakfast and potions, he estimated that he was a good fifteen percent faster at level two than the average level four Lupus. While he had much higher Physical Power than the monsters, their bodies were built for speed, while his was not.

    Even so, he could not run flat out for the next ten hours. The area within the scenario boundary was only so large, and the intelligent creatures had enough numbers to ensure he would eventually be trapped against its wall.

    No, I need to kill the last Illumination user, and then throw off their scent.

    As he navigated through the forest, his foot suddenly sank three inches into a large puddle of mud. The environmental hazard was so jarring, that he almost lost his balance when his foot pulled away. He shook his head in disgust at the mess of his boots and legs, when a thought suddenly occurred to him.

    What if I? It probably won¡¯t work, but it¡¯s worth a try.

    Blake rammed the butt of his spear into the ground so it remained upright, dove into the mud, and rolled. In the center, the puddle was a foot thick, and he was able to dunk his entire head under the dirty mix. When the bays of the Lupus grew louder, he rose to his feet, grabbed his spear and sprinted away.

    I need to get further ahead, or I¡¯ll never lose them.

    A moment later, Alacrity became available, and he immediately cast it. Once again, he rocketed through the woods at breakneck speeds. The wind blasted against his face, and he once more barely avoided hitting a tree. Ten seconds later, his spell dropped, but he was not much further ahead.

    Finally, both charges of his Charged Guided Spatial Step were filled. He searched the trees for an ideal location to teleport to, and when he found one, did so. Luckily, this tree was close to another, and he was able to leap off his branch to another nearby. When he was no longer able to travel further without his teleport, he quickly utilized it to span a twenty-foot gap.

    Now let¡¯s see if it worked.

    He glanced down at his exposed wrists and groaned internally. The Alacrity fueled sprint through the woods had done an admirable job of cleaning him. A thin film of mud still covered him, but he doubted it would hide his scent.

    When the Lupus reached the end of his scent trail, where he teleported to the tree, they circled and then spread out to search for him. Blake watched the monsters search for a full two minutes until he was able to utilize his teleport spell. He then activated Dampen Sound to hide his movements, faced the next tree, and activated his evolved Spatial Step.

    Twice more, he did this, until he was far enough away that it was unlikely they would spot him. Once he felt safe, he once again checked his aether energy level.

    Well, crap. Just eight percent?

    Each time he teleported, the ability consumed around three percent. That meant he could only teleport twice, and had just two percent left over for Dampen Sound. Blake estimated he could keep the spell active for only ten to fifteen minutes before his aether ran dry. He would have loved to wait longer for his energy levels to recover, but already the Lupus were closing in on his position.

    Looks like I only get one shot.

    After both charges of Spatial Step were primed, Blake activated Dampen Sound and jumped from his perch. He used Gale to slow his fall, and took off running after he landed lightly.

    I¡¯m getting better at that.

    It was easy to find his target - the distant trees were faintly lit by its Illumination spell, which steadily moved his way. He needed to hurry, as he only had around ten minutes to reach the center of the pack with his current aether levels.

    Blake maintained a steady pace as he navigated through an opening he found with his Mind Sense. Once he was past the outer patrol, his confidence soared.

    That, of course, when a monster saw him.

    It immediately howled, which alerted the rest of the pack. Soon, they were aware of his exact position and created an opening. They flanked his sides and opened a path so he could reach the center of the pack. He disabled his Dampen Sound and let them.

    Come on. Use the same plan. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll work the second time.

    Blake had to give them a little grace, as this was not the same pack as before. Regardless, if they were truly intelligent, they would have communicated the details of their failure to the second pack to ensure he could not utilize the same tactic twice.

    When he was only fifteen feet away from his target, the pack struck. Over a dozen aether spells suddenly assaulted him. He was heavy, slowed, deafened, and would have been blinded if he had not reflexively closed his eyes. Even with his lids shut, he was still forced to blink away the bright afterimage.

    Time to go.

    Blake charged his spear, teleported behind his target, and thrust his spear forward.

    Shit!

    Instead of an easy kill, his weapon slid through an illusion.

    It WAS a trap!

    Blake shoved down his panic and used Mind Sense to locate every nearby Lupus. No matter how many illusions they used, they could not fool his psionic ability.

    There!

    His target was obviously nearby, as it had to maintain its Illumination spell. However, a clever Lupus had used the illusion of an empty forest and overlaid it atop his target monster.

    Before he could be targeted by aether spells, he wiped the blood from beneath his nose and loosed a Directed Mind Blast. His vision turned white as what felt like a spike was driven through his skull.

    Blake shook off the pain and rushed forward to end the stunned creature''s life. Just as his chi charged spear pierced through the frozen creature¡¯s skull, he was bombarded with spells.

    He did his best to ignore the magic attacks as he ensured it was dead. Blake heaved his weapon to the side to widen the wound, and then did so again. Once his combat log confirmed its death, he immediately used his last Charged Guided Spatial Step to escape. Once he was temporarily lost to their vision, the channeled aether spells were disrupted, and he cast Alacrity to speed away.

    The wind whipped past his ears as he put distance between himself and his pursuit. For the hour and fifteen minutes, he used Alacrity each time it was available, and kept ahead of the pack.

    Finally, when his aether refilled to fifteen percent, he teleported into the trees, traveled another hundred feet above the ground, and then teleported again. He continued to teleport from tree to tree each time his evolved Spatial Step came off cooldown until he was far enough away he could finally rest.

    Blake withdrew his brother''s potions from his spatial storage, and grinned when an alert informed him that he finally reached mastery in the general skill. He spent the forty mega-nano required to upgrade it to level three, and then checked his mastery over Dampen Sound.

    Dampen Sound - 93%

    Blake was not yet sure how he would evolve it. However, it was so close to mastery that he would be a fool to not take advantage of the opportunity this scenario presented. Now that his teleport spell was evolved, and his greatest threats were eliminated, he could begin the second part of his plan.

    To slowly whittle away the Lupus at the edges of the pack.

    Each monster he assassinated granted him six mega-nano. He had hours and hours left before the scenario was completed, and planned to use every one of them to grow his nano reserve.

 Chapter 82 - Justice

    Blake crouched silently on his branch. Only an hour remained before first light when he unexpectedly received a message from his mother.

    Donna Summers: Blake, please call me asap!

    That can¡¯t be good.

    Blake had been about to assassinate his next target, but paused in his attempt. Instead, he activated his newly evolved Adjustable Dampen Sound and called his mother through holochat. As he did so, he kept one eye on the Lupus, forty feet below.

    Donna appeared before him, distraught.

    She was seated behind her desk in her office on the second floor of the faction hall. Both elbows were planted on the polished wood, and half her face was hidden behind her hands. Immediately after she accepted the call, she placed her hands flat on the table and let out a deep breath to calm herself.

    Blake was alarmed at her condition, as it had been a while since he had seen her that upset. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He pressed. ¡°Is everyone okay?¡±

    ¡°No, everyone¡¯s not okay,¡± she stated in a steady voice.

    A spike of dread rose from his gut, and his heart rate soared as he blurted. ¡°Is it dad? Oliver?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No, your father and brother are fine.¡±

    He let out a sigh of relief. ¡°You should have led with that,¡± he chastised her.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she winced. ¡°But this is bad,¡±

    Blake grunted in frustration. ¡°Then tell me what the hell is going on!¡±

    His mother gave him a stern look, but chose to ignore his rudeness. ¡°Jeff¡¯s group had an accident, and Dahteste died.¡±

    Oh.

    ¡°Is everyone else okay?¡± he asked in concern.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Relieved his friends were okay, he said softly. ¡°I know this sucks, Mom, but it was bound to happen sooner or later. The scenarios are dangerous, and a lot more people are going to eventually die. Remember, we¡¯re preparing for the Apocalypse.¡±

    Donna rolled her eyes. ¡°I know that, and if her death was the only problem, I would have just let you know when you got back.¡± She took another calming breath and said, ¡°I had to lock Rajesh up in the jail downstairs for everyone¡¯s protection.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?! I thought you said it was an accident!¡± Blake tensed when he realized that he had shouted the last response, and immediately released a Mind Sense. ¡°One second,¡± he whispered.

    While he still continued to channel Adjustable Dampen Sound, it did not block one hundred percent of the noise within its field. He would need an advanced spell for that, Sonic Void.

    A moment later, he let out a sigh of relief. The Lupus that searched below remained blissfully unaware of his presence.

    After he confirmed he was still hidden, Blake turned to his mother and asked in a quieter voice, ¡°What did Rajesh do?¡±

    ¡°According to Montgomery, he disobeyed Jeff¡¯s orders and got Dahteste killed. They¡¯re both pretty pissed at him and kicked him out of the group, but Kuruk is the real problem. He¡¯s out for blood.¡±

    ¡°I can imagine,¡± Blake nodded, and wondered if Montgomery¡¯s perception of the event was accurate. ¡°If Kuruk blames him for his sister¡¯s death, he¡¯s going to want Rajesh to suffer, and there¡¯s no way he can take him in a fight. Not with all his attributes maxed.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I had Montgomery and Jeff escort him to the jail cell. I needed to make sure things didn¡¯t get out of hand.¡±

    ¡°That was a good idea,¡± He praised his mother¡¯s quick thinking. ¡°Now I just need to figure out how to fix this. Montgomery can be a bit, ¡®excitable.¡¯ Did his story make sense? I¡¯m not saying it isn''t Rajesh¡¯s fault, but before Kuruk does something rash, we need to know the whole story.¡±

    ¡°Jeff made it seem pretty clear-cut, but that¡¯s another reason I jailed Rajesh. I needed everyone to cool off, so more details can surface.¡±

    Blake agreed. ¡°Save me the details till I get back, I¡¯m in kinda a tight spot right now, but I¡¯m almost finished with the scenario.¡±

    Montgomery and Jeff won¡¯t team up with him now, and I doubt any others will want him, either. They¡¯re either friends of Kuruk¡¯s or related. No, it¡¯s best if I get him out of town. The Payson expansion has a bunkhouse now. He can live there and kill Arachne by himself until we recruit another fighter.

    ¡°How long until you¡¯re back?¡± His mother asked, interrupting his thoughts. ¡°I think having a meeting with everyone involved is prudent.¡±

    ¡°The portal should be open in about an hour. After that, I figure I¡¯ll need another thirty minutes to get the non-combat classes situated and wait for my reward, and then another forty to drive home.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let everyone know it¡¯s going to be a while.¡± She then added, ¡°Be safe.¡±

    Blake disconnected from the holocall and sighed. He had been afraid something like this would happen, and did not look forward to calming everyone down.

    In his past life, people died in similar circumstances all the time. Once that happened, the combat team would be split, obviously, but it was not really a big deal. Others would gladly invite in the ostracized members, or they would form a new team on their own.

    Death was commonplace.

    At the moment, however, people were used to civilized society. One where death was rare, and freedom was abundant. However, after Invasion day, that was going to change.

    Blake hoped that Earth would one day return to its current shape, but he doubted it. Even if humanity thrived and defeated the alien invasion in ten years, the power dynamic would be forever changed.

    In his past, the high level combat classes were like gods compared to those who chose not to fight. Non-combatants would not be able to band together to overthrow a high level tyrant. The best they could hope for was to escape to another faction.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Poor Dahteste, I hope she didn¡¯t suffer.

    Blake shook off his gloomy thoughts, and focused on the here and now. First, he contacted the relevant non-combat classers and informed them when to show up to collect the resources.

    Then, he used Mind Sense to locate the lone Lupus, stealthily approached it, and expanded the size of his Adjustable Dampen Sound spell. He teleported forward, executed the beast, and then shrank his aether spell to a size that used far less energy to maintain.

    I might as well get as many kills as I can in the next hour.

    Over the next hour, he was glad for the distraction and was able to kill an additional eight Lupus. In the end, he eliminated fifty-two total over the thirteen-hour scenario. Those kills netted him a massive three hundred and eight million nano. He could have killed more, but he was severely limited by his aether¡¯s regeneration rate. Of course, ten percent of that largess went straight to the town treasury, but it was still a great haul.

    When the portal finally opened, Blake waited beside it to greet his faction members. Eight separate people entered, and Blake greeted each of them somberly.

    After he was done and before he selected his reward, he broke from the main group, cornered Owen, and asked, ¡°How bad are things?¡±

    The skinny man shook his head. ¡°Most of the natives are pretty pissed. And, I don¡¯t blame them. No one really likes Rajesh, and it doesn¡¯t help that he refuses to apologize.¡±

    That sounds just like Rajesh. Why apologize if you think you did nothing wrong?

    Blake ran a hand through his long hair and sighed. He then turned to address the crowd. ¡°You guys can start mining and chopping now. The forest is safe.¡±

    Owen frowned. ¡°I thought you said there were hundreds of monsters here. You killed all of them?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, but when I survived the night, the Collective forced all the Lupus out of the boundary.¡±

    ¡°You sure about that?¡± the stonemason asked.

    ¡°Certain,¡± Blake assured the young man.

    A timid native in his upper teens walked up to him. ¡°Uh, Lord Summers?¡±

    ¡°Just call me Blake,¡± he corrected the thin man.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he apologized.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s fine,¡± Blake assured him.

    The man nodded and asked, ¡°What about me? How do I find the dead monsters?¡±

    Blake used Analyze on the young man to identify him. His faction had a lot of new members, and he had yet to learn all their names. According to his skill, Elan was their new leather worker.

    ¡°Just stay here, Elan. I¡¯ll drag the corpses back to the portal for you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± the kid beamed. ¡°These are super high level and are gonna boost my skills a lot!¡±

    Blake opened his map to locate the closest marker. Each kill was automatically denoted for him, and he mentally chose a path that would save him the most time. In his estimation, he could retrieve three bodies at a time, and with judicious use of Alacrity, would be done in a little under half an hour.

    However, before he did so, he wanted to select his reward at the portal entrance for convenience. That way, he would not have to travel to retrieve the assembled item.

    Blake opened the interface, selected yes to the open query, and was presented with four choices. After he quickly browsed the list, his brows rose in surprise.

    Every single option was an upgrade.

    The Collective offered him a choice between a short ax, a pair of steel pauldrons, a quiver, or a set of ten Physical Stamina potions. The ax would be a fine weapon. It was capable of channeling chi through its head to enhance its strikes, and its edge would never dull. The pair of steel pauldrons were nano-enhanced to provide far greater protection compared to their mundane counterparts, and at the same time enchanted to weigh less.

    That¡¯s odd.

    The quiver was unique. It held forty arrows, and slowly siphoned his mana away to regenerate new ammo. Each arrow it created was also capable of storing chi to enhance its piercing power. Blake had seen each enchantment before, but never together.

    There would be no point to crafting this combination, as almost no one could utilize both chi and mana at the same time. Sure, there were dual classers, but Blake had never seen someone choose mana to compliment chi. Psi was the obvious choice, as it had no cast time, and could be used to stun or disorient their opponents.

    At the same time, mana and aether fit well together. A skilled user could channel an aether spell while they simultaneously completed the spell forms required to cast a mana-based ability. Blake was sure there might have been a few people who could use this quiver in his past life, but he had never met them.

    Whatever.

    Blake rarely used a bow in combat, he preferred to fight in melee range to disrupt his enemy¡¯s spells. His abilities were even chosen with close combat in mind, and complimented his style well.

    He moved on to read the description of the ten Physical Stamina potions offered. These were much higher quality than Oliver¡¯s current products. They would boost his Physical Stamina by five, and lasted a full four hours. Eventually, his brother would be able to replicate these vials, but it would be months before he got there.

    Tempting, but I can wait.

    The potions would boost his healing by around fifteen percent compared to Oliver¡¯s. However, that reduction in healing time rarely made a difference. He even considered handing them out to his faction in case of emergencies, but nano-enhanced jewelry could perform the same function while not having finite uses.

    Blake also discarded the pauldrons as an option. While they would provide him greater protection, they were bulky and would impede his maneuverability in combat. The one-handed ax was a great weapon, and provided superior damage compared to his spear, but its short range limited its usefulness.

    You know, I do have that level three bow in the armory.

    One of the biggest reasons he rarely used a bow in his past life was the prohibitive cost of ammo. Each arrow had to be painstakingly carved and enchanted to hold chi, or they would never pierce through his enemy¡¯s natural armor. After a battle, Blake was lucky if he could recover even ten percent of the expensive consumable.

    If, however, he had an unlimited supply of ammo, he could snipe his enemies from afar until he ran out of arrows, then switch to his spear. He could even use his Dampen Sound spell to muffle the snap of the string when he fired it. The more he thought of the possibilities, the more he wanted it.

    I choose the quiver.

    After he made his selection, he rubbed his hands together excitedly. It would take around forty-five minutes for the nanomachines to assemble, but it would be well worth the wait.

    Okay, now I need to bring back the corpses.

    To his surprise, it took him only twenty minutes to retrieve his kills.

    I¡¯m a lot faster than I thought.

    As he waited the additional twenty-five minutes, he chatted with Elan, the leather worker, while the man worked. The young native was upset with Dahteste¡¯s death, but did not really know her that well.

    From the rest of the conversation, he found out that Elan¡¯s skinning ability overlapped with his father¡¯s. Not only could he send back the raw hide to their warehouse, but the meat was sent directly to the cookhouse freezer as well.

    Eventually, the quiver was assembled, and he said his goodbyes. When he exited the portal back to Snowflake, he was thrown back into the water-filled gravel pit. However, he did not mind, he was eager to wash the mud, sweat, and blood away. When he finally felt clean, he drove his modified diesel truck home in the dark, and parked it in the field beside the front gate.

    To his surprise, the area beside the entrance was still filled with vehicles. Normally, when he arrived home late, everyone else had already left. Only those that lived in the faction city with him remained.

    I guess they want to find out what we¡¯re going to do with Rajesh before they go home.

    Blake hoped his decision would not create too many problems. People willing to throw themselves into combat were rare. Even rarer was someone as skilled as Rajesh would eventually become.

    However, if the majority of the natives threatened to quit if Rajesh remained within the faction, he did not know what he would do. He needed their assistance in building the faction, and could not openly recruit until after Invasion day, over a month away.

    As he approached the faction hall, he saw a crowd of people waiting beneath its covered front entrance. They leaned against the massive marble pillars and chatted quietly amongst themselves while they waited for him to arrive.

    In the midst of the gathering, he located Kuruk. The young man had red eyes and talked with an equally saddened woman almost twice his age. From their condition, they had both obviously spent hours in mourning.

    That must be his mom. She must have driven here after she heard about her daughter.

    Kuruk must have noticed him out of the corner of his eye, because he suddenly cut himself off mid-conversation and turned to address Blake in a fierce voice. ¡°Good, you¡¯re here. Now you can take care of that murderous piece of shit!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± an angry man added. ¡°Cut the bastard¡¯s head off!¡±

    ¡°Justice for Dahteste!¡±

    Before he knew it, the crowd began to chant the phrase.

    Well, shit.

 Chapter 83 - The Accusation

    ¡°Justice for Dahteste!¡±

    ¡°Justice for Dahteste!¡±

    Great they¡¯re drunk.

    The inebriated crowd was riled. Fumes of alcohol wafted from their mouths, and reminded Blake of the bar.

    He sent a quick message to his mother to inform her of his arrival.

    After a few moments of listening to them chant the phrase, Blake stepped before them, and raised his hands in the air to signal silence. They, of course, ignored him, and he was forced to shout to be heard. ¡°Let me speak!¡±

    When that also did nothing, he roared, ¡°QUIET!!!¡±

    That got their attention, the chanting stopped abruptly, and they shuffled to see Blake. ¡°Everyone, please remain calm while I get to the bottom of this. Dahteste¡¯s death was a tragedy, and I promise you, there will be justice.¡±

    Some looked disappointed that justice was delayed, but most seemed to calm down at his words. After the very short speech, he saw Kuruk motion to him. As he approached, he noticed the silent woman next to Kuruk, and introduced himself. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Blake. Are you Dahteste¡¯s mother?¡±

    The older woman nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± Blake glanced at Kuruk and added, ¡°Both of your losses.¡±

    Kuruk sneered and remained silent. His mother on the other hand replied softly, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    After he gave his condolences, he stood there awkwardly. Since he did not know what else to say, he nodded and told her, ¡°Time to get some answers.¡±

    He turned and strode into the large faction hall. After he stood within the silent lobby, he swiftly shut the thick door behind him and breathed a sigh of relief.

    This is going to be tricky.

    The crowd was incensed, and he realized they would not be satisfied if Rajesh only received a light slap on the wrist. They wanted Blake to make an example of his old friend, and they most definitely knew of his conflict of interest. It was no secret that Blake called Rajesh his friend. He had given the Indian more resources than the other combat teams, and often ate meals with him.

    What WOULD satisfy them?

    Blake briefly considered his options as he slowly ascended the stairs to his mother¡¯s office. After he saw the crowd¡¯s visceral reaction, he doubted the mob would accept it if he just moved the man to the Payson expansion. Execution was definitely off the table - He did not believe Rajesh intended for Dahteste to die, and that would be the only way he would deserve death himself.

    He can be an ass, but he¡¯s not a murderer.

    He disliked the idea of a large fine. If Blake confiscated Rajesh¡¯s nano, it would most definitely hurt his old friend, at a time when they needed his help the most. Without that resource, Rajesh could not increase his power, and humanity needed people capable of fighting against the monsters. Besides, Blake doubted the crowd would be satisfied by a simple fine.

    There was always banishment, but without a faction to take refuge in, that was just a delayed execution. Blake had no doubt his friend could take care of himself. His attributes were maxed, and he had nano-enhanced gear. However, Rajesh had to sleep sometime, and without a faction town, monsters could spawn wherever he rested.

    No use worrying yet. I should at least find out what happened before I decide what to do.

    Blake reached his mother¡¯s office and heard a muffled Montgomery ranting within. He paused for a brief moment to listen, but knocked on the closed door when he realized it was just a castigation of Rajesh.

    ¡°Yes? Who is it?¡± she asked in the sudden silence.

    ¡°Blake.¡±

    ¡°Oh, good,¡± he could hear the relief in her voice. ¡°Come in.¡±

    He entered the office and glanced around the small room. Jeff lounged on a small couch, seemingly calm. Montgomery sat beside him. His talkative friend leaned forward, and was literally on the edge of his seat.

    Meanwhile, Donna rose to her feet behind her desk and gave him a hug. While he embraced his mother, Montgomery said, ¡°Thank God you¡¯re here. Now we can get rid of that smarmy bastard.¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes and turned to address his friend. ¡°Tell me what happened, first.¡±

    ¡°The asshole disobeyed Jeff¡¯s orders and got Dahteste killed!¡±

    He looked over to Jeff for confirmation. His silent friend nodded.

    ¡°How did she die?¡±

    ¡°Rajesh wasn¡¯t there to back her up, so she got hit by like five spells at once.¡±

    ¡°Wait, hold up,¡± Blake raised a hand. ¡°Spells? Were you guys in a level one scenario?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, duh.¡±

    ¡°Since when are you guys taking on level one scenarios?¡±

    ¡°Since today.¡±

    Blake sighed and rubbed his temples. ¡°How about you start from the beginning and tell me exactly what happened in detail.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Montgomery agreed, but did not relax in his seat. ¡°So, we completely dominated a level zero goblin scenario this morning.¡± He paused, as if to gauge Blake¡¯s reaction, and then justified their actions. ¡°It was super easy. I mean, all four of us had our attributes maxed, we got kick ass gear, skills, you name it. They never stood a chance. We were slaughtering them like¡­¡±

    ¡°Okay, I get it,¡± Blake rolled his eyes, annoyed at his friend¡¯s inability to plainly state the facts. ¡°You guys are awesome. You can move on now.¡±

    ¡°Of course we are. Anyway, after we finished cleaning up, Dahteste had a great idea. Why not increase the difficulty?¡± Montgomery¡¯s shoulders relaxed as he spoke.

    Blake pinched the top of his nose, and in an exasperated voice, stated, ¡°I told you how difficult it was. There¡¯s a reason I fought level one Ursa and not goblins. There¡¯s just too many of them, and they all have spells.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but the Feds got the Ursa portal blocked. There were also four of us and only one of you. Besides, aren¡¯t you fighting stuff like two levels above you?¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°Yes, but I have insanely high attributes from my achievements. You guys don¡¯t. I also have way more practice.¡±

    ¡°Hey! We have achievements too.¡±

    ¡°Really? What do you get, a four percent boost?¡±

    ¡°Seven percent,¡± Montgomery corrected him.

    Donna interrupted the conversation with a small cough. ¡°Can you please get to the point. It¡¯s been a long day and there¡¯s still a lot more to do before it¡¯s over.¡±

    Montgomery looked annoyed, but agreed. ¡°So, we decided to take on the harder scenario.¡±

    ¡°You ALL agreed, including Rajesh?¡± Blake asked as he looked to Jeff for verification.

    Jeff nodded.

    Interesting.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Montgomery responded. ¡°The objective was to defend some poor goblin settlement. Had to make sure no more than five died over the next six hours.¡±

    Blake winced.

    ¡°It was gonna suck, but Jeff came up with this amazing plan¡­¡±

    Jeff shook his head.

    Blake sighed and struggled to keep his face neutral. ¡°You mean you came up with a plan, and Jeff agreed.¡±

    ¡°Same diff,¡± Montgomery shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, it was awesome. Even Dahteste thought it was great.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing Rajesh didn¡¯t agree.¡±

    Montgomery snorted. ¡°Of course not. Rajesh hates any plan he doesn¡¯t come up with himself.¡±

    That¡¯s fair.

    ¡°We argued for a bit, but he refused to see reason. We ended up having to overrule him.¡±

    ¡°What was the plan?¡±

    ¡°So, there was this canyon the goblins had to go through to reach the town we were supposed to defend. Instead of fighting them on the walls, I wanted to use it as a choke point. We were gonna hide inside it and take them by surprise.¡±

    Blake nodded, surprised that the plan in question seemed reasonable. ¡°Sounds fine, why didn¡¯t Rajesh like it?¡±

    ¡°Because he didn¡¯t come up with it.¡±

    He heard his mother sigh, and agreed with her sentiment. ¡°What were his arguments?¡±

    ¡°Oh, he said the canyon was too wide for an ambush, or some bullshit. He wanted to sit on the town¡¯s wall and shoot arrows down on them. Said it was safer,¡± Montgomery sneered.

    It might have been.

    Without observing the battlefield, Blake had no way to know what he would have done in the same situation. Defending the walls sounded safer, but if enough of the defenders died during the siege, they could fail the scenario, regardless.

    On the other hand, an ambush concentrated the danger on themselves, but removed the risk of innocent defenders dying. Without that worry, they were free to use any tactics they wished. He considered asking for more details, or a drawn diagram, but Montgomery¡¯s left leg was bouncing violently. Blake decided to continue.

    ¡°Okay. How did he disobey orders?¡±

    ¡°He and Dahteste were supposed to fight side by side with their backs to the canyon wall, while Jeff and I took the opposite side. That way, we didn¡¯t have to worry about being surrounded.¡± Montgomery tightened his hand into a fist. ¡°But, that asshole just up and left her. He took off after some other goblins rather than watch her back, and she got killed because of it.¡±

    Blake narrowed his eyes.

    That doesn¡¯t sound like him, he would never risk his neck running after a monster. He better have a good reason for abandoning her.

    ¡°How did she die?¡±

    ¡°Without him there, she couldn¡¯t interrupt all their spells and got hit with a Shocking Stun.¡± He shook his head. ¡°After that, she never stood a chance. By the time we got to her, she was already dead.¡±

    Jeff nodded solemnly.

    ¡°Did Rajesh say why he left her?¡±

    ¡°He said some shit about her being more than capable of defending herself. That he had to stop the other goblins before they killed all of us, or whatever. But, here¡¯s the thing. That asshole didn¡¯t look even the slightest bit upset at her death. It¡¯s like he wanted her to die.¡±

    I doubt that. He may be an asshole sometimes, but he wouldn¡¯t intentionally let her die if he could prevent it.

    Unfortunately, the accusation that he was not remorseful rang true. Blake could easily see the Indian standing there with a blank face while Montgomery ranted and raved at him. In all his years fighting beside the Indian, the only emotion he could recall him display was contempt. It would only infuriate the fireman more and would lead him to believe it was intentional rather than just callous.

    ¡°Anything else?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°What else do you need? It¡¯s obvious he¡¯s guilty and needs to pay.¡±

    Blake looked to Jeff, who had remained silent throughout the exchange. ¡°What about you? What are your thoughts on this?¡±

    After a brief moment, where Jeff considered his question seriously, he replied in a deep, even voice, ¡°He left. Shouldn¡¯t have.¡±

    When he didn¡¯t add any more details, Blake pressed, ¡°Anything else?¡±

    Jeff shrugged. ¡°Asshole.¡±

    Blake sighed and glanced at his mother¡¯s frown.

    I¡¯m not gonna get anything else out of these two. I need to talk with Rajesh.

    He turned to his mother and asked, ¡°Will you go downstairs with me to get Rajesh¡¯s side of the story?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll go too,¡± Montgomery offered.

    Blake and his mother locked eyes briefly before he responded. ¡°Not a good idea.¡±

    ¡°I agree with Blake,¡± Donna stated. ¡°You should both head to your rooms. I¡¯m sure you must be exhausted after everything you¡¯ve been through. Let us handle this ourselves. Now, straight to your rooms, don¡¯t get mixed up in the crowd right now.¡±

    ¡°But, who¡¯s gonna call out his lies? You need us there to set the story straight.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°I know you guys pretty well. I¡¯m pretty sure I can tell when he¡¯s lying.¡±

    Montgomery scoffed. ¡°Sure you can.¡±

    ¡°I figured out it was your plan and not Jeff¡¯s, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± his friend said dismissively as Jeff tugged on his arm.

    ¡°I¡¯ll meet up with you guys after I talk with Rajesh, I promise.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Montgomery turned to his friend. ¡°Let¡¯s go Jeff.¡±

    After they exited the room, his mother said in a tentative voice, ¡°Blake¡­ you think of Rajesh as your friend, but he is not the same person you used to know. For all their anger, those two didn¡¯t change their story the entire time I talked to them. They believe what they say.¡±

    ¡°I know that,¡± Blake agreed. ¡°I¡¯ve already had this conversation with dad. But, even though he¡¯s not the same, he¡¯s still a good person. He would never intentionally let Dahteste die.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±

    Blake nodded.

    She sighed. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right. Now, let¡¯s go see what he has to say.¡±

    They remained silent as they left the office, and descended the stairs to the main lobby.

    I have a feeling that I¡¯m going to lose a friend today.

    Donna led him through two separate rooms before she came to a steel door. She retrieved a large key from her pocket, unlocked the barrier, and turned to her son. ¡°After you.¡±

    Beyond the door was a stone staircase that led to the basement. Unlike the rest of the faction hall, the basement was not adorned with ornate granite pillars and statues, nor polished wood siding. The walls were bare stone that dripped with water, which only added to the primitive ambiance.

    The steps gave way to a long hallway lined on each side with jail cells. Blake glanced at Jerome as he passed his cell, but the Apache man turned and ignored him as he sat on his twin size bed. The next cell he passed was filled halfway to the ceiling with boxes and cans of dry goods.

    When Blake reached the final hold, he found Rajesh within. The Indian stopped his pacing and addressed Blake. ¡°Ah. You are finally here. You can free me now.¡±

 Chapter 84 - The Rebuttal

    ¡°Ah. You are finally here. You can free me now,¡± Rajesh said, his voice echoed off the stone walls of the jail cell.

    ¡°Once I hear your side, maybe,¡± he hedged. ¡°I¡¯ve already heard from Montgomery and Jeff.¡±

    ¡°Then you must know that I was forced to attack the wayward pack for our survival. It was the¡­¡±

    Blake raised his hand to forestall his protest of innocence.

    So he did leave her.

    ¡°Hold up. Tell me everything that happened from the beginning. I want to make sure we¡¯re on the same page. I need to make sure Montgomery didn¡¯t leave anything out.¡±

    Rajesh took a deep breath and said, ¡°Very well.¡±

    For the next ten minutes, the prisoner detailed roughly the same events as Montgomery. Rajesh¡¯s account not only contained far more details of the terrain and scenario, but included his thoughts and conclusions as well. It was not until the end that their tales differed.

    ¡°... and as I said earlier, a group of goblins had fled towards the top of the canyon. If I had not gone after them, they would have rained down spells upon us until we were dead.¡±

    If that¡¯s true, he saved them all. He¡¯s a hero.

    Blake glanced over to his mother to gauge her reaction. She shrugged and remained silent. He turned back to Rajesh for clarification. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go back to when you first arrived in the scenario. You disagreed with the others on the plan. You wanted to defend the goblins behind the fortification, and not ambush them inside the canyon, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It was too dangerous. I told them the canyon was too wide to contain every goblin within it, and I was proved correct.¡± He then added confidently. ¡°If I had been in charge, Dahteste would still be alive.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Blake cautiously disagreed. ¡°Or, you would all be stuck on the goblin¡¯s planet because too many of your charges died. We will never know.¡±

    Rajesh remained silent, but the corners of his mouth turned down slightly.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you help Dahteste, and then bring her with you once you were done?¡± his mother asked.

    ¡°There was no time, and I judged that she was easily capable of defeating her two opponents.¡±

    ¡°Which turned out to be wrong,¡± Blake replied.

    ¡°True. I am not sure why she failed. She was a capable fighter, and had overcome worse odds before.¡±

    ¡°Montgomery said she was stunned by a spell,¡± Donna informed him.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Blake asked a few followup questions, but learned nothing new. Eventually, they ran out of queries, and were forced to pass judgement.

    ¡°Give us a minute to discuss,¡± he told Rajesh.

    Blake turned to his mother, activated Adjustable Dampen Sound, and enlarged the aether spell until it barely encompassed the two of them.

    ¡°So, what do you think we should do?¡± he asked her.

    As faction leader, the final decision was his. However, he valued her input, and hoped she would have a better solution than he.

    Donna glanced over to Rajesh and hesitated to respond.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Blake assured her. ¡°He can¡¯t hear us. I have an active spell that prevents it.¡±

    ¡°Amazing,¡± she whispered. She shook her head and looked him in the eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t believe either side was in the wrong.¡±

    ¡°Neither do I,¡± he agreed. ¡°While he did disobey Jeff¡¯s orders when he left her, it was to take on a greater threat. He wasn¡¯t running away like a coward.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m surprised he was so bold. He¡¯s not one to stick his neck out in battle, the flanking force must have been pretty big. Now we need to figure out how to fix this, and how to satisfy the mob outside.¡±

    She nodded in agreement.

    Blake continued, ¡°What do you think we should do, and how do we get them to accept it? If I go out there and say no one was to blame for her death, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll like it.¡±

    ¡°You are right about that, Kuruk was in my office ranting for almost thirty minutes before I had to kick him out,¡± she agreed. After a moment of thought, she asked, ¡°What if we take away his nano as punishment? We¡¯re going to need a ton of nano for the faction hall upgrade, so this will kill two birds with one stone.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°If we do that, then he¡¯ll fall behind. We might as well just keep him in this jail cell for the next five weeks. In the long run, it¡¯ll hurt the faction more than it¡¯ll hurt him.¡±

    ¡°Maybe give him some community service?¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°We tried that for Oliver, remember? Brent was still pissed. Hell, even I thought he got off easy. Over half of our faction is still ready to beat him down. We can¡¯t just brush this away.¡±

    ¡°Well, short of kicking him out of the faction, I¡¯m not sure what we can do then.¡±

    ¡°What if we say we¡¯re kicking him out, but instead ship him off to the Payson expansion? He could find new teammates, fight the Arachne, and get stronger without anyone here knowing.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t they be able to see him on the faction roster?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No. Only you, me, and Jessica can see that.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I like lying like that. The truth always comes out eventually, and people are going to be even more pissed that you lied to them when it does. I assume that you intend to have faction-wide communications with the Payson branch.¡±

    ¡°Of course, and I don¡¯t like it either. But, the truth is, after Invasion day, we need people like Rajesh more than we need them. We are going to have thousands of people in the faction. Any one of them can fill a non-combat job around here, but maybe only five percent will choose to fight.¡±

    She took a deep breath and said, ¡°I still don¡¯t think it¡¯s right, but it is your decision. I hope you don¡¯t come to regret it.¡±

    He dropped his channeled spell and turned to Rajesh. ¡°We believe you, but we have to be shown to punish you, or Dahteste¡¯s family and friends won¡¯t accept it.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± he stated calmly. ¡°What will the punishment be?¡±

    ¡°We are going to tell them we are kicking you out, but in reality, you can stay at the Payson expansion. At least until Invasion day,¡± he added.

    Rajesh let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I was afraid I would be imprisoned until Invasion day. That is not necessary. I will gladly leave the faction on my own.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Payson has a bunkhouse now. You can stay there, recruit a new team, and lead them through the Arachne portal.¡±

    ¡°No, thank you.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Blake stammered. ¡°Why do you want to leave?¡±

    ¡°I do not believe you are fit to lead a faction,¡± he answered simply.

    Blake stood in disbelief for ten seconds.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m the best person to lead it. I know the future, and I know what¡¯s at stake.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Then why are you continuously making weak decisions?¡±

    ¡°Weak? Like what?¡±

    Rajesh lifted his hand and raised a single finger. ¡°One, you consider the feelings of those beneath you too much. A strong leader gives orders, and those beneath him obey. For instance, why go through this farce with a supposed exile?¡±

    ¡°Because if I didn¡¯t seem to punish someone, they wouldn¡¯t accept it.¡±

    ¡°You can force them to accept it,¡± Rajesh countered. ¡°None of them can stop you.¡±

    ¡°My son will NOT be a dictator.¡±

    Rajesh turned to his mother. ¡°No, he will not. Which is why he will fail.¡± He then raised a second finger and addressed Blake. ¡°Two, you are too trusting.¡±

    Blake scoffed. ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°The local sheriff¡¯s office has a large reward for news of your whereabouts. Not only did you give me the location of your town, despite not knowing me, you invited a large group of Natives in as well. Any one of which can collect the reward and ruin your plans.¡±

    ¡°First of all, I DO know you. I¡¯ve known you for eight years. You would never turn me in for money. Especially when you know it¡¯ll be useless after Invasion day.¡±

    ¡°If you know me, then you know I have family in India. I could have turned you in and then used the reward to bring them to America.¡±

    Oh, shit. I didn¡¯t think about that.

    ¡°We already paid for their plane tickets,¡± Donna said, annoyed.

    Rajesh nodded. ¡°Which I am very thankful for. But my point still stands. When he gave me this place¡¯s address, I had no way to bring my family to America, nor return home to India.¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you turn me in?¡± Blake snarled.

    ¡°Because I needed your knowledge. I needed to know how the Collective works, as well as the location of local portals.¡±

    ¡°So, you planned to leave from the beginning?¡±

    ¡°Yes. As I said, you are too trusting. That belief in other¡¯s good intentions almost led to your discovery.¡± He pointed to the wall, towards the entrance of the basement. ¡°That man¡¯s presence here is proof of that.¡±

    ¡°I already knew Jerome was an asshole, so I had him followed from the beginning.¡±

    ¡°Screw you!¡± Jerome shouted from down the hall. ¡°And I¡¯m innocent! I was never gonna rat you out!¡±

    Blake ignored the native and addressed Rajesh. ¡°I also didn¡¯t tell them about our town, Kuruk did, and he gave them a fake address first to see if they could be trusted. He vouched for them.¡±

    ¡°But you told others.¡±

    ¡°People I trusted.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Rajesh agreed. ¡°How long did you know Kuruk before you invited him to the faction? A day? An hour? Who vouched for HIM? Why did you place so much trust in someone you did not know?¡±

    ¡°I had to trust someone!¡± Blake argued. ¡°Otherwise, this place would¡¯ve never been built!¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it should not have been. At least, not until Invasion day. If you had not spread your nano among faction members and the town¡¯s construction, how strong would you be right now? Level three? Four? What could you accomplish if you were that strong?¡±

    ¡°Just because you don¡¯t give a shit about other people, doesn¡¯t mean I shouldn¡¯t!¡± he growled.

    Rajesh smirked and raised another finger. ¡°And, that leads me to number three. You are too emotional to lead.¡±

    Blake threw his hands into the air. ¡°Seriously? Just because I¡¯m not a robot like you doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m too emotional.¡±

    ¡°Really? When you demolished that officer¡¯s head with your first, was that not done out of anger?¡±

    Blake glanced at his mother and saw how uncomfortable she was with the question. ¡°Sure, I was angry, but that was because he shot me in the back. Do you really think I should have left him alive after he shot what he thought was an unarmed kid in the back?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, but it was unwise to execute him so graphically while leaving so much evidence behind. If you were not so angry, you would have realized you could have tossed all three policemen in the Ursa portal rather than just two. Then, there would be no evidence of their deaths scattered across the ground.¡±

    Blake tried to think of a counter to Rajesh¡¯s argument, but could not. ¡°Okay, you got me there. But, that¡¯s just one example. Are you saying you¡¯ve never made any mistakes, because I know for a fact you have.¡±

    ¡°I assume you are referring to this other person named Rajesh that you knew.¡±

    ¡°Nope, I¡¯m talking about you, right now. You are sitting in a jail cell, at my mercy, purposefully pissing off someone you claim makes emotional decisions. Not exactly a great move, is it?¡±

    ¡°I am pointing out your flaws in the hope that you might address them before they ruin you. As you say, humanity¡¯s future is on the line, and I do hope you succeed. I am also not concerned about any retaliation from you.¡±

    ¡°Oh really? Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because your mother is here, and you care too much about her good opinion.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t care what your family thinks about you? Why bother flying them here, then?¡±

    ¡°I will do whatever is required to keep them safe. Even sacrifice their goodwill.¡±

    ¡°So, what? You¡¯ll throw them in a jail cell for the rest of their lives?¡± Blake spat.

    ¡°If required, yes,¡± Rajesh said simply.

    What an asshole!

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Donna said, forcefully. ¡°You have made your point, and I think it¡¯s time for you to leave.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    Rajesh nodded in acceptance and stepped back from the door silently as she unlocked the cell. As he exited, Blake had to fight down the urge to punch his face.

    Is he right? Am I too emotional?

    Blake could not remember being this angry in years - not since his family died. As he followed his mother and old friend up the stone stairs, he considered why he was in his current state.

    Is it hormones from this younger body? Do they actually make that much of a difference?

    He was not sure if he should blame all of his reaction on a chemical imbalance. After all, Rajesh infuriated everyone he spent time with. However, the Indian was correct about how he handled the corrupt cop. He should have never punched the man to death, no matter how satisfying it had been.

    Before he knew it, they had exited the front doors, and it was time to address the crowd. When the doors opened, and Blake exited with his prisoner in tow, the mob grew quiet as they waited on his decision.

    Blake cleared his throat and spoke loudly, ¡°I have heard from everyone involved and reached a decision. Dahteste and her team were in an extremely chaotic and dangerous situation. Rajesh technically disobeyed orders. However, if he had not, everyone would have died, not just Dahteste.¡±

    Immediately, the crowd began to murmur at the news, and he held up a hand to forestall any complaints. ¡°That does not mean Rajesh will go unpunished. Effective immediately, he is to be kicked from our faction, and will not be allowed to stay within its walls.¡±

    Blake navigated his interface until he reached the faction roster, and then kicked his old friend from the Terran Alliance. He turned to Rajesh and said, ¡°I¡¯ll escort you to your car.¡±

    Before he could walk away, Kuruk blurted, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    Blake paused and addressed the distressed man. ¡°Your sister received justice.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± he yelled and then pointed to Rajesh. ¡°He¡¯s your friend. If you¡¯re kicking him out of the faction, that means he must have done something truly terrible to deserve it!¡±

    ¡°Kuruk,¡± his mother admonished. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±

    ¡°No, mother. We all knew he was going to take it easy on his friend. He can¡¯t possibly expect us to believe Rajesh saved the day, but somehow deserves to get booted out. He¡¯s obviously lying to protect him.¡±

    I can¡¯t freaking believe this!

    Blake stepped between Rajesh and the incensed man.

    ¡°Rajesh DID save their lives, and he DID disobey orders to do so. But, you¡¯re right, I wasn¡¯t going to kick him out for doing that. He¡¯s leaving because he doesn¡¯t agree with my leadership style. He thinks I¡¯m being too soft on everyone, and he¡¯s not wrong.¡±

    Kuruk¡¯s jaw dropped in surprise at the claim, and Blake did not give him or anyone else time to respond.

    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen any of you here after dark, and I¡¯ve never seen any of you over the weekend. In five weeks, FIVE WEEKS, the apocalypse is coming, and yet you¡¯re treating this like a normal job. Dahteste and the other combat teams have risked their lives on a daily basis so they can grow strong enough to protect you. Yet, you can¡¯t find it in yourselves to work more than forty hours a week?¡±

    While Kuruk looked incensed at his words, the others shuffled about,  embarrassed. They refused to meet his eyes as their heads hung low.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare use her death like that!¡± Kuruk screamed.

    ¡°Kuruk!¡± his mother yelled, tears in her eyes. ¡°Why do you diminish your sister¡¯s sacrifice? She was named after our ancestor, and has always strived to live up to her name.¡± The grieving mother turned away from her son to address Blake. ¡°I would like to join you if you will accept me. You are right that we have not treated this correctly, and it shames me.¡±

    ¡°Mother? What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°What I should have done months ago.¡±

    ¡°I would love to have you join us,¡± Blake replied and shook her hand. He transferred a mega-nano over to her and said, ¡°I just inducted you into the Collective. In a few minutes, you¡¯ll get an interface and I can invite you to the faction. When you¡¯re done grieving, you can talk with my mother about how you can help. I also think it would be good to hold a memorial for her, unless that interferes with your beliefs?¡±

    ¡°It does not,¡± she replied. ¡°We will bury her tonight, and celebrate her sacrifice afterward.¡±

    Kuruk looked like he wanted to argue, but did not dare. Instead, he nodded and said, ¡°Yes, mother.¡±

    Hopefully they take this seriously from now on.

 Interlude - Schemes

    Rajesh sat patiently opposite Zahir in his dorm room, and awaited an answer.

    Once he had returned home to Arizona State University in Phoenix, he had immediately cornered his fellow graduate student. Rajesh had chosen the young man to be his first recruit specifically for his dominant traits - trust and loyalty.

    The same flaws as Blake.

    During the pause, he considered the enigma.

    After Blake transferred the nanomachines to his body months ago, Rajesh had immediately rushed to the Electrical Engineering labs. When he failed to ascertain how they functioned, and was unable to alter them in any way, he reluctantly turned to the only source of knowledge on the subject, Blake himself. He performed a cursory background investigation into the teenager, which revealed he was wanted by the police.

    Initially, Rajesh had planned to glean what information he could from the kid, and then collect the bounty from the local sheriff¡¯s office. However, the more he learned about Blake, the more he adjusted that course of action.

    At their first meeting, Rajesh¡¯s instincts had screamed at him to avoid contact. Based upon the kid¡¯s youth and poor attempt at charm, he had initially interpreted the recruiting effort to be some type of scam. However, once he visited the compound, that was proven incorrect, and he quickly adjusted his thesis.

    Blake was frighteningly powerful.

    Not only was the child capable of ferocious violence, but he had a temper to match. After Rajesh heard how Blake killed the law enforcement officer who shot him in the back, he almost fled the compound.

    However, rather than act rashly, he considered his options and instead bided his time. Soon after, a flaw revealed itself. Blake was far too trusting, and gave his friends and family undeserved loyalty.

    Those flaws make for an excellent follower, but an inept leader.

    Blake also foolishly attempted to hide his brutal psyche from his parents. He failed at the effort, miserably. It was obvious to anyone that spent time with him that he was completely desensitized to violence and murder. Blake was not civilized by modern standards, no matter how much he wished to appear so.

    If he clamped down on his emotions and fostered a healthy distrust of others, he could become an acceptable leader.

    Humanity¡¯s future was on the line, and Rajesh hoped Blake flourished. Especially since he was so far away from Rajesh¡¯s future seat of power. While it would be lovely for the kid to succeed, and take the brunt of the coming apocalypse, it seemed incredibly unlikely. That was why he took the calculated risk to point out the kid''s flaws.

    Perhaps he will consider my insights and change for the better.

    Rajesh snorted and shook his head at the humorous thought.

    They never do.

    It was so easy for him to see other¡¯s imperfections. If there was one small flaw of his own, it was that he constantly pointed them out so they could be corrected. Unfortunately, people did not take kindly to being shown their shortcomings.

    It¡¯s for their own good.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Zahir suddenly announced, breaking Rajesh from his thoughts.

    ¡°Excellent.¡± Rajesh extended his hand and transferred a million nano to the man seated across from him. ¡°In a few minutes, you will be inducted into the Collective and will receive a heads-up display. As we agreed, I will gift you enough nano for you to purchase a combat skill and two attributes.¡±

    Zahir¡¯s mouth split into a grin at the prospect. He rubbed his hands together and let out a short giggle.

    Rajesh allowed a small portion of his scorn to seep through his mask.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Zahir apologized sheepishly.

    Now that the graduate student had agreed, Rajesh¡¯s mind moved on to his next steps. He had already demonstrated his superhuman strength to Zahir, and would soon do so to two others. With Zahir on his side, it would be even easier to convince more to follow him.

    Herd mentality is strong.

    Rajesh planned to repeat the same deal with everyone he recruited. Each person would receive thirty-one mega nano, and the large amount of nano-enhanced gear he had smuggled out of Blake¡¯s faction. Unlike the others on his team, he had not handed over his unused equipment he received from the Architect. Instead, he stored the armor, weapons, and jewelry in the trunk and back seat of his vehicle, and carefully concealed  them with a tarp.

    Rajesh estimated he had enough equipment to outfit twelve people.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    He had always planned to exit Blake¡¯s doomed faction and begin one of his own. Unfortunately, it took far longer to accumulate nano than he anticipated. By the time he left, he only had ninety-six million nano and his attributes maxed. That meant he would be left with only three million nano after he recruited his three new team members.

    If only that girl hadn¡¯t gotten herself killed, I could have convinced Blake to fund the creation of my faction.

    The child was easily manipulated, and if Rajesh had approached Blake strategically, would have likely given him hundreds of millions of nano. Unfortunately, Dahteste¡¯s death formed a rift, and made that almost impossible to accomplish.

    Rajesh allowed himself a small frown as he continued to review his plans. In return for his investment, any recruit would be required to transfer over all nano they earned from kills and directives until he was able to raise the billion nano required to form a faction. Only then would they be allowed to increase their attributes. And only under strict supervision to prevent waste.

    Unfortunately, with only five weeks left until Invasion day, he knew a single group would not be able to accumulate that amount in time. To remedy this, he planned to form multiple teams simultaneously. Rajesh would recruit from people he had known for years. People his intuition told him would be loyal, or at least biddable.

    Of course, while everyone would receive a full set of gear, only his own team would be granted an extra thirty million nano. After all, his own safety was paramount. If the other teams failed, he would only be out a bit of equipment, and the four million nano required for their induction.

    If they attempted to withhold his rightful nano, Rajesh had no problem with ending their lives. After he made an example of those who broke the agreement, the others would immediately fall in line.

    Fear is the best form of control.

    If his math was correct, and he knew it was, with four teams, it would take three weeks to gain a billion nano. However, he knew death, injury, and failure were likely, so he planned to recruit twice that many.

    Once his faction was formed, he would quickly accumulate power. Rajesh had already considered multiple methods of using his faction leader position to his advantage. He scoffed that Blake had not done so himself. He was uncertain if the kid had never considered them, or more likely, was unwilling to use his member¡¯s efforts to increase his personal power.

    For one, each person he recruited to the faction gained two and a half million nano for completing a directive. However, it only cost a million nano to induct them into the system. There was no reason to allow them to keep that reward, when he could take it for himself.

    Too bad, faction members are limited by the faction hall.

    Rajesh had learned from the mother that he could only invite fifty people to his faction with a level one faction hall. That was one hundred and twenty-five nano he could confiscate immediately. However, once it was upgraded to level two, it allowed ten times the amount.

    With two weeks to spare before Invasion day, he could easily upgrade the faction hall to level two. After everyone in the world was inducted into the Collective, he could then invite a full five hundred people to his faction and immediately gain over a billion nano.

    Then, like Blake, he could choose all four energy types.

    The ability to learn four spells per level was too powerful to pass up, no matter the cost. That was especially true when nano was so easily taxed from his faction members.

    Of course, this possibility was not the only thing Blake had failed to take advantage of. For some reason, the kid had built his faction town in the middle of nowhere.

    Foolish.

    Rajesh had carefully considered the location of his town. He planned to build his faction hall in the basement of his dorm hall. It would not only provide housing for thousands, but was easily defensible as well. The emergency exits could be barricaded, and the single main entrance reinforced.

    As the entire building would fall within his faction¡¯s territory, no monsters would spawn within its confines. People would pay handsomely for the safety he could provide, and Rajesh could charge them accordingly. If they did not have any nano when they begged him to be let in, he would gladly accept a loan.

    One hundred million nano was a small price to pay for their lives.

    With interest, of course.

    There were plenty of other opportunities he planned to take advantage of as well. He did not need large amounts of money to gain the supplies he needed.

    On Invasion day, Rajesh could easily use the spells he would gain to rob a gun store, and then distribute those firearms to those he trusted. Then, his underlings could confiscate all the supplies his faction needed while he remained within his fortress.

    No need to risk my safety.

    However, despite Blake¡¯s many foolish decisions, there was one thing he vehemently agreed with. He would not attempt to contact the government, nor would he spread information about the apocalypse online. If the government became aware of him, the best he could hope for was detainment for questioning. More likely, he would disappear, never to be heard from again. He did not have the tenuous advantage of American citizenship.

    Likewise, if information on how to navigate the Collective was disseminated to the masses, he would lose a key advantage.

    Knowledge.

    Blake had given it freely to Rajesh. When he discovered the child had not already posted the information online, he inquired about the discrepancy.

    Blake gave a simple answer.

    No one would believe it, and by the time they did, the internet would be destroyed. If Blake chose to post the information regardless, and the government treated him seriously, they would trace his location like the police had done with his phone, and attempt to kidnap him.

    Surprisingly well-thought-out.

    Of course, Rajesh had immediately thought of ways to share the information without revealing their identities. VPNs, laptops on public Wi-Fi networks with spoofed MAC addresses, and a plethora of additional measures could be utilized to remain anonymous. However, Rajesh preferred the Luddite to remain unaware of the possibility.

    ¡°I see it!¡± Zahir announced. ¡°I¡¯m in the Collective.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Rajesh nodded. ¡°Now, I will transfer thirty million nano to you. You will purchase the Sword Mastery skill and increase your Physical Power attribute twice.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Zahir hesitated. ¡°How do I do that?¡±

    Rajesh smiled. ¡°Just do as I say, and everything will work out fine.¡±

 Chapter 85 - The Morning After

    ¡°So? How is it?¡± Peter asked his son as he leaned against the freshly cleaned kitchen countertop.

    Blake slowly chewed the roast his father had prepared and considered how to not hurt his father¡¯s feelings. He took a swig from his coffee to wash down the stringy meat, and offered his review. ¡°It¡¯s got a good flavor.¡±

    Peter¡¯s eyes lit up, and he grinned.

    ¡°Although,¡± Blake hesitated. ¡°It¡¯s a bit dry.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± After the criticism, his father¡¯s smile faded, and he seemed to deflate.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the next batch will be great,¡± Blake encouraged. He then checked his status. ¡°It gives great bonuses, too! For the next four hours, I¡¯ll have a point added to all my physical attributes.¡±

    Peter slapped a hand on Blake¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t have to sugar coat it for me, son.¡±

    ¡°No, it really is great,¡± he explained. ¡°Much better than what I ate in my last life. I¡¯m just used to everything you make being amazing is all.¡±

    His father laughed and his smile returned. ¡°Well, help me bring some of this slop out to your friends.¡±

    Blake stood beside the chef in his kitchen and accepted plate after plate filled with food. When he could carry no more, Peter collected his own filled dishes, and they entered the dining room of the level two cookhouse. The medium sized hall looked the same to Blake¡¯s eyes as it had for the last month, and would remain so for over a week. It could not be upgraded until the faction hall reached level four.

    As he placed roast filled plates before each of the seated diners, he listened to Montgomery share a tale of Dahteste¡¯s feats.

    ¡°...spun around and caught the goblin by surprise. She was so fast, it didn¡¯t even know what happened. It just stood there with it¡¯s mouth open, and blood running down its throat.¡±

    Oliver laughed. ¡°Dude, that¡¯s awesome!¡±

    Blake placed the last dish before an empty seat next to his mother, and then dropped into the chair. She smiled and nodded her thanks.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Montgomery smiled sadly. ¡°She was pretty badass. You know,¡± he leaned forward. ¡°We were totally gonna be a thing.¡±

    Jeff rolled his eyes and blurted, ¡°Bullshit.¡±

    Montgomery whirled on his friend, a hurt look plastered across his face. ¡°I¡¯m serious! For the last week, she stopped rolling her eyes every time I flirted with her.¡±

    Oliver coughed and had to swallow a gulp from his ice water to force the stringy Lupus down. When he recovered, he asked in a hoarse voice,  ¡°Are you serious? That¡¯s your metric? A lack of disdain?¡±

    ¡°Naw, it wasn¡¯t like that,¡± Montgomery shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, we totally had a thing going. I was slowly breaking down her resistance, and, if it wasn¡¯t for that asshole, she would have eventually succumbed to my wiles.¡±

    The table grew silent as the subject of Rajesh was raised once again.

    Not this conversation again.

    The night before, Blake visited his two friends to fill them in on the result of Rajesh¡¯s crime. They had been livid. The argument raged on for over an hour about the Indian¡¯s proper punishment to no resolve. They demanded blood, but Blake insisted on mercy. The disagreement only ended when his mother informed them it was time for Dahteste¡¯s funeral.

    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you called that bastard our friend,¡± Montgomery shook his head.

    ¡°He was,¡± Blake insisted for what felt like the hundredth time. ¡°Although, he wasn¡¯t so rude in my past life. I mean, he always thought he knew best, but he didn¡¯t club you over the head with his ¡®superiority¡¯ like he did here. I don¡¯t know why he was so different than I remember.¡±

    His mother answered him. ¡°You said it was two years after the Invasion before you met him, right?¡± After Blake nodded, she continued, ¡°That means he had two years to come to terms with losing his family. For two years, he learned that he couldn''t continue to treat people poorly if he wanted to be accepted. I¡¯m sure he was booted from plenty of combat teams before he finally learned to be civil.¡±

    ¡°That sociopath?¡± Montgomery scoffed. ¡°I bet he never learned anything, he just got better at hiding it.¡±

    Jeff nodded.

    ¡°Well, whatever it was, he¡¯s gone now, so you don¡¯t have to worry about him anymore, ¡± Blake reminded them.

    Jeff grunted. Oliver¡¯s eyes darted between Blake and his friends, curious.

    ¡°I still say you should have at least beat the shit out of him before he left,¡± Montgomery mumbled before he bit into his roast.

    ¡°So, how close are you two to getting a class?¡± Blake asked abruptly, eager to change the subject.

    Montgomery swallowed his roast and then took a drink from his glass. ¡°I¡¯m almost at hundred mega-nano, but I¡¯m not sure I want a basic class.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Blake asked, curious. He did not disagree with the decision, but wanted to know his friend¡¯s reasoning.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just the two of us now,¡± he nodded to Jeff beside him. ¡°It would take way too long to bring someone else up to our speed, and I¡¯m not sure I want to rely on someone else anyway. We kinda got burned,¡± he explained.

    ¡°Yeah, I can see that.¡± Blake nodded. ¡°Are you thinking about dual classes?¡±

    ¡°Naw man, I think we should go omni-class, like you did.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Montgomery asked, annoyance back in his voice. ¡°You¡¯re doing it.¡±

    ¡°At least you get a class,¡± Oliver muttered.

    Blake ignored his brother. ¡°Yeah, but I get twice the nano from my Scion title, and I solo scenarios a level above me. I can only do that because of my achievements.¡±

    Montgomery scowled. ¡°How do we get achievements like that?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± Blake responded. ¡°Most of the good ones I got are from being the first to do something. My biggest is my ¡®Master Solo Warrior¡¯. It gives me fifty percent more attributes.¡±

    Oliver whistled.

    ¡°Is there a duo version of that?¡± Montgomery asked.

    ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s not as good,¡± Blake informed him. ¡°From what I heard, you have to complete a scenario a level above you with just two people.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°We¡¯re totally doing that!¡± Montgomery announced. He then leaned forward. ¡°What¡¯s it give you?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s five percent more attributes.¡±

    ¡°Lame,¡± Montgomery scowled.

    ¡°It¡¯s not lame,¡± Blake disagreed. ¡°When you hit the higher levels, it¡¯s a huge difference. And, if you can take on a scenario two levels above you, it doubles.¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Montgomery grumbled.

    ¡°Uh, this may be a dumb question,¡± Oliver interjected. ¡°But why not bring some machine guns and mow down the goblins? I know you won¡¯t get any nano for it, but if you get the achievement, it would totally be worth it.¡±

    His mother frowned at her eldest son¡¯s flippant disregard for the goblin¡¯s lives.

    Blake responded to his brother, while Montgomery and Jeff shook their heads. ¡°Like I told them before,¡± he nodded across the table. ¡°The Architect may be an asshole, but it isn¡¯t stupid. If you bring guns, it won¡¯t give you an achievement.¡± After a moment, he added, ¡°Or a reward.¡±

    ¡°That sucks,¡± Oliver grumbled.

    Blake could only agree and reminded those seated that, in his past life, he had heard of thousands of ways people attempted to cheat the system. None of them had worked. Unlike the video games they had grown up on, there was no hard coded result you could exploit.

    Every single action you took was weighed and judged by the AI based upon its level of risk. If you found a way to reduce that danger, it would not reward you. Worse, if you continued to search for an exploit, the Architect would eventually punish you.

    ¡°Well, my potions will totally help,¡± OIiver offered. ¡°I got them up to two attributes, each.¡±

    ¡°Nice!¡± Montgomery praised, while Jeff smiled and nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Blake agreed. ¡°What about that scent potion? Any progress with that?¡±

    Oliver shook his head. ¡°I think I need another week.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, I want to test out some things with my bow anyway. I¡¯m going to keep to scenarios just a level above me until then. It¡¯s safer that way.¡±

    His mother frowned. ¡°Good, you¡¯ve been taking far too many risks lately.¡±

    ¡°I had to,¡± he explained. ¡°We couldn¡¯t get the materials for the level four faction hall if I didn¡¯t. But, Oliver¡¯s potion and dad¡¯s cooking will make it a lot safer.¡±

    ¡°We would have been fine with staying at level three until you leveled. There was no need to take so much of a risk,¡± she disagreed.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°It would¡¯ve taken me another four weeks to get enough nano to evolve all my spells and level. That would leave just a week before Invasion day to upgrade the faction hall. It¡¯s going to take eight days to finish the upgrade, and then who knows how long it will take to build the shield generator.¡±

    His father frowned. ¡°You said monsters won¡¯t appear for a few days, and when they do, they¡¯ll be low level. Will they be able to get over the wall?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Blake answered. ¡°But I¡¯m not worried about monsters, I¡¯m worried about people.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t a wall stop them too?¡± Montgomery asked.

    ¡°Dude, ladders are totally a thing,¡± Oliver pointed out.

    Montgomery scowled. ¡°Hard to climb a ladder when you''re full of lead.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll have guns too,¡± Oliver reminded him. ¡°You wanna walk the wall when you can get sniped in the head?¡±

    Jeff snorted and glanced over to his friend. ¡°Gotcha there.¡±

    Montgomery shot his friend the bird.

    ¡°I¡¯m more worried about before Invasion day than after,¡± Blake explained.

    ¡°You think that asshole is gonna tell the cops where we are?¡± Montgomery growled at the thought of Rajesh. ¡°I told you, you should¡¯ve kept his ass in jail.¡±

    Not this again.

    ¡°He won¡¯t.¡± Blake assured him. Montgomery opened his mouth to disagree, but Blake raised a hand to forestall his objection. ¡°But, if I¡¯m wrong, it¡¯ll be the last thing he ever does.¡±

    ¡°It better be,¡± Montgomery mumbled.

    His mother frowned at the thread of conversation. Blake noticed, and quickly diverted back to the original topic. ¡°I¡¯m actually surprised the police haven¡¯t shown up already. The walls around our property are twenty feet tall, and you can clearly see them from the street. All it will take is one curious cop driving by to ruin everything.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s private property, and they don¡¯t know we¡¯re using it. They¡¯d need a warrant,¡± Peter pointed out.

    ¡°Nah, the cops around here are clueless. They don¡¯t notice a thing.¡± Oliver scoffed.

    ¡°Speaking from experience?¡± Blake quipped.

    Oliver glanced quickly at his mother and shook his head.

    Blake snorted. ¡°The local judge is clearly in their pocket.¡±

    Donna¡¯s frown deepened, but did not disagree.

    The door to the cookhouse suddenly opened, and a few natives entered. They met his eyes and headed his way, rather than an empty table. He recognized all three, but only knew the leatherworker¡¯s name.

    I really should learn everyone¡¯s name.

    Blake had spent so much time in scenarios, that he had not had the time to meet all their newer faction members. A quick Analyze revealed their names, and he quickly greeted each of them. ¡°Hello Debra, George, Elan.¡±

    Blake¡¯s father stood, ready to feed the newcomers. ¡°Would you all like a plate?

    ¡°No thanks,¡± Debra said while the others shook their heads. ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten.¡± She then turned back to Blake. ¡°Uh¡­ hey,¡± She began, clearly nervous. Debra glanced down at the sheet of papers in her hand and then back to his.

    ¡°Do you guys need anything?¡± he asked as his father sat back down.

    ¡°We, uh, were looking over the ¡®onboarding document¡¯, and had some questions,¡± she said warily

    Wait, she¡¯s just looking at it now? We handed that out weeks ago.

    Blake hid his annoyance and smiled. ¡°Sure, what do you want to know?¡±

    With greater confidence, Debra continued, ¡°It says here that anything not made with nanomachines will slowly be destroyed after invasion day.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded.

    ¡°But, aren¡¯t nanomachines going to be everywhere and in everything? Wouldn¡¯t that prevent stuff from being destroyed?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure the Architect wants to get rid of everything made before it Invaded.¡±

    ¡°How long before stuff like houses and canned goods are gone? How long before those trucks are useless?¡± George spoke up.

    ¡°Most buildings last about six months before they start to crumble. Canned food will probably last longer, but it¡¯ll all be eaten long before the can disintegrates along with the food inside. All things living are infused with nanites, but anything that¡¯s dead will eventually crumble. As far as the trucks go, without constant maintenance, they¡¯ll be useless within months as well. Same goes for diesel fuel.¡±

    ¡°Then, why bother converting them?¡± Debra asked.

    ¡°Because for the first few months, we¡¯re going to be doing a LOT of scavenging, and that¡¯s a hell of a lot easier with trucks and trailers. Besides, any replacement parts can be made by a blacksmith, and those won¡¯t decay.¡±

    ¡°Uh,¡± Oliver interrupted. ¡°The Earth isn¡¯t living, does it get destroyed too?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Blake rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Then what¡¯s the difference between some rock in the ground and a concrete house?¡± His brother challenged. ¡°Why does it leave one alone and destroy the other?¡±

    Blake sighed and rubbed his temples. ¡°I don¡¯t know, it just does.¡±

    Elan filled the silence that followed with a question. ¡°Uh, it says we can bring our families here before Invasion day. Is there a limit to how many we bring? Can we bring other stuff, too? Can I bring my cat?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No limit, and you don¡¯t have to wait until just before Invasion day. They are welcome any time. Pets are welcome too, as long as you bring reasonable numbers.¡± He then made eye contact with each of the natives. ¡°For that matter, you can live here now if you want. There¡¯s free meals, and you won¡¯t have to drive here every day.¡±

    Debra smiled. ¡°Thanks, I may just take you up on that. What about stuff, how much can we bring?¡±

    ¡°Well, keep in mind that it¡¯s going to get crowded here after Invasion day, and everyone is going to be packed in like sardines. There won¡¯t be much space for belongings for a few months until we expand. And, by then, most of your stuff won¡¯t be in the best condition.¡±

    ¡°Even photos?¡± she asked.

    Blake nodded.

    While he continued to answer their questions, everyone finished their meals. Montgomery and Jeff left to complete a level zero scenario, but Oliver stayed rather than work on his alchemy. As time passed, more and more people entered the cookhouse with their questions.

    At the beginning, Blake calmly sat and answered everyone. At some point, Donna whispered to Oliver. He left and returned with a notepad. Donna then began to furiously record the conversation. Blake eventually was given a chair on top of the table, so the throng could hear him better, and his father prepared snacks for the crowd.

    Hours later, when he was still stuck in the cookhouse, he became restless.

    I need a break.

    Blake raised his hand to quiet the mass of people before him. ¡°I¡¯m glad you guys are taking this seriously now, but I need a break. But, I¡¯ll be back here for dinner and I promise to answer more questions then. Donna will add an addendum to the document with all the answers so you can read them again, and our guidelines on personal possessions.¡±

    His mother smiled.

    He saw the look of disappointment on their faces, but they nodded in acceptance. Blake quickly fled the now crowded dining facility, and grabbed his weapons from his room. After he exited the gate in his modified diesel truck, he let out a sigh of relief. The question and answer session seemed to resolve the tension between himself and his faction members, which while exhausting, was a relief.

    Killing some monsters with a bow is just what I need.

 Chapter 86 - Ranged Combat

    Blake patiently waited on the thick tree branch, over forty feet in the air. By now, his scent had wafted down to the level three Lupus, and it was only a matter of time before they investigated in the morning light.

    Let¡¯s see what these arrows can do.

    Initially, Blake was tempted to increase the difficulty of his current scenario to level four, as he had done the day before. However, before he risked his life to that degree, he needed to see how well his new arrows performed. Of course, his mother¡¯s frown that morning may have also factored into his decision.

    Blake absently slid his fingers along the bow¡¯s string.

    He considered the weapon he received as a reward almost a week before. When he chose the item originally, none of the scenario rewards were upgrades. He decided to add it to their growing armory, as he held no real interest in the item until he received the enhanced quiver.

    The bow was level three, with a draw weight of three hundred and twenty pounds. Like most nano-infused equipment, it was far more durable than anything produced by humans, and given time, was able to self-repair. In addition to the standard enhancements, it also granted the user a single point of Physical Power.

    It was a good weapon, but without a large supply of nano-enhanced arrows, it was useless. His faction did not yet have a fletcher, and even if they did, they could not have produced arrows potent enough to kill level four Lupus.

    Blake eyed the special projectile in his left hand.

    A standard arrow was hardened by nano until it was capable of penetrating the hardened skin or hide of level one enemies. If it was coupled with a bow of the same rank, it was capable of eliminating a level one enemy in just two or three hits. One, if you were especially lucky or skilled, and struck a critically weak area.

    Each new level of arrow required a higher mastery by the fletcher, along with a greater infusion of nanomachines. Even then, it required multiple hits to take down an equal level enemy, and a quiver could only hold so many arrows.

    However, the arrow in his hand could be infused with chi, which allowed it to eliminate an enemy in a single strike. Unfortunately, when the chi exploded within his target, the projectile would be destroyed along with it. Eventually, a fletcher and an enchanter could work together to produce arrows similar to the ones in his quiver, but that process was both time-consuming and expensive.

    Blake¡¯s quiver bypassed all of that, and fed on his mana to produce a new enchanted arrow every five minutes.

    Such a cheat.

    A sudden snap of a branch to his left pulled Blake from his thoughts to the present. He used his Mind Sense to detect the patrol, and grinned when the ping returned the location of four mental signatures. They were not bunched together tightly. Instead, they cast about the forest floor for his scent.

    Perfect.

    Just as a lone Lupus entered his line of sight, Blake began to channel Adjustable Dampen Sound. He placed his enchanted arrow on the bow¡¯s shelf with the fletching lightly between his fingers, infused it with his chi, and then pulled back on the string. Blake easily maintained the over three hundred pounds of draw, as he lined up his shot.

    Now!

    He released the arrow and watched as it sped toward the lone Lupus at close to the speed of sound. His channeled aether spell hid the twang of his bow, but could do nothing to hide the sudden explosion that took place within the monster¡¯s rib cage. The bones could not contain the blast and destroyed its precious hide after they were turned into shrapnel.

    Well shit. Oh well, Elan¡¯s still busy with yesterday¡¯s hide anyway.

    The sudden explosion startled the rest of the patrol, and they quickly investigated. They slowly approached their dead comrade as they searched for its cause of death, wary of a trap. That was when the next Lupus exploded.

    Two down, two to go.

    Its pack mates immediately recoiled. When they could not immediately find the source of their companion¡¯s death, they howled and fled. Blake fired his next arrow and completely obliterated another Lupus.

    That¡¯s three.

    Unfortunately, the final pack member used Alacrity to speed its retreat, and his next arrow missed.

    Oh no you don¡¯t!

    There was no doubt in Blake¡¯s mind that it would gather reinforcements. He disabled his aether spell, leapt off the sturdy branch, and plummeted to the ground. Fifteen feet from impact, he used a Charged Guided Spatial Step to eliminate his momentum and suddenly appeared safe on the ground. He sprinted after the fleeing monster and activated Alacrity to double his speed.

    This is so much easier when I can see.

    Blake sped through the open forest at over a hundred miles an hour. The last time he had done so was in the dark, where he could barely see and was in constant danger of tripping over a dead tree.

    This time, however, the act was exhilarating.

    With his high Physical Power, he quickly gained ground on the Lupus. He used a Directed Mind Blast to stun the beast as it galloped at breakneck speeds. The monster¡¯s high speed gallop immediately transformed to a tumble until it slammed into a tree.

    It lay, stunned, as Blake slowed to approach. He looped his bow through his arm, and retrieved his spear from his back. Blake charged the tip with chi, and pierced the monster¡¯s exposed underside with its tip. An instant later, it died.

    This is even easier than I thought.

    Blake had no doubt that the level four Lupus would present a greater challenge if he had chosen the higher level scenario. They had higher attributes, and a greater selection of spells from which to choose. However, the ease in which he eliminated a pack of Lupus a full level above him was ridiculous. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    He recalled how in his past life, it required months of fighting with Montgomery, Jeff, and Rajesh before they gained enough confidence to increase the difficulty the first time. When they eventually did so, Jeff almost lost his leg, and they were forced to remain on the sidelines until he recovered. It was almost a year before they completed scenarios a level above them without injury.

    As Blake pulled his spear from the corpse, he heard the crunch of leaves behind him. He instinctively dove to the side, but his movements were slowed. Blake felt a burning pain along his ribs as a Lupus raced past him.

    Shit! It must have teleported!

    Blake immediately activated Mind Sense, and winced as a spike of pain shot up his brain stem. The ping revealed that a pack of five surrounded him, and Blake was able to use the knowledge to his advantage.

    With his bow looped through his shoulder, and his spear in his left hand, he whirled and cast Gale. Two Lupus were caught in the blast of wind, and tumbled away. Suddenly, his movements returned to normal speed. He grasped his weapon with both hands, channeled chi through into its tip, and immediately thrust it into the chest of the next closest Lupus.

    I wonder if this will work.

    While his spear remained lodged within the corpse, he cast a Charged Guided Spatial Step. Blake suddenly appeared behind the teleporting Lupus and thrust his empowered weapon deep into its flank.

    It works!

    Unfortunately, he was out of charges, and according to his interface, could not teleport for another minute and a half. He abandoned his spear lodged within the dying beast and retrieved an enchanted arrow from his quiver.

    Blake ignored the two Lupus that had yet to recover from his Gale, and loosed an arrow at a chi user. The projectile pierced through its Hardened Shell, and the subsequent explosion liquified its insides.

    Yes!

    Unfortunately, by the time he drew another arrow, the aether user had recovered and cast a Blinding Light. The spell somehow bypassed his high Magic Resistance and destroyed his vision. Blake immediately used Focused Regeneration on his poor eyes, and in a snap decision decided to use Mind Sense once again.

    Blake struggled against the sudden, intense pain that flooded his head as the location of the final two Lupus were revealed. He blindly released an arrow and grunted in satisfaction when he heard the beast yelp. An instant later, it exploded.

    Just one left.

    He absently wiped the blood from beneath his nose and listened intently for any sign of his last enemy. When he could not immediately hear the rustle of leaves or the snap of branches, he grew alarmed. Blake would have heard it flee, and there was no chance it remained still.

    It must be using Dampen Sound!

    Blake braced himself before he cast one last Mind Sense. The intense agony brought him to his knees, but the location of his final enemy was revealed to him. Before the ping faded from his mind, he drew back his arrow and released it.

    Unfortunately, with the monster¡¯s spell active, he could not hear if his shot had successfully landed. He quickly opened his interface and searched through the log. When a final entry appeared, he sighed in relief.

    Once he was certain he was safe, Blake slumped to the ground frozen in pain. Blood dripped from both his ears and nose, and his thoughts turned cloudy.

    I need to fix this.

    Blake changed the target of his regeneration to his pounding head and remained prone on the ground until the agony finally receded. When his thoughts finally cleared, he realized that his vision had also returned.

    He gingerly sat up and glanced at his blood filled hands. A quick inspection of the rest of his body revealed that he was completely covered in the sanguine liquid. He imagined his parents'' reaction to his current state.

    That¡¯s a lot of blood. Definitely need to clean off before I get back.

    Luckily, when he traveled back to Earth, he would be immediately immersed within the water filled gravel pit. It would do an amazing job of clearing away any dried blood and entrails. Unfortunately, he would have to remain unclean until he finished the scenario and retrieved his reward.

    What I wouldn¡¯t give for a Cleanse right about now.

    The mana-based spell conjured roiling water to quickly scrub its target clean of filth. It was not a commonly chosen ability, as it had no use in direct combat. However, the utility it provided could not be denied. The spell was something both he and Rajesh begged Montgomery to take, but the man had refused. Instead, he had chosen yet another fire based ability.

    Hopefully Oliver finishes the scent potion soon.

    Unlike most alchemy creations, the user did not consume it. Instead, it came in a much larger vial, and was poured directly over their head. The nano-infused liquid detected all nearby scents and produced its own to negate them. This meant that it would not just hide his body¡¯s natural odor, but would hide the smell of his leather armor, blood soaked spear, and anything else that would give his position away.

    I should probably wait until he makes me a batch before I take on a level four scenario again.

    <hr>

    Hours later, he finally returned home, and was met at the cookhouse with a large group of natives. Over thirty people crowded inside the packed room, and every chair was taken. When someone noticed his entrance, they alerted the others and all conversation ended.

    He was immediately bombarded with questions. One even asked about his odd odor.

    I guess the bath didn¡¯t get everything.

    Blake raised a hand into the air and shouted, ¡°Everyone, hold up! Wait till my mother gets here to take notes.¡± After a moment, he added, ¡°And let me get something to eat real quick, I¡¯ve been fighting all day, and I¡¯m starving.¡±

    He received a few knowing chuckles, and they allowed him the time he needed to recover. Blake contacted his mother so she would be present and then walked into the kitchen. He found his father in front of a stove top. The man stirred spices into a boiling pot of stew as he hummed to himself, happily.

    ¡°Oh, hey Blake. How¡¯s it going?¡± Peter asked when he noticed his son¡¯s presence.

    ¡°It¡¯s going fine,¡± he answered evasively.

    His father snorted. ¡°Really? Because it looks like you came in here to avoid that crowd outside. And you need a bath.¡±

    Blake glanced at his wet clothes and shrugged. ¡°Maybe, a little, but I AM hungry. I figured I¡¯d go straight to the source.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re in luck. This is the new, improved level four Lupus stew. It¡¯s almost finished, and you can tell me how it turned out.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Blake agreed. ¡°It can¡¯t be worse than answering all those questions.¡±

    ¡°You know, you should probably make it a regular thing. Every evening after supper, you stick around to answer questions for an hour. I¡¯m sure people would appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I was thinking I should, too,¡± Blake sighed. ¡°Plus, it would help me learn everyone¡¯s names. I didn¡¯t even realize Debra was our enchanter this morning until I used Analyze on her.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a lucky woman,¡± Peter said. ¡°That¡¯s a sought after class, and she got the only slot. At least until we upgrade the enchanting hall, anyway.¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yeah, after Invasion day, most people are going to be stuck with a general laborer class.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an actual class?¡± his father asked as he ground pepper into the stew.

    ¡°Yeah. It allows you to assist people like enchanters and alchemists. You can even replicate their abilities. Unfortunately, you won¡¯t get mastery from any of it or level on your own.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s rough,¡± Peter remarked.

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yeah, but when a slot opens up, they can change classes.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember reading any of this in that guide you and your mother made. Was it added in the latest update?¡±

    Blake sighed and rubbed his temples. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t. I guess that¡¯s another thing I need to add. Maybe I should have Metal make a guide.¡±

    His father chuckled. ¡°The job never ends, does it?¡±

    ¡°No it doesn¡¯t,¡± Blake agreed.

 Chapter 87 - Shield Generator

    ¡°It¡¯s going to cost how much?¡± Blake blurted in disbelief as he sat in the weekly holo-meeting.

    His mother¡¯s mouth twisted and she confirmed the number. ¡°According to the interface, the shield generator will require two billion nano.¡±

    ¡°Is that going to be a problem?¡± Jessica asked from behind her desk in Phoenix.

    Blake ran a hand through his long, messy hair and took a deep breath. ¡°Well, no, but I didn¡¯t think it would be so expensive. It doesn¡¯t help that upgrading the faction hall wiped out my nano last week.¡±

    ¡°So I take it this is a bad time to ask for another donation, then?¡± Jessica smiled.

    ¡°You could say that,¡± Blake snorted. After a moment''s pause, he asked, ¡°How much do you need, and what for?¡±

    ¡°Ideally, another two hundred million nano,¡± she replied. ¡°That would be enough to get our faction hall to level three and allow us to start on some of the interesting buildings, like the enchanter¡¯s workshop.¡±

    ¡°Do you have the materials to upgrade to level three?¡± he asked.

    Jessica smiled. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s plenty left over from your upgrade, and now that we have a warehouse, it¡¯ll just transfer right over.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s handy,¡± Donna commented. ¡°But, then we¡¯ll be short on nano for the shield generator.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to be short no matter what,¡± Blake reminded her. ¡°One point five billion nano is insane.¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± his mother agreed. ¡°Although, Jordan said we could cut that down in half if our enchanter was higher level¡±

    A bit of hope flared. ¡°How soon before Debra¡¯s high enough?¡±

    Donna pursed her lips. ¡°According to her, at least a month.¡±

    Blake swore.

    ¡°How much nano do you have right now?¡± Jessica asked.

    He opened the status of his inventory. ¡°Seven hundred and eighty-six million nano.¡±

    His mother smiled. ¡°You¡¯re over halfway there already, and it¡¯s been, what, a week?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I still need to upgrade six spells, and I was hoping to reach level three before Invasion day.¡±

    Donna frowned. ¡°Then we can delay the shield generator until that happens. It¡¯ll only take two weeks to construct.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, we can¡¯t hold off on it. Actually, if I could somehow find a way to speed it up, I would.¡±

    ¡°We have another four weeks before Invasion day,¡± Jessica reminded him. ¡°Is there a specific reason you want to rush construction, or is it just general paranoia?¡±

    ¡°A bit of both,¡± he admitted. ¡°I can¡¯t help but think something¡¯s going to go wrong, and we¡¯ll need it. Honestly, I¡¯m surprised the cops or the feds haven¡¯t found us yet.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry too much about the Feds,¡± Jessica advised. ¡°I doubt very seriously the Sheriff will cooperate. Especially when they¡¯ve lost some of their own and the Feds took away their crime scene.¡±

    ¡°Blake¡¯s right, though, the Sheriff and his deputies are still a problem,¡± Donna said.

    ¡°Will the shield be enough to keep them out?¡±

    Blake grinned. ¡°Easily. There¡¯s nothing they have that can get through it. They could ram an armored vehicle straight into it at high speed, and it would never even notice. Hell, now that our gate and wall are level two, they¡¯re pretty much invulnerable to the police, too.¡±

    ¡°Then why the rush?¡± Jessica asked.

    ¡°Because they can just climb over the wall. All they need is some twenty foot ladders. If that¡¯s too slow, they even have access to a helicopter. We could repel them pretty easily, but the last thing I want to do is start slaughtering people just trying to do their jobs.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± his mother nodded seriously. ¡°That would be bad.¡±

    ¡°Then what is the plan?¡± asked Jessica.

    ¡°The faction comes first,¡± Blake sighed. ¡°I¡¯m strong enough right now, that no one can come close to hurting me for at least six months. But, I can¡¯t be everywhere and do everything. After the meeting, I¡¯ll transfer over all my nano, again. That way, you can upgrade your faction hall, and we can start building our shield generator immediately.¡±

    ¡°How long until you have the rest?¡± Donna asked.

    ¡°Well, Oliver said my scent suppression potion is finally ready. With that and my bow, I feel confident in taking on higher level scenarios again. On average, a level four scenario should give me about twice as much nano as a level three. If I can get to where I complete two of those a day, then I¡¯ll have the nano in less than a week.¡±

    Donna frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t like that you work yourself that hard. If you¡¯re exhausted, you¡¯ll make mistakes.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s hard to lead a faction when you¡¯re dead,¡± Jessica agreed.

    Blake rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful, I promise.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of leading a faction,¡± Jessica segued. ¡°My people love the updated onboarding document. They want to meet the author.¡±

    ¡°I thought we were trying to keep my identity a secret,¡± he reminded her.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to give them your real name, and no one pays attention to wanted notices anyway,¡± Jessica pointed out. ¡°It''s not like the Gila county sheriff is looking for you.¡±

    Blake considered the course of action, and decided that meeting his faction members was worth the exposure. Not only would it be good to acquaint himself with the Payson expansion, but if he were lucky, he could find a way to motivate them as well.

    In the week since Dahteste¡¯s death, the natives had become workhorses. Their increased productivity had even rubbed off on some of the others, like Jason and Owen.

    Blake nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll head over this afternoon, but I want to run a level four scenario first.¡±

    ¡°As long as it¡¯s before four, they¡¯ll be there.¡±

    That¡¯s gonna be tight.

    ¡°Well, in that case, unless someone else has something to add, I need to get going.¡±

    ¡°Nothing on my end,¡± Jessica said.

    After Donna shook her head, the meeting was closed, and he used the town interface to transfer over all his hard-earned nano. When that was done, he hugged his mother goodbye and left.

    In the now level four faction hall, the Chancellor¡¯s office was on the third floor, at the end of a long hardwood hallway. That path led to a balcony that allowed you to either look down on those entering two floors below, or up to the vaulted ceilings above. The stairs to this upper level were curved marble masterpieces lined with dark wooden banisters.

    This came a long way from a hut with no door.

    Blake exited the oversized faction hall double doors, and traveled down the gravel path Owen and the other stonemasons laid to cut down on mud. This road crisscrossed throughout the budding land, which was almost filled to bursting with new structures.

    Along each side of the property stood row upon row of bunkhouses, all four stories tall. Now that the faction hall had reached level four, they could finally upgrade them again. The level three bunkhouses would be eight stories in height, would include air conditioning, a refrigerator in each room, and an elevator. Of course, the shield generator came first. Safety was a higher priority to him than even housing.

    As Blake traveled the path toward Oliver¡¯s workshop, he waved a greeting to those he passed. With only a few dozen people present, even this small town seemed empty, but he knew that would soon change.

    Only four more weeks. So much to get done.

    ¡°Hey Jordan, hey Noah,¡± Greeted the constructor and his six-year-old son as they passed him on the street.

    ¡°Mornin¡¯ Blake,¡± the man greeted him in his southern accent. He then stopped to chat. ¡°See my little helper?¡± he asked proudly as he gestured toward his son.

    Noah¡¯s arms overflowed with tools the constructor would need to work on his next task. The child smiled as he struggled to follow his father.

    ¡°I do,¡± Blake replied. ¡°Are you guys headed to work on the shield generator?¡±

    ¡°Ayup,¡± he nodded. ¡°The thing¡¯s downright fascinatin¡¯. I don¡¯t rightly know how it works, but as long as I follow the computer thingy¡¯s instructions, everything seems to work out fine. It¡¯s a crying shame that Debra isn¡¯t able to help. That¡¯d save a pretty penny, and get her done faster to boot.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a shame.¡± When he saw the conversation was going nowhere, he tried to politely extract himself. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s been good talking to you, but I¡¯ve got to get going. Lot¡¯s to do.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jordan waved goodbye. ¡°I need to get started as well.¡±

    Blake nodded and strode down the empty street. A moment later, he turned a corner and laid eyes on the alchemy workshop. As he neared, a deep thumping resounded from within. He opened the door, and was blasted by heavy metal music. His brother stood with his back to Blake and slowly stirred the liquid within a large pot as it set over an open flame.

    ¡°Can you turn that down!¡± Blake asked loudly.

    When his brother did not respond, he searched the large table until he found a phone and quickly lowered the volume himself. That finally got a reaction from Oliver.

    ¡°Dude! I need that! It helps me focus,¡± his brother complained.

    I couldn¡¯t even hear myself think. How does that help you focus?

    ¡°I¡¯ll turn it back up when I leave,¡± Blake promised. ¡°You mentioned you had a batch of the scent potion for me?¡±

    ¡°Scent WASH, not potion,¡± Oliver corrected. ¡°You pour it on yourself, you don¡¯t drink it.¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes. ¡°Well, thank you for making the wash for me. I know there was a lot of other stuff you could have chosen to master next. I appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°No problem, bro,¡± Oliver waved his thanks away. ¡°This stuff is selling like hotcakes!¡±

    Huh?

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Evidently, Jason is the one that¡¯s been stinking up the bathroom every day. When I was talking up Owen, I let slip what I was working on, and he had a great idea. Use the scent wash to clean out the bunkhouse bathrooms!¡±

    Blake stared at his brother in disbelief.

    ¡°We emptied out some glass cleaner spray bottles and filled them up. Now, all it takes is one spray, and the next six hours are blissfully clean.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me people are using an expensive alchemy potion to make the bathroom smell better?¡±

    ¡°Wash,¡± Oliver corrected him. ¡°And, it really stinks. I swear, Jason eats nothing but eggs and beans, and we have to suffer for it!¡±

    Blake had never heard of such a use in his past life. While faction towns came with the obligatory potent smells of humans crowded together in close confines, no one had been willing to pay the extravagant prices alchemists charged. Not when there were better things to spend their money on.

    ¡°It¡¯s now my biggest moneymaker!¡± Oliver exclaimed. ¡°No one cares about the attribute boosters anymore, and I even doubled how much you get from them.¡± His brother nodded to the table while he continued to stir. ¡°Check out that phone.¡±

    ¡°What about it?¡±

    ¡°Elan gave it to me for a spray bottle since he didn¡¯t have any spare nano. Did you know leather workers use piss to tan monster hides?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know that,¡± Blake admitted.

    ¡°They do, it¡¯s part of their process. Tanning hides smells AWFUL. But, one spray of my new wash, and BAM, zero smell.¡±

    Blake had to admit that it was an incredible use of the wash. While Blake did not realize that they used urine in the tanning process, he had smelled the foul scent each time he visited a leather worker. There was a reason they lumped most of the crafting professions together, away from the cook house and bunkhouses.

    You know, I bet Debra can make a sound dampening enchantment to cut down on the noise Kuruk makes. That would dramatically improve morale.

    The blacksmith hammered at his anvil at all hours of the day. Now that the bunkhouse and other buildings had glass windows, the racket was not as loud as before, but it was still distracting. He reliably used it as an alarm clock most days.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad the wash is useful to more than just me,¡± Blake said.

    ¡°Totally,¡± Oliver nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve already gained enough nano to max out my attributes and everything.¡±

    Blake was impressed. Alchemists generally did not become wealthy until they gained enough mastery to specialize. Even then, the special ingredients required for higher level potions were expensive, and experimentation ate heavily into their profits.

    ¡°Nice, does it help with the shakes at all?¡±

    ¡°Eh, not really, but I do have a crap ton more energy now. Plus, I¡¯m like, super strong.¡± Oliver raised a single arm and flexed. However, as the nanomachines did not bulk up muscles to achieve strength, it did not look impressive.

    ¡°So, where¡¯s my scent wash?¡± Blake asked, eager to test it out.

    ¡°Over on that shelf,¡± Oliver pointed to his right.

    Blake thanked his brother again, retrieved his prize, and turned up the music before he left.

    Forty-five minutes later, he stood before the water-filled gravel pit on the outskirts of Snowflake, Arizona. After a deep breath, he dove in and was then transported to the void. When presented with a choice, he increased the difficulty twice to level four, before the objective was revealed.

    Objective - Assassinate the Lupus Pack Leader

    Blake grinned.

    Perfect!

 Chapter 88 - Assassin

    Blake released a pulse of Mind Sense to ensure the Lupus remained alone. When he was certain no other monsters were close enough to overhear, even with their sensitive ears, he charged chi into the tip of his arrow, pulled back the string of the bow, and released it.

    The projectile cut the air at close to the speed of sound, and with Adjustable Dampen Sound active, his prey remained unaware of its incoming death. A split second later, Blake heard a wet squelch, and then a muffled explosion as the chi erupted within the beast¡¯s rib cage.

    This is like cheating.

    Blake tempered his elation, as he knew his present situation would not last. For the last hour, he had remained hidden within the level four Lupus scenario and killed every lone monster he found on patrol. He had systematically eliminated the outer guard, and slipped deep within the Lupus territory.

    I can¡¯t believe they don¡¯t know I¡¯m here yet.

    Oliver¡¯s scent wash eliminated all traces of his odor, and his aether spell ensured no sounds alerted the Lupus. At this point, only sight could give him away, and Lupus did not tend to scan the treetops. The situation was so ludicrous, he checked his combat logs yet again to ensure he received the full nano reward.

    Yep, five mega-nano. Guess the AI still considers this risky.

    It was ten times the amount he would receive if he killed a Lupus his level, and twice as much as a level three. While he had received a larger amount of nano per kill in his past, that was against the formidable Ursa. They were far tougher, and he doubted a single shot from his bow would kill them.

    He used Mind Sense and once he was sure his presence remained concealed, opened his notification to read the message.

    You have gained mastery over a spell. Mind Sense is ready to evolve.

    Nice!

    After his first few kills in the level four scenario, Blake had confirmed that his spells gained mastery at an increased speed when he used them against much higher level foes. It was not at the insane speed in which his aether spells did when channelled at the same time, yet their mastery was still completed in almost half the normal time.

    Too bad I don¡¯t get much of a chance to use Improved Flame Shield.

    The level one spell remained at twenty-two percent mastered. Over the last couple of weeks, he had continuously reapplied the ability each time it was available to cast. Unfortunately, the Lupus never used fire, and without direct use, it leveled incredibly slowly.

    Worse, he had already evolved the ability once. Every time a spell was upgraded, it took subsequently longer to gain experience in, which was why it was so strange that his Guided Spatial Step was the first to be mastered.

    Okay, this upgrade is obvious.

    Blake navigated his interface and chose to evolve his Mind Sense ability for fifty mega-nano. Once it was ready, he focused on flattening the sphere until it became oblate. By doing so, the ability would reach twice the lateral distance, by sacrificing half its height and depth.

    A few seconds later, the interface confirmed his change and opened the spell''s details.

    Oblate Mind Sense - Release a subtle wave of psionic energy in all directions, to search for sentient life. The wave will expand laterally at four times the pace as vertically. For a moderate amount of psionic energy, this pulse will penetrate solid objects at a moderate distance based upon the caster¡¯s Magic Power.

    Nice! Not even a noticeable energy increase.

    Because the size of the spell¡¯s effect was not increased, only altered, the increased cost required was marginal. It was a good thing, too, as he repeatedly used the spell every few minutes to ensure no monsters surprised him.

    Before he tested out the new spell evolution, he quickly reviewed the mastery level of his other abilities.

    Spells -

    Chi -

    Focused Regeneration - 62%

    Alacrity - 94%

    Mana -

    Improved Flame Shield - 22%

    Gale - 98%

    Psi -

    Directed Mind Blast - 56%

    Oblate Mind Sense - 0%

    Aether -

    Charged Guided Spatial Step - 9%

    Adjustable Dampen Sound - 18%

    Gale and Alacrity are so close!

    Unless something drastically went wrong, Blake fully expected to master both abilities before he completed the scenario. Like Mind Sense, he also already knew how he wished to evolve the abilities.

    Okay, back to work.

    He released a newly evolved Oblate Mind Sense and was gratified when it returned sentient activity almost three hundred feet away in all lateral directions. Vertically, it was now limited to a bit over seventy feet, but that would not be an issue unless he fought against the Stoltar within their tree cities.

    That way.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Now that he could sense his opponents further away, he easily determined the center of their formation. Common sense led him to believe the Pack Leader was in the nucleus of his group. However, that assumption had backfired on him in his past. He vowed to Analyze each Lupus carefully before he committed to an attack against multiple creatures. There was no way he could kill more than two Lupus without revealing himself, and Blake wanted to retain his stealth advantage as long as possible.

    Using his mental map of their positions as a guide, he combined Charged Guided Spatial Step and Adjustable Dampen sound to navigate through the trees until he was within a hundred feet of the pack center. He systematically used his level three Analyze on each Lupus below while he waited for the charges on his teleport to refill.

    Got you!

    Lupus Pack Leader Level 4

    Chi, Aether

    Physical Power - Average (16.5)

    Physical Stamina - Average (17.4)

    Physical Resistance - Low (15.0)

    Magic Power - High (13.9)

    Magic Stamina - High (14.2)

    Magic Resistance - Average (9.1)

    Interesting, it has both chi AND aether.

    Dual class monsters were rare, although it made sense that a Pack Leader would be one. They were usually reserved for bosses of scenarios, or leaders of incursions on Earth once monsters began to spawn in the world.

    The terms ¡®low¡¯, ¡®average¡¯, and ¡®high¡¯ gave him a rough estimate of its attribute level compared to others of its species at the same level. The number in the brackets, on the other hand, told him exactly what they were. Blake¡¯s achievements allowed his own attributes to dwarf the level four Lupus¡¯ numbers, but that did not mean his opponents were harmless.

    One on one, they were easily dispatched, as long as they did not surprise him. However, unless he attacked from ambush, they were almost never alone. That was why he had kept the scenarios at level three until Oliver¡¯s scent wash was available.

    He glanced away from his interface for a moment to ensure he remained hidden.

    Luckily, the Lupus Pack Leader focused on its magical attributes rather than its physical, and its physical resistance was weak for its species. Of course, low was relative. With a physical resistance of fifteen, it would still be resistant to pistol fire, and had fur almost impervious to an unenhanced human. However, as long as Blake fired from ambush and hit his mark, he would easily eliminate the Lupus Pack Leader in a single shot and complete the objective.

    When both charges of his teleport were filled, and his exit strategy was decided, Blake fed chi to his arrow and pulled back on the bow¡¯s string. He held his breath and when the arrow was lined up on the leader¡¯s prone form, released his hold. The twang of the bow was muffled by his aether spell, and the Lupus below remained unaware of his high speed projectile as it cut through the air.

    However, at the last moment, the Pack Leader rose to its feet, and Blake¡¯s arrow was buried in the ground beneath it. A split second later, the chi charged projectile exploded and knocked his target to the ground. The pack scattered and yelped in surprise.

    Damnit!

    Before the Pack Leader could rise to its feet, Blake retrieved a new arrow, fed it chi, lined up his aim, and released the string. Luckily, this time his aim was true, and his target was eliminated. However, by the time he executed his target, the surrounding Lupus howled in alarm.

    Time to go.

    Blake looped his bow through his shoulder, expanded his bubble of dampened sound, and leapt off the branch with his full strength. As he sailed through the air, he quickly cast Gale behind him, and was deeply satisfied when it extended his jump by another twenty-five feet.

    A notification blinked on his interface, but he ignored it. When he was almost fifty feet away from his starting point, he used a Charged Guided Spatial Step to appear another twenty feet away on a large branch, high in the canopy. The spell cancelled his momentum, and he had no issue retaining his balance on the platform.

    Meanwhile, the Lupus were in a frenzy. They searched everywhere for the source of their leader¡¯s death, and had even begun to cast spells to locate him. While they did so, he ran along the wide branches away from the scene of his crime. He vaulted from tree to tree and used a combination of Gale and his teleport spell to bridge any large gaps between them.

    Suddenly, he felt a subtle wave of psionic energy wash over him.

    What the hell?

    It was rare for a Lupus to hold a psionic or mana-based class, and even rarer for them to have Mind Sense. It was just his bad luck that ruined his clean escape and allowed them to hone in on his position.

    Why isn¡¯t the scenario over? I completed the objective!

    Blake checked his interface and groaned.

    Objective - Assassinate the Lupus Pack Leader (Completed) Eliminate all Lupus, or remain undetected for thirty consecutive minutes.

    That¡¯s just not fair!

    Blake once again cursed the evil and capricious Architect. It had decided to alter the scenario¡¯s objective at a whim, despite its clearly stated rules. He thought back to the many assassination missions he and his team had completed in his past life. As far as he could remember, not a single one of them had had their objectives altered after they completed them.

    His stomach dropped at the potential ramifications of the change.

    Does the Architect have it out for me now?

    Of course, his team had never completed an assassination objective undetected. Their fighting style was loud, and there was nothing stealthy about Montgomery. Every mission of this type was completed the same way, they eliminated hordes of enemies until their target eventually died. Their quarry was almost always the last to remain alive, so there was nothing to escape from.

    Not a problem, I¡¯ll just outrun them.

    Blake leapt from the tree and used a carefully applied Gale to soften his landing. After he recovered from his roll, he sprinted away from the center of the pack and used Alacrity to swiften his retreat.

    With his speed doubled, he flew through the woods at a breakneck pace for the full ten seconds of the spell. That speed allowed him to immediately outdistance the psionic Lupus¡¯s range, and escape the pack¡¯s remaining outer guard.

    When the chi spell wore off, he used Oblate Mind Sense and grinned when the ability revealed no nearby Lupus. Regardless, he continued to sprint away from the monsters, and used Alacrity once again when he was allowed. After the third use, yet another notification vied for his attention, but he promptly ignored it as he navigated over a fallen tree.

    Finally, after a full ten minutes of retreat, he felt confident he had lost them. With Dampen Sound, he made almost no noise as he ran, and his brother¡¯s wash ensured he left no scent trail behind.

    After Blake used an Oblate Mind Sense to ensure no Lupus were nearby, he teleported up high into a nearby tree before he finally allowed himself to rest. As he recovered from his winded state, he opened his status to check his notifications.

    That¡¯s what I thought.

    Both Gale and Alacrity were mastered and could now be evolved. Blake checked his nano reserves, and breathed out a sigh of relief. He had just enough to upgrade both spells.

    Blake went through the evolution process twice and then checked the new spell descriptions.

    Hastened Gale - Creates a high pressure blast of air which expands outward in a cone. This effect takes three quarters of a second to form, consumes a moderate amount of mana energy, and can be cast once every minute.

    Sustained Alacrity - Increases the caster¡¯s movement speed by a moderate amount based upon the caster¡¯s Magic Power for fifteen seconds. This spell consumes a medium amount of chi energy, and takes one minute to recharge.

    The Architect screwed me over!

    While the abilities evolved in the way he wished, the cost of that change annoyed him. Hastened Gale could now be cast twenty-five percent faster, which made it far more useful in combat. However, the time between uses almost doubled. He would much rather have had the energy cost increased, as his quiver used more mana than he did.

    Likewise, Sustained Alacrity lasted fifty percent longer than the original spell. However, it now required far more chi to activate. With how often he was injured, the change was unwelcome, as he blew through his chi with regeneration. Even worse, he now empowered his spear or arrows with each attack.

    Is that bastard actively sabotaging me, or do I just have shit luck?

    Blake let out a breath of annoyance.

    Whatever. In the end, I¡¯ll win either way.

 Chapter 89 - The Sheriff

    Peter Summers: Blake! I need you to take your brother and mother and run!

    Huh?

    Blake groggily wiped the sleep from his eyes as he sat up in his bed. Through the window, the faint light of dawn illuminated his bedroom. He involuntarily yawned and then slowly reread the message his father had sent him.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Huh? What¡¯s going on?

    Peter Summers: The cops are here! You need to get the others and run before they find you!

    Blake closed his eyes and groaned.

    We were so close! The shield will be up tomorrow afternoon!

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Are they inside the wall?

    Peter Summers: Not yet. They¡¯re outside the front gate. I¡¯m stalling, but they say they have a warrant.

    Damn. There goes pretending no one¡¯s home.

    Blake shook off his fatigue, rolled out of bed, grabbed his plated trousers, and began to armor himself. By habit, he kept his equipment beside his bed for easy access in case of emergencies.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Okay. Dad, we aren¡¯t abandoning this town, and I¡¯m definitely not leaving you. I¡¯ll just have to distract them until the shield generator is completed, then there¡¯s nothing they can do.

    Peter Summers: That¡¯s days away!

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Tomorrow afternoon, actually. Sit tight, I¡¯ll be right there.

    He quickly donned the rest of the armor, slipped his quiver over his back, and then looped the bow through his arm. Blake then glanced at his spear, which leaned against the wall.

    Better not.

    Instead, he located a small, level two knife with a five-inch blade and attached it to his belt. After one last glance around his bedroom to ensure there was nothing forgotten, he strode into the hallway, and then outside.

    It was early in the morning, and the sun barely illuminated his path. Almost no one was awake. However, as a chef, his father was used to waking long before dawn to get breakfast ready. It was likely the reason why he was the one to greet the police rather than someone else.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Hey Montgomery! Jeff! Wake up! The cops are here. I need you two to watch the walls to make sure no one tries to climb them.

    Jeffrey Miller: Okay.

    Blake turned the corner and saw his father atop the twenty-foot wall next to the gate. Peter leaned on a raised section of the wall as he yelled something down to the police below. By the time Blake reached the stairs to the battlement, Montgomery had still not responded to his message.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Jeff, can you wake Montgomery¡¯s ass up? He¡¯s not responding.

    Jeffrey Miller: Sure.

    Blake shook his head. The short firefighter may be a man of few words, but he was very reliable. Montgomery was too, normally, but not in the morning. The skinny man needed a few gallons of coffee in him before he could understand speech.

    Montgomery Brown: Dude, just saw your message. What the hell do you want us to do if we see someone climbing?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Just let me know.

    Montgomery Brown: Sure, I guess I can do that.

    After he handled his two friends, he contacted his mother.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Hey mom, can you contact everyone on the outside and tell them not to show up today?

    Donna Summers: Already done. I¡¯ve also filled in Jessica with what¡¯s going on, just in case.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Thanks.

    Donna Summers: It¡¯s my job. Yours is to make sure no one gets hurt. Try not to make things worse, Blake.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: I don¡¯t plan to, but I can¡¯t promise anything if they start opening fire.

    As he crested the twenty-foot stairs, he laid a hand on his father¡¯s back and said, ¡°You can head back down, dad. I got this.¡±

    When he spoke, Peter¡¯s head whipped around, startled. However, after a brief moment, where he gave his son a worried glance, he shook his head and said, ¡°No, I¡¯ll stay here too.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t bulletproof like I am,¡± he reminded his father. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Peter huffed, ¡°They aren¡¯t going to fire on us.¡± Then, after a brief moment of introspection, added, ¡°Not if you don¡¯t antagonize them anyway. What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m going to keep them busy. If you want to stay, please hide behind the merlons,¡± he pointed at the notched, six foot raised section along the wall. In battle, archers used the slits, or crenelations, to fire at their enemies below while they remained relatively safe. ¡°That¡¯s what they¡¯re there for.¡±

    After his father nodded in agreement, Blake leapt atop the six-foot merlon and quickly surveyed the police below. The moment the officers spotted him, they immediately backed away and placed their hands on their holstered firearms.

    Four official sheriff''s deputy vehicles were parked along the street with their red and blue lights flashing. Beside them was a black full ton pickup with dual rear wheels. It also had flashing lights, but they were internal to the vehicle rather than placed atop it.

    I bet that¡¯s the sheriff¡¯s truck.

    Directly before the gate stood six deputies in their tan uniforms. Three were in their upper twenties, one looked fresh out of high school, while the last two were at least in their early forties. Behind them stood an older man with a bald head, gray full beard, and a large belly. He wore jeans, a tucked in flannel, button down shirt, and a thick wool jacket. The outside of his coat was tan, while the inside was fluffy and white.

    ¡°Blake S-S-Summers!¡± the youngest cop stuttered. ¡°Come out with your hands up! You¡¯re under arrest.¡±

    He rolled his eyes.

    Blake wished he could rant and rave at the men below him. To tell them how their actions could doom humanity¡¯s future, and how they did not deserve to be saved after Invasion day. The more he stewed, the more he wanted to just eliminate the problem and go about his day, regardless of what he told his mother.

    However, he recognized two of the younger deputies from his previous life. From what he could remember, they were good men who died in an effort to save a family trapped within a gas station by monsters.

    Well shit. I guess I do this the hard way, then.

    When he had imagined the entire police force as corrupt and evil, it had been easy to justify their murder. In a couple of weeks, actions like that would be commonplace, and he would do whatever he needed to do to protect his family. However, now that he knew some of them were heroes in his past, there was no way he could use that solution.

    Instead, he glanced down at the possible teenage trainee and said, ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡±

    ¡°I knew it!¡± shouted the old, overweight man as he pulled on his large belt buckle. ¡°The moment I heard some idiot had gone and built a castle, way out in the middle of nowhere, it had to be you and your psychotic family!¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°Psychotic? That¡¯s rich coming from a corrupt cop who tried to ruin a kid¡¯s life over a little high school fight.¡±

    The sheriff¡¯s face flushed red, and he yelled, ¡°Little high school fight?! Is that what you¡¯re calling it? You put my nephew in the hospital! He barely lived! You crushed his trachea and ruined his voice for the rest of his life! He sounds like he had throat cancer, for God¡¯s sake, and you¡¯re calling it a little fight? And, that¡¯s not even the worst part, you and your family killed my men!¡±

    Shit, I hurt Trent that bad?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry your nephew¡¯s hurt, but I didn¡¯t intend for that to happen. Trent attacked ME. All I did was defend myself.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± the sheriff barked. ¡°It was all caught on camera. You came out of nowhere with your karate and took him down like it was nothing. Well, your fancy moves won¡¯t save you here! I don¡¯t know how you got the better of my men, but you won¡¯t take US by surprise.¡±

    Karate? Hell, I only upgraded my unarmed combat skill once in my past life.

    ¡°They started recording AFTER Trent threw me to the ground,¡± he pointed out. ¡°What, do you think I just randomly attacked him for no reason?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter why you did it. Hell, the fight is the least of your crimes. You and your family are going away for the rest of your lives,¡± the sheriff promised. ¡°I¡¯m going to push for the death penalty!¡±

    ¡°Who told you I killed your deputies?¡± Blake asked, careful to not admit any guilt. He was cognizant of the body cameras that were recording everything. In a couple of weeks, it would mean nothing, but until then, a clip of him could go viral. It would be hard to recruit the locals if they saw it and believed him to be a crazy murderer.

    I just need to stall them until the shield is up. Then we¡¯re safe.

    ¡°We found your DNA on the scene,¡± the older man sneered. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you did it, but we found three flattened bullets, all with your DNA smeared all over them.¡±

    How is that even possible? Is he just making this shit up, so I confess?

    ¡°That sounds like bullshit to me, you don¡¯t even have my DNA on record to compare it to,¡± Blake sneered. ¡°What kind of evidence are you trying to frame me with now? What¡¯s a judge or jury going to make of that?¡±

    ¡°That evidence is clean, and places you at the scene of the crime. It¡¯s only a matter of time before we connect the¡­¡± he suddenly realized he was giving Blake far too much information and cut himself off. He scowled and asked, ¡°Enough of this. Are you going to surrender yourself peacefully, or not?¡±

    Blake cocked his head to the side like he was seriously considering the offer. ¡°I¡¯d say¡­ not.¡±

    The sheriff grinned. ¡°That¡¯s what I was hoping to hear. Don¡¯t you worry, I called in a few favors, and Phoenix SWAT is on the way. They don¡¯t play around.¡± He then turned to his deputies. ¡°While we wait, why don¡¯t you get the ram outta the back of my truck. See if you can¡¯t bust down this gate with it.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing, boss,¡± the youngest cop agreed and ran. He made it to the truck in record time, but struggled to remove the large battering ram from the bed by himself. By the time he reached his fellow, older deputies, he was out of breath and had to drop the heavy tool to the ground.

    Blake could hear the sheriff mutter to himself even from twenty-six feet above. Eventually, the two young deputies he recognized lifted the heavy ram, stood on each side of it, and began to rhythmically slam it into the solid nano-enhanced metal gate.

    Good luck with that.

    Each time it hit, the ram failed to even vibrate the solid barrier. Blake knew their effort was wasted, and smirked at their enthusiasm. Their full ton truck wouldn¡¯t budge the gate, even if it collided at over a hundred miles an hour.

    Over the next hour, Blake leaned against the battlements and watched the deputies repeatedly try and fail to breach their defenses. Each time a new deputy arrived at the scene, they too attempted to break down the gate. Their actions were amusing, and he enjoyed their struggle. At some point, his father had even left and returned with a cup of coffee for him before he returned to his kitchen.

    His nonchalant attitude about the situation only seemed to infuriate them further.

    Eventually, he heard the rotors of a helicopter and glanced to the sky. In the distance was a large, black and white helicopter with a Phoenix Police department¡¯s logo on the side, that quickly grew closer. It circled around his faction town four times before it found what it was looking for.

    Is it going to land?

    The helicopter slowly descended over Mister Grayburn¡¯s field. When the back doors on each side opened, a SWAT team outfitted with body armor and carbines were revealed. They threw long cables over the side and prepared to fast-rope to the ground.

    Well shit, I can¡¯t have that.

    The easiest solution would be to shoot the helicopter with his bow. The chi enhanced arrow would easily destroy the rotor and force the vehicle to the ground. Unfortunately, that would likely kill everyone inside, and he wanted to avoid death if he could. It also would make a mess of the field.

    Instead, he stepped off the crenelation to the battlement, and hurriedly leaned his bow against the wall. Rather than take the stairs, he stepped off the twenty-foot barrier and absorbed the impact with no injury to his body.

    Unlike the fifty to seventy foot drops he took out of the trees on the Lupus world, twenty feet was nothing. He could have even plummeted seventy feet without severe harm, but a sprained foot or leg was always possible. As he needed to sprint at high speed afterward, he had decided to not chance a minor injury. Especially when he had Gale to assist him.

    After he landed, the helicopter stopped its descent and hovered just fifty feet off the ground. He activated Alacrity and sprinted at full speed towards the farmer¡¯s fields. With his speed, he arrived almost immediately and witnessed the wide eyes of the pilot and copilot as they stared at Blake¡¯s impossible actions.

    Blake chuckled to himself.

    If you think that¡¯s crazy, just wait and see what happens next.

    The time for half-measures was over.

 Chapter 90 - Powers Revealed

    I¡¯ve got to get them out of here.

    Blake was all but invulnerable to the cops. However, his family and faction members within the town were not. Before the SWAT team could descend on their ropes, Blake leapt into the air. As he rose, he cast Gale toward the ground and propelled himself even higher. He ignored the sudden message from Montgomery, and instructed the interface to suppress all notifications for the next five minutes. Finally, when he was only fifteen feet from the helicopter, he used a Guided Spatial Step.

    Blake landed on the nose of the helicopter with his knife now in hand and stabbed through the windshield to stabilize his position. Within the crowded cockpit, the pilot jerked the controls in surprise, and the craft darted into the sky. Out of the corner of his eye, Blake saw a black shape fall toward the ground.

    Shit!

    Blake immediately released his handhold and threw himself off the front of the helicopter. The sharp movement had unbalanced one of the SWAT team members. The policeman flailed his arms below Blake, as he plummeted seventy-five feet to the ground.

    Stupid cooldowns!

    His Hastened Gale was still in cooldown, and only a single charge of his teleport spell remained. Blake could not use that charge to reach the SWAT member, as he needed it to arrest their velocity, or this fiasco was for nothing.

    Why the hell am I saving him?

    Blake ignored the internal complaint and made his body more aerodynamic. Once he did so, he quickly began to narrow the gap between them. As Blake grew closer, the man¡¯s screams echoed in his ears. Unfortunately, they only fell from a height of seventy-five feet, and the ground was rushing up at them.

    Almost there!

    Just before the police officer impacted with the unyielding dirt, Blake wrapped his arms around his chest. He activated his last Charged Guided Spatial Step. The teleport carried them only a foot in total distance, but the end result was significant. All of their momentum had been stripped away, and they now stood in the middle of the field.

    The bewildered SWAT team member continued to scream until he fell limp in his arms. Blake observed the officer, to ensure he was unharmed. He then used his right arm to grab the M4 rifle tethered to his chest, and ripped it away.

    That got his attention.

    Blake released him and the man fell forward to the ground. With wide eyes, he turned and scrambled away until he was at least ten feet from Blake. He raised his hands and begged, ¡°Don¡¯t shoot!¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes. ¡°Why would I save you if I was just going to shoot you?¡±

    The man¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion. He glanced to the helicopter, which descended once again, and then down to the ground. The officer shook his head, but kept his hands in the air and his eyes locked on Blake.

    ¡°What? No, thank you?¡± Blake said sarcastically.

    Ropes were thrown out of the door of the helicopter, and men began to fast-walk down.

    Seriously?! I just teleported on top of your helicopter, and the mission is still on? What¡¯s wrong with you people!

    That was when his Alacrity finally faded. It would be a full minute before he could reuse it, and by then, everything would be over.

    He hurled the M4 away, pointed his finger at his ¡®prisoner¡¯, and ordered, ¡°Stay!¡±

    Blake turned immediately to address the new threat. He sprinted toward the three descending SWAT members, thirty feet away. The first two landed and immediately cradled their submachine guns as they searched for a threat.

    Just as they spotted him, Blake ran past and clothes-lined them with his arms extended. They fired into the air as they were propelled backward. Before they even hit the ground, Blake turned and snatched the last man by his throat.

    Blake deftly ripped the man¡¯s gun away and tossed it into the field. While the SWAT member struggled in futility, Blake glanced over his shoulder at the two men he had thrown. They had rolled another twenty feet and were clearly dazed. When Blake returned to the man in his grip, he noticed zip strips attached to his vest.

    They¡¯ll be less likely to attack if I take hostages.

    He collected a handful, forced the man¡¯s arms behind his back, and quickly zipped them together. That was when he noticed a pistol in the pit of the officer¡¯s back. He tossed the weapon, patted the confused man¡¯s helmet with a smile, trotted over to his companions, and repeated the action. When the three were bound, he searched for the officer he saved and swore when he found the man searching frantically for his discarded rifle.

    With a sigh, Blake took off at a run, and quickly overtook him. ¡°Looking for something?¡± he asked innocently.

    The officer whirled around, his eyes wide, and brandished a pistol. Blake slapped it away, and winced when the man screamed.

    I need to be gentler.

    With exaggerated care, he grasped the SWAT member¡¯s probably broken wrist, forced it behind his back, and zipped it together with his other arm. Blake then marched the man toward his fellow team members.

    Above them, the helicopter continued to hover as the pilots watched in horror at what took place below. Blake imagined their terror as they watched their highly trained tactical team disarmed and captured with ease.

    Blake could faintly hear one of the captured men use code phrases as he yelled into the microphone of his headset. He was not sure what his prisoner conveyed, but wanted that helicopter gone.

    It was extremely loud and annoying.

    He leaned over, carefully pinched the wireless headset between his fingers, and then placed it on his own head. The roar of the helicopter¡¯s rotors was immediately dampened, and he heard the calm, controlled voice of command in his ears.

    Noise-cancelling, that¡¯s cool.

    His Adjustable Dampen Sound spell was far superior, but had the opposite effect. It kept noises in rather than out. He could always evolve the ability in the future so it could be inverted, but did not really see the need.

    ¡°... I repeat, are you ten thirty-three?¡± the controlled voice asked.

    ¡°Hello, this is Blake.¡± He was sure the recipient could hear his smile.

    The voice went silent for a full four seconds before it finally stated, ¡°This is Commander Niles of Phoenix Special Weapons and Tactics. Blake Summers, what are your demands?¡±

    Blake glanced over to the four furious men on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs. ¡°First, I want that helicopter gone. It¡¯s loud, and it''s kind of pointless anyway.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Commander Niles hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we need that helicopter for visual oversight of the situation.¡±

    Blake glanced up and tried to find a camera, but failed. ¡°So, you have a camera on it that¡¯s transmitting to what, Phoenix?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m about to drag my new hostages over to our jail, so you¡¯re going to lose visual anyway. But, if you send the helicopter away, I¡¯ll let these guys keep their headsets. Sound good?¡±

    There was another short delay before Commander Niles responded. ¡°If they remain in contact, that is acceptable.¡±

    A moment later, the helicopter retreated, but was quickly replaced by an unarmed drone.

    Whatever.

    Once Blake could hear himself think again, he turned to his captives and grinned. ¡°Stand up. You guys are going to come with me.¡±

    The four men struggled to their feet, but refused to follow. Instead, they glared at him.

    ¡°We have complied with your wishes,¡± Commander Niles spoke through his headset. ¡°As a show of good faith, would you release one of the hostages?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Blake answered simply.

    In a pained voice, Commander Niles said, ¡°Mister Summers, this is a give and take relationship. If you are unwilling to cooperate, we have no motivation to grant any of your demands.¡±

    ¡°Well, my only demand is that you don¡¯t send anyone else inside these walls.¡±

    Niles hesitated. ¡°You don¡¯t wish to escape your fortification?¡±

    ¡°Nope, I¡¯m good. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to move the hostages. For their own good, you probably want to tell them to cooperate. Sometimes I don¡¯t know my own strength.¡±

    Blake lifted the headset off his ears and placed it back on its original owner. He watched as the man narrowed his eyes and then said, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± To Blake, he said, ¡°I¡¯m to follow you to the holding cell.¡±

    ¡°Excellent. Now I don¡¯t have to carry you all.¡± Blake gestured with his hand and said, ¡°This way.¡±

    They marched across the field toward the large faction hall building. Down the graveled street, he saw his father peak from the doorway of the cookhouse. When Peter looked as if he wanted to join his son, he shook his head.

    Lord Blake, Scion of Humanity: Dad, please go back inside. Actually, can you make sure everyone else stays inside as well? I¡¯d rather these guys not recognize any of you.

    After his father read the message, he nodded and ducked inside. While they walked down the empty street, Blake contacted his mother to ensure the bottom floor of the faction hall as well as the basement remained empty. He then had to reassure her that he was fine, and the situation was under control.

    A minute later, they stood before the three story, marble faction hall and Blake had them open the large, double doors. The captives shuffled inside, trailed through the lobby and into the rooms beyond, until they finally reached the entrance to the basement.

    Blake opened the door for them, as they did not have access, and then gestured for them to descend the steps. They hesitated and blinked in the scant light, but in the end, complied.

    Of the twelve jail cells in the narrow basement, all were full of canned or dry goods, except Jerome¡¯s cell. He strode up to the bored man and said, ¡°It¡¯s your lucky day, Jerome. You¡¯re free.¡±

    The native¡¯s eyes darted to the zip tied SWAT team and his eyebrows rose. ¡°It¡¯s Invasion day already?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Nope. Not for another two weeks. But, as you can see, the police already know about us. No reason to keep you here anymore.¡±

    The former prisoner seemed unwilling to test his luck and remained cooperative. He calmly exited the cell and waited by Blake¡¯s side while the four new prisoners entered the eight by ten foot room. After the door was closed, Blake looked his hostages in the eye. ¡°Okay, you guys might as well get comfy. You¡¯re going to be in this cell for a while. After I escort Jerome here off our property, I¡¯ll be back to talk to your Commander, got it?¡±

    The team leader narrowed his eyes and looked like he wanted to argue. However, he held his tongue and replied, ¡°Affirmative.¡±

    Blake nodded to himself and strode away. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Jerome,¡± he called over his shoulder. Confident the native would follow, he marched up the stairs to the floor level, and escorted him out of the building.

    On his way outside, he grabbed one of the onboarding pamphlets. What had started off as a two-page document was now almost fifty pages thick, and included an extensive guide on how to survive the apocalypse.

    Once they exited, Jerome followed behind him silently as they navigated the gravel roads. However, when Blake began to ascend the battlement stairs, the native halted and said in a confused voice, ¡°Uh, aren¡¯t we going to use the gate?¡±

    ¡°Nope, I want a flashy entrance for the sheriff,¡± Blake explained.

    At the top of the battlement, he looked out the crenelation. He noted that their audience had increased in size. At least twenty vehicles lined the rural road. Most belonged to the Navajo county sheriff¡¯s office, but it looked as if the Show Low police force had joined them as well.

    The crowd of mixed law enforcement officers huddled behind their cars while the sheriff argued with someone on his cell phone. His face was red as he shouted replies into the tiny phone¡¯s microphone. Beside him were two extendable ladders discarded on the ground.

    Looks like someone didn¡¯t get permission to climb the wall.

    Blake smirked in satisfaction before he turned to Jerome. ¡°Okay, time to let you go.¡±

    Jerome looked confused and then frightened when Blake hugged him from behind. With the native in his grip, he leapt atop the merlons. Jerome stared at the ground, twenty-six feet beneath them, and cried, ¡°Please! Don¡¯t throw me off the wall! I promise I won¡¯t tell them anything!¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not going to throw you, and you can tell them whatever you want. Actually, I insist on it. Here, hold on to this,¡± he forced the booklet into Jerome¡¯s hands. ¡°Make sure to hand it over. Just not to the sheriff. Give it to one of the Show Low policemen. If the sheriff tries to take it, tell him he can blow me.¡±

    By the time he finished his instruction, the police were fully aware of his presence and watched with bated breath. When he leapt off the wall with Jerome in his arms, he heard a few gasps of surprise.

    Before they were even half-way down, Blake teleported to place them on the ground, without their previous momentum. Then, to their shocked gazes and open mouths, he waved, turned, and jumped. When he was almost ten feet into the air, he used the second charge of his teleport and appeared atop a merlon, twenty-six feet above.

    Blake glanced down at his captivated audience and was not surprised when he saw them frozen in shock. Even the sheriff had stopped screaming into his phone. Instead, the overweight man¡¯s jaw hung low and his eyes were wide.

    With a smile of satisfaction, he announced in a loud voice, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t try to come inside if I were you guys.¡±

    After the short proclamation, he turned and stepped off the battlement, inside the walls. He quickly headed for the fields and began to collect their discarded rifles and sidearms.

    Jordan Weeks: Uh, Blake, I think we have a problem.

    Damnit! What else can go wrong?

    Lord Blake, Scion of Humanity: Is it an emergency?

    Jordan Weeks: I¡¯d say so.

    Lord Blake, Scion of Humanity: Okay. Where are you at? I¡¯ll talk in person.

    Jordan Weeks: Probably a good idea. I¡¯m at the shield generator.

    Lord Blake, Scion of Humanity: I¡¯ll be right there.

    Less than a minute later, with confiscated firearms in hand, Blake arrived at the construction site. Both Jordan and Brent, their constructors, were present, however, no one else accompanied them.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is it going to take longer without the other two constructors?¡±

    Brent snorted. ¡°That¡¯s the least of our worries, Uberman.¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯d say so,¡± Jordan agreed in his thick, southern accent. ¡°You ever hear of a ¡®construction complication¡¯?

    Huh?

    ¡°No, what are you talking about?¡±

    Jordan scratched his head. ¡°Well, see, while you were up there playing in the sky, we both got a message that said there was a complication in construction. All progress stopped, and we can¡¯t continue until it¡¯s addressed.¡±

    What the hell?

    ¡°What¡¯s the complication?¡± Blake asked, nervous.

    ¡°It says we need new materials to complete the building,¡± Brent answered.

    ¡°Uh,¡± Blake stammered. ¡°Don¡¯t you need all required materials before it¡¯ll even allow you to start?¡±

    ¡°Sure do,¡± Jordan confirmed. ¡°Which is why it¡¯s so strange, this hasn¡¯t happened before. Says here we need ten pounds of ¡®Tungsten-Iron alloy¡¯ from off-world.¡±

    What the hell? That freakin¡¯ AI!

    Blake swore. ¡°I assume we don¡¯t have any in the warehouse, or you would have just used that.¡±

    Brent rolled his eyes. ¡°Of course we would. We¡¯re not idiots.¡±

    Blake agreed, but his concern about the seemingly random change to the construction procedure grew. ¡°Okay. The native combat teams are on the outside. I¡¯ll contact one of them and have them complete a scenario. Kuruk can head inside the portal after they complete it and transport the alloy to the warehouse. Problem solved.¡±

    Jordan shook his head. ¡°Kuruk¡¯s living with his mother in the bunkhouse now, so he can¡¯t help. But, there¡¯s a bigger issue. It says it has to come from a level one scenario. I don¡¯t think any of the teams can handle it, and I¡¯m pretty sure you need to stay here.¡±

    Well crap.

 Chapter 91 - Boosted

    Blake paused as he tried to think of a solution. ¡°Do the materials have to come from a specific level one scenario, or will any of them work?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jordan admitted.

    I need to talk to someone who does.

    Blake piled his confiscated firearms on the ground, and for the first time in weeks, summoned his companion. A portal swirled before them, and his companion appeared out of it. A moment later, the spatial distortion disappeared, and his companion asked in his baritone voice, ¡°Is there something you need?¡±

    Blake quickly filled him in while Metal stared at him with a blank expression. ¡°So, have you ever heard of something like this happening before?¡±

    ¡°I have not, and I have been a tailor for decades,¡± the wraith replied confidently. ¡°Perhaps you are mistaken.¡±

    ¡°I think I can read...¡± Jordan muttered.

    Blake waved him to silence. ¡°What about the scenario change?¡±

    ¡°I am a non-combatant,¡± Metal droned. ¡°You would know better than I.¡±

    Damn. He¡¯s right. I¡¯ve done thousands of missions, but that was the first time I¡¯ve had something like that happen.

    Blake sighed and ran a hand through his hair. ¡°I think the Architect has it out for me.¡±

    ¡°Doubtful,¡± Metal replied.

    He looked at his companion in disbelief. ¡°What do you mean, doubtful? That bastard obviously wants me to die. Why else would it change all this stuff for me, but no one else?¡±

    ¡°You are attributing malice and hate to a supreme being which has none.¡±

    Blake sneered at Metal¡¯s use of the word ¡®supreme¡¯ and threw his hands in the air. ¡°Really? Then why does it kill over ninety percent of humanity? I¡¯d say that¡¯s pretty hateful. And, don¡¯t get me started on this, ¡®supreme being¡¯ bullshit. It¡¯s a computer, not a god.¡±

    Jordan and Brent exchanged concerned glances.

    ¡°I am not certain what a ¡®computer¡¯ is, as it was not translated, but if the Architect truly wished you dead, you would be so. After all, it is inside you and powers your strength.¡±

    Well shit. He has me there.

    ¡°Can this computer really just kill us?¡± Brent asked.

    Blake had lived with the nanomachines for so long that he had forgotten they were the long arm of the Architect. It stood to reason that if the AI wished him dead, it could likely self-destruct the nano within him.

    Now that¡¯s a comforting thought.

    ¡°Probably,¡± Blake responded bluntly.

    Brent¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Okay, then. Not much I can do about that,¡± Blake admitted. ¡°What about this Tungsten-Iron alloy we need? Do you think it needs to come from a specific scenario, or will any do?¡±

    ¡°I believe that material is available on many worlds. The only addendum to its acquisition was that it needs to originate from a level one scenario.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so we can get it anywhere,¡± Blake rephrased.

    ¡°I believe so,¡± Metal agreed.

    Blake glanced upward at the drone that hovered a hundred feet above them.

    I wonder what they¡¯re making of Metal right now? Hope it keeps them up at night. We should get inside. Who knows how far away it can pick up sound.

    He thanked his companion for his knowledge and sent the wraith back to its home.

    Blake turned to the two constructors, and discreetly glanced up at the drone. ¡°I think we have our solution. Do you two think you can keep my dad company in the cookhouse?¡±

    Brent nodded knowingly, while Jordan answered, ¡°Will do. No reason to stand outside anywho, and I could use a cup of coffee.¡±

    After they left, Blake skimmed the messages Montgomery had sent him. He quickly pushed through his exuberant commentary on Blake¡¯s fight with the SWAT team, and then ignored the annoyed messages when Blake refused to respond. After he was sure there was nothing of importance he had missed, he finally responded to his friend.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Hey Montgomery, can you and Jeff head over to the faction hall? We¡¯ve got a problem.

    Montgomery Brown: Oh, sure. Now that there¡¯s a problem, you respond. I see how it is.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: I¡¯ve kinda been a bit busy, if you haven¡¯t noticed.

    Montgomery Brown: Fine, you get a pass. This time.

    Blake rolled his eyes, lifted the SWAT team¡¯s weapons, and navigated the gravel streets to the faction hall. On the way, he received another worried message from his mother.

    He let her know he was fine, and that he would meet her in the lobby. By the time he opened the door to the three-story building, his mother and two friends were already present inside.

    Donna looked harried, while Montgomery ran up to him and clasped his shoulders.

    ¡°Dude, that was so badass!¡± Montgomery gushed. ¡°You flew up there like Uberman and slapped those guys down like they were babies!¡±

    ¡°You knifed a helicopter,¡± Jeff rumbled with a smirk.

    Donna frowned and eyed the collection of submachine guns, rifles, and pistols in his arms. ¡°I couldn¡¯t see much out my window. You didn¡¯t kill any of them, did you?¡±

    ¡°No, they¡¯re fine.¡± Blake then remembered the possible broken wrist. ¡°Well, mostly fine,¡± he admitted.

    ¡°Where are they?¡± she asked.

    Blake set the firearms on the ground and began to lean them against the wall. Montgomery reached for the nearest and Blake quickly slapped his hand away, ¡°They¡¯re now our hostages. I put them in Jerome¡¯s cell and let him go.¡±

    ¡°You did what?!¡± she shrieked.

    Blake¡¯s brows rose in surprise at her reaction.

    ¡°Yeah, bad move, fam,¡± Montgomery chided him as he rubbed his sore wrist. ¡°Never shoulda let that asshat go.¡±

    Donna rounded on the young firefighter. ¡°Both of you have misplaced priorities. It¡¯s a GOOD thing that he finally let Jerome go. I¡¯m worried about our new hostages, not him.¡± She turned to her son. ¡°Have you thought this through, Blake? The entire government is going to be focused on us now. Weren¡¯t you trying to stay hidden?¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have much of a choice, and I think ¡®hidden¡¯ is a thing of the past,¡± he replied, annoyed. ¡°I might have been able to keep things quiet when it was just the sheriff, but he called in SWAT from Phoenix. They have video of me teleporting around, and they saw how fast I am.¡±

    ¡°Snatching up their men will totally make things better¡­¡± Montgomery interjected.

    Blake ignored him and his mother¡¯s growing frown. ¡°If I walked them out the front gate, do you think they¡¯d just leave us alone? At least this way, we can delay them until we get the Shield Generator up. Then, nothing they do will matter.¡±

    ¡°But that won¡¯t happen until tomorrow,¡± she reminded him.

    ¡°Actually, right now, it won¡¯t happen at all. The Architect decided to screw with us. That bastard won¡¯t let us finish the building until it gets some new material from a level one scenario.¡±

    ¡°It really does hate you.¡± Montgomery responded helpfully.

    ¡°Did you talk to Metal and see what he had to say about it?¡± His mother asked.

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s never heard of this happening before.¡±

    ¡°Then what are we going to do?¡± she complained. ¡°You can¡¯t leave, not with the police outside and hostages in the basement.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what this meeting is about,¡± Blake replied.

    ¡°Jeff and I will take care of it,¡± Montgomery volunteered.

    Jeff slapped the taller man¡¯s chest with the back of his hand and shook his head.

    ¡°Yeah, Jeff¡¯s right,¡± Blake agreed. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. You guys barely finished a level one scenario before, and you had four people then. With just the two of you, I don¡¯t like your chances unless you have classes of your own.¡±

    ¡°You think we should just take the basic class now?¡± Montgomery asked, disappointed. ¡°We were so close to snagging a dual class.¡±

    Blake quickly opened his interface to see his status.

    Just a hundred and ninety mega-nano?

    He sighed, closed the window, and asked his friends, ¡°How much nano do each of you have?¡±

    Montgomery¡¯s eyes crossed for a moment before he responded, ¡°A hundred and eighty-four.¡±

    ¡°One eighty-five,¡± Jeff added.

    Blake¡¯s brows rose. ¡°That much? You guys have been busy.¡±

    While it was nothing compared to the insane amounts of nano Blake could accumulate, he admittedly was not normal. Their gains were impressive, especially for how new they were to fighting.

    And in two weeks, they¡¯ll be veterans compared to the rest of the world.

    ¡°Yeah, well, we get a lot more nano with just the two of us, and we¡¯ve been cranking out two a day. We were halfway to a hundred mega-nano before Dahteste died, and it¡¯s been, what, almost three weeks since we kicked that asshole out?¡±

    ¡°Two and a half,¡± Blake corrected automatically while he did math in his head. When the result came up short, he frowned and turned to his mother. ¡°How much nano do we have in the treasury?¡±

    ¡°Forty-four million nano,¡± she replied immediately, no need to look up the number.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± He blurted, surprised. ¡°I transferred a crap-ton over a few days ago, where did it all go?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been upgrading the bunkhouses nonstop, like you asked. That takes a lot of nano, even with Debra finishing the enchantments,¡± Donna explained.

    ¡°Sorry, you¡¯re right,¡± He apologized. ¡°It just seems like it disappears the second I transfer it over.¡±

    His mother nodded in agreement.

    Blake turned to his friends. ¡°If I give each of you enough nano to get a dual class and six attributes, do you think you can handle it?¡±

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Montgomery replied with confidence.

    However, Blake¡¯s eyes rested on Jeff, who was far more grounded. He watched as the quiet man considered the task before them before he eventually nodded.

    Blake let out a sigh of relief.

    Good. That solves that problem.

    ¡°We won¡¯t make this a habit, but considering the circumstances...¡± He turned to his mother. ¡°Can you transfer nano to them out of the treasury, please?¡±

    ¡°Woo-hoo! Boost us!¡± Montgomery invented a small dance.

    She nodded and complied.

    When the treasury was empty, Blake transferred his personal reserves to each of them as well. ¡°Okay, go ahead and buy a dual-class now. It¡¯ll take a while for you to level, and you can¡¯t increase your attributes until you officially get a class.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± His mother asked.

    Blake was about to answer when the lobby door burst open and his brother stepped inside. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±

    ¡°Oliver, I told you to wait in your room!¡± his mother reprimanded her son.

    ¡°Oh please, mister superhero here,¡± Oliver hiked a thumb at Blake. ¡°Took care of everything. The only thing outside are those drones.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s more of them?¡± Blake asked.

    Oliver nodded. ¡°I spotted at least four on the way here.¡±

    Blake turned to his mother. ¡°I need to head downstairs and talk to the SWAT commander before they send in more people with guns.¡±

    ¡°I should go with you,¡± Donna stated.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°If you¡¯re there, they¡¯ll try to turn us against each other.¡±

    While that was true, the real reason he did not want his mother present was because threats and violence were all but guaranteed. There was no way the police would respect any other response, and his mother would only undermine his efforts.

    She frowned, but did not protest.

    ¡°Just tell them what¡¯s going on,¡± Montgomery said and wiggled his fingers. ¡°Show them some more magic.¡±

    ¡°I plan to, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to change anything. We¡¯re holding their men in jail,¡± Blake reminded him. ¡°Just because we show them magic is real, doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re going to just say, ¡®Oh, all¡¯s forgiven¡¯, and walk away.¡±

    ¡°Do we really want them to know what¡¯s going on?¡± Oliver asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Blake answered. ¡°I¡¯ve actually wanted to tell the world for a while, but I didn¡¯t want the government coming after us. But, the cat¡¯s out of the bag now. I might as well spread the word far and wide. The more people know, the more we may save. Wouldn¡¯t you want a chance to save your family?¡± he asked his brother. ¡°Hiding things makes us really no better than all those secret government agencies.¡±

    ¡°When you put it like that...¡± Oliver mumbled.

    Suddenly, he had an idea. ¡°What if I get the Commander to send a reporter to us. I can go on camera, and they can release the footage on the news. Then, we can upload the primer to the internet and everyone will know about it!¡±

    Oliver snorted. ¡°I thought you wanted it to go far and wide?¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°I do. What¡¯s wrong with my plan?¡±

    ¡°Only super old people watch the news.¡± Oliver informed him. Montgomery nodded, and even his mother had to agree. ¡°You need to do a podcast.¡±

    ¡°With who?¡± he asked.

    Blake could only remember a couple of popular podcasters off the top of his head. Neither lived in Arizona, and he doubted they would drop everything and go into a hostage situation just because he asked.

    ¡°Jennifer Taylor,¡± Oliver replied.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Blake asked, not recognizing the name.

    Montgomery threw his hands into the air. ¡°How do you not know who Jennifer Taylor is?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve kind of been busy the last ten years,¡± Blake responded dryly.

    ¡°Yeah, but you were a normal kid before that, weren¡¯t you?¡± Montgomery replied. He turned to Donna. ¡°You didn¡¯t force him to stay off the internet, did you?¡±

    ¡°I did not,¡± she informed him. ¡°But I don¡¯t know this, ¡®Jennifer¡¯ either.¡±

    Oliver huffed. ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of ¡®The Taylor Report¡¯?¡±

    When his brother mentioned the name of the podcast, Blake finally realized who he was talking about. The show came out of nowhere just a year or so before Invasion Day and had exploded in popularity. The podcaster had gained incredible traction, especially among Gen Z, by constantly challenging the establishment.

    For her first video, she had gone on a date under-cover with an executive at a pharmaceutical company. The resulting viral video exposed their fraud to the world, and led to the mega-corporation¡¯s eventual destruction.

    It made her an overnight star. But, unlike most, her fifteen minutes of fame did not fade. Instead, she began a constant media barrage that increased her exposure. She released continuous videos and interviewed whistleblowers from all industries, despite the death threats she received.

    Of course, it also did not hurt that she was incredibly good-looking.

    ¡°I remember her now,¡± Blake told his brother. ¡°You think she¡¯d actually come?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a publicity whore,¡± his brother snorted. ¡°And this is gonna be the biggest story ever. There¡¯s no way she doesn¡¯t bite. Besides, I¡¯m her number one fan, she responds to all my comments.¡±

    Montgomery snorted. ¡°That¡¯s a bot, you idiot.¡±

    Blake ignored their byplay. He had his doubts about whether she would agree, but it would not hurt to ask. In the meantime, he had a Commander to appease.

 Chapter 92 - Negotiation

    Blake descended the basement stairs, alone.

    He had sent Montgomery and Jeff to the walls while they waited for their classes. They had initially protested the order, until he gave them the confiscated rifles. After that, they readily agreed.

    Meanwhile, his brother went to his alchemy workshop, while his mother headed upstairs to her office to watch the news.

    He paused for a moment at the bottom of the dimly lit stairs. His footsteps echoed across the stone-floored hallway as he approached the jail cell which contained his prisoners. They stiffened on their rustic cots when they noticed his presence, their hands still tied behind their backs.

    ¡°Time to talk to your Commander,¡± Blake informed them as he confidently opened the cell door.

    He approached the assumed team leader, and reached for the man¡¯s headset. Just as his fingers fell on the electronic device, the team of four silently moved. The man before him attempted to tackle him to the ground, while the others rushed in with knives.

    Where did they get those?

    ¡°Stop that,¡± Blake calmly said and stood his ground. The leader¡¯s arms wrapped around him, and he grunted as he strained against Blake¡¯s immovable form, while the others moved to assist him. ¡°You¡¯re going to hurt yourselves.¡±

    They ignored him.

    Okay, they need to see just how pointless this is.

    When the leader adjusted his stance to gain leverage, Blake reached to the officer on his right, grabbed his body armor, and lifted him one-handed into the air. The man flailed his feet and whipped his body around in an attempt to dislodge himself, yet Blake easily held him aloft.

    Once the others saw they could not contain him, they switched tactics. The policeman on his left thrust his knife forward into Blake¡¯s tunic. When it bounced off, he warned the others, ¡°He¡¯s wearing body armor, go for open skin.¡±

    That was when the last man came for him from behind. The sneaky SWAT member suddenly held a dagger to his neck and growled, ¡°Put him down and surrender, or I¡¯ll slit your throat.¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°Go ahead and try.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±

    ¡°So am I,¡± Blake assured him. ¡°You couldn¡¯t hurt me, even if I were sleeping.¡±

    The knife wielding SWAT member attempted to put greater pressure on his neck. After the sharp knife failed to bite into Blake¡¯s skin, he said, ¡°What the hell?¡±

    ¡°I told you, you can¡¯t hurt me.¡±

    The man used his full strength, yet still could not scratch his skin. ¡°It¡¯s not working!¡± he barked.

    ¡°Plan B!¡± The leader ordered, while he continued to try and move him.

    Blake watched in amusement as the knife-wielding SWAT member on his left rushed out of the jail cell, slammed the door behind him, and ran for the stairs.

    ¡°Now you¡¯re stuck in here with us!¡± the team leader crowed to Blake. He then spoke into his headset, ¡°Target is contained, I repeat target is contained.¡±

    A moment later, he received a message from his friend.

    Montgomery Brown: Hey, Blake! Another SWAT team is moving for the walls. They have ladders.

    Okay, enough of this.

    Blake activated his Charged Guided Spatial Step and appeared outside the cell behind the fleeing man. He then snatched the policeman from behind and used his last charge to teleport both of them inside the cell.

    When he suddenly appeared before the group, they stepped back in unison. Blake released his errant prisoner and watched as the frightened team backpedaled further until their backs hit the wall.

    ¡°What the hell are you?¡± the leader asked, eyes wide.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m here to talk about,¡± Blake replied. He then pointed to the bed. ¡°Now, sit down on the cot so we can have a nice conversation with you and your Commander.¡±

    Once they complied, he retrieved the leader¡¯s headset and placed it over his ears and looked into the body cam on the leader¡¯s helmet. ¡°Commander Niles, call off your men. Now!¡±

    ¡°Mister Summers, this is Agent Harris of the FBI,¡± said a soothing, female voice. ¡°I¡¯m here to assist you with whatever you need so we can resolve this peacefully.¡±

    Damnit.

    Blake knew they would eventually escalate and recruit more people, but he hoped to have more time before they did so.

    ¡°Okay, Agent Harris, if you want to resolve this peacefully, call off the other team before someone gets hurt.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Mister Summers,¡± the negotiator replied calmly. ¡°Sorry about that. Tensions are high, as you can imagine.¡±

    Montgomery Brown: They¡¯re backing off now. But, they left the ladders leaning against the wall.

    ¡°Agent Harris, tell them to take their ladders with them.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Mister Summers,¡± she agreed. ¡°Do you mind if I call you Blake?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you call me,¡± he replied. ¡°Just make sure they don¡¯t try anything again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that happens, Blake,¡± she assured him. ¡°In the meantime, what is your end goal here? How do you see this being resolved?¡±

    A moment later, Montgomery confirmed their compliance, and Blake responded. ¡°Ideally, you don¡¯t try anything else, and I let all four hostages go in a couple of days.¡±

    ¡°Why a couple of days, Blake? Why not just let them go now?¡±

    ¡°If I did that, you wouldn¡¯t sit there and listen to me, would you?¡± Blake countered. ¡°You¡¯d send in more people, and I¡¯d be forced to deal with them.¡± He saw no reason to inform them of the Shield Generator. Instead, he decided to focus on convincing them of the truth.

    ¡°I¡¯m listening to you now, Blake. What would you like to say?¡±

    Blake took a deep breath and glanced at the uneasy men in the cell with him. ¡°In two weeks, an alien technology will disable all electricity on the planet. It will open up portals everywhere, and send creatures through to kill people. Billions of people will die.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Blake paused to gauge her reaction. If it was anything like the four SWAT team members before him, she no doubt thought he was insane. Their eyebrows rose in incredulity as they exchanged glances.

    ¡°Okay, Blake. I must admit, this is not where I saw this conversation going,¡± she said, voice laced with concern.

    He laughed. ¡°I bet you didn¡¯t. I bet you also think I¡¯m crazy now, right?¡±

    ¡°It does seem far-fetched,¡± she agreed. ¡°Do you have any proof of this claim?¡±

    ¡°You mean, besides the footage from the helicopter? The body cam footage of me teleporting around, or the fact that your guys here couldn¡¯t slit my throat, no matter how hard they tried?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re still reviewing the video footage to determine what happened,¡± she informed him. ¡°But, Blake, even if these things were possible, how would you know of an upcoming ¡®alien invasion¡¯? Are you in contact with these ¡®aliens¡¯? Did they tell you to do this?¡±

    I don¡¯t think telling them I¡¯m a time traveler is going to go over well.

    Blake snorted and shook his head. ¡°Okay, this clearly isn¡¯t going to work. If you won¡¯t even believe your own eyes, I¡¯m not going to bother trying to convince you.¡±

    ¡°Blake, please don¡¯t do anything rash,¡± she urged. ¡°Consider me ready to be convinced.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I do have a demand.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to do an interview with Jennifer Taylor. I want her to post it online, so millions will see it.¡±

    ¡°Are you referring to the social media influencer?¡± she asked. ¡°Host of ¡®The Taylor Report¡¯?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± he nodded.

    ¡°That may be difficult to arrange,¡± Agent Harris informed him. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee she¡¯ll be willing to talk to you, and it may be some time before we can get a hold of her. But, as long as she agrees, I think a phone interview is possible.¡±

    ¡°Not over the phone,¡± he corrected her. ¡°Live, in person, with video cameras.¡±

    ¡°Blake.¡± Agent Harris¡¯ voice sounded pained. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t allow you more hostages.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Get Jennifer here with a cameraman, and I¡¯ll surrender. I¡¯ll release all hostages and do the interview in handcuffs while under guard. How does that sound?¡±

    Come on, bite.

    He knew they would never let him do an interview. Especially if he released hostages and ¡®turned himself in¡¯. However, they may pretend to go along with his demands. If they did, by the time they flew her into Show Low and staged her outside the walls, the shield would be up. Then, he could kidnap her if necessary and force an interview.

    Does it count as kidnapping if I return her immediately after the interview?

    ¡°We will see what we can do, Blake. In the meantime, can you tell me more about this ¡®alien invasion¡¯? It sounds interesting. I would love to know more.¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes. ¡°Nope. I¡¯m not going to say another word to you until I see Jennifer with my own eyes outside the gate. Why waste both of our time?¡± Before she could respond, he ripped the headset off and tossed it to the SWAT leader. He then teleported outside the cell and strode up the stairs.

    ¡°Mister Summers!¡± he heard the leader shout. ¡°Come back, Agent Harris needs to talk to you!¡±

    Blake ignored him and continued to climb. There was no point in continuing the conversation. All he needed was for the police to leave them alone for a day and a half. Then, there would be nothing they could do.

    If they actually contacted the podcaster and brought her to him, that would be great. Not just as a stall tactic, either. He would do the live interview and hope people believed him. However, Blake felt the chances of that happening were small. More likely, they would pretend to comply while they planned their next assault.

    Even if they do ask her, she¡¯ll probably say no. Who in their right mind would willingly go into a hostage situation? Although, Oliver did say she likes attention. Maybe she¡¯ll do it for the clout?

    He continued to climb the stairs until he reached the third floor and entered his mother¡¯s office. She was behind her desk on her laptop.

    ¡°How did it go?¡± she asked.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°About what I expected. They won¡¯t believe me, even with video proof. At this point, I¡¯m just stalling until we can get the shield up.¡±

    ¡°What about this podcaster? Did you ask them to talk to her?¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s not going to happen.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure of that. We made national news.¡± Donna rotated her laptop so they could both see and unmuted the audio.

    On the screen was a live video, recorded on the road outside the front gate behind police lines. A reporter talked into a microphone while a chyron beneath him stated, ¡®Domestic terrorists hold SWAT team hostage¡¯.

    ¡°... standoff continues. So far, there has been no word from the FBI on any demand.¡± The camera zoomed out until the corrupt sheriff was in the frame. ¡°Sheriff Slater, you have intimate knowledge of the terrorist and his group. What¡¯s his motive? Can you enlighten us?¡±

    The overweight man nodded gravely. ¡°I sure do. Blake Summers is a psychopath who comes from a family of criminals. He and his family killed five law enforcement officers in cold blood. Now he holds four members of SWAT hostage. He¡­¡±

    Donna muted the audio. ¡°Okay, probably not,¡± she admitted.

    ¡°Yeah, not with that asshole on the air,¡± Blake agreed. He ran his fingers through his long, messy hair. ¡°How long would it take you to post a video online along with the primer? I want to get the word out somehow, and clearly it¡¯s not going to be through a podcast.¡±

    ¡°Well, the document is easy, it¡¯s digital, so I can just copy and paste. The video will take a bit longer, but once we record and upload it to Selftube, we can just email the links to a bunch of news channels and post it on Tweeter. Somebody is bound to see.¡±

    Blake nodded. He opened his mouth to ask another question, when he suddenly received a message.

    Montgomery Brown: Got my class! I can totally throw fireballs!

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Great! Now we just need to figure out how to get you, Jeff, and Kuruk out of here.

    Montgomery Brown: Got you covered, fam. I took Fade for my aether spell. They¡¯ll never see us leave.

    Blake winced.

    Well, better than nothing.

    While the spell would indeed make them harder to see, they would still be visible. It was more akin to camouflage than invisibility, and was generally only useful if the enemy were not alert. Blake would need to get rid of the drones for them to have a chance

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: That might work, but we have to get rid of the drones first.

    Montgomery Brown: You want me and Jeff to shoot them?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: No, I don¡¯t want them focused on you two. Go grab your gear and get Kuruk, I¡¯ll take care of them. Just be ready to leave when I give the word.

    Montgomery Brown: Uh¡­ How do we get outside the walls? They¡¯re twenty feet high.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Easy, you use the secret back entrance.

    Montgomery Brown: Since when do we have a back entrance?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Since the wall went up. The entrance is inside the quarry. I had Owen make it. Just ask him, he can tell you where it is.

    Montgomery Brown: Why didn¡¯t you tell me about it?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Because it¡¯s supposed to be a secret. If I told everyone, it wouldn¡¯t be, now would it?

    Montgomery Brown: That hurts.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: You¡¯ll get over it. I didn¡¯t tell Rajesh, either. Just be ready. I¡¯m heading outside now.

    He informed his mother of the plan and then slipped outside. Blake travelled along the gravel road to the front gate, and then climbed the stairs to the battlement. He retrieved his bow, pulled an arrow from his quiver, and scanned the skies.

    Blake spotted at least five drones above the town. They hovered a hundred feet in the air, and were spread equidistant to give them full video footage.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Are you guys ready?

    Jeffrey Miller: Yes.

    Montgomery Brown: This is so badass! This tunnel is like fifty feet long. The trap door is pretty sweet, too.

    Blake ignored his friend¡¯s remark. Instead, he fed chi into his ammo, pulled back the string, and aimed at the closest drone. Initially, the drones patrolled at greater height and remained mobile to present a more difficult target. However, after two hours passed and no drones were fired upon, they descended and remained stationary.

    Doubt you expect to get taken down by a bow.

    Blake released his arrow and watched in satisfaction as it tore through the lightweight aircraft. Unfortunately, there was no explosion as the projectile pierced through too quickly. However, the drone was brought down all the same. Its rotors faltered, and it listed to the side, while the other drones immediately rose higher.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Now.

    Blake retrieved another arrow from his quiver and fired again. This time, with the drone¡¯s constant movement, he missed. Regardless, he raced along the battlement and continued to fire at the moving objects until his quiver emptied.

    When he was out of ammo, he contacted his friends.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Did you guys get out? Are any drones after you?

    Montgomery Brown: Of course we got out! I told you this would work! They never had a chance.

    Blake let out a sigh of relief.

    Now that his friends were free, he just needed to stall the police until they completed a level one scenario. With any luck, they would be finished in a few hours, and progress on the shield generator could resume.

 Interlude - The Assault

    ¡°Now!¡± Captain Jeremy Jackson ordered his team using holo-chat.

    Initially, the transition to using the interface was difficult. They were accustomed to audio only communications and by default, holo-chat blocked one''s field of view with video.

    However, Renner eventually discovered that they could customize every aspect of the interface and its tools. They were able to shrink, move, and change the opacity of the video feed, until it was even more useful than their old electronic communication.

    The third person angle which holo-chat provided proved even more useful. It allowed them visual confirmation of their teammate''s real-time positions, and allowed them to coordinate attacks with greater precision. When this technology, years of combat experience, and a crash course in HEMA, or Historical European Martial Arts, was combined, it was met with instant success.

    The HEMA training lasted two weeks. During that time, Scott Peters, his CIA superior, became increasingly impatient. He repeatedly insisted they cut the training short and begin their assaults immediately. Initially, Jeremy was concerned the CIA man would go back on his word.

    Mister Peters had promised him two weeks of training if he agreed to lead the team, and Jeremy wanted to take advantage of the entirety of it. However, despite the nagging protests, Scott begrudgingly allowed him the full agreed upon amount of time.

    After its completion, a week ago, they had assaulted the Ursa on their alien planet with their team of five, and soundly defeated them. Since that point, they completed every scenario with ease. On the third day, at Scott¡¯s urging, they had even begun to assault the Ursa twice each day.

    Now, they escalated efforts again, and for the first time, Jeremy¡¯s team increased the difficulty of the scenario.

    We¡¯ve got this.

    Renner silently stepped out from behind a tree, drew back his bow, and released an arrow at the unsuspecting Ursa below him. As they suspected, the projectile slammed into the thick hide of the level one beast, but did not penetrate.

    It did, however, piss the monster off.

    The gargantuan bear-like creature rose up on its hind legs and  roared. When it spotted Renner, who swiftly released a second arrow, it slammed its front feet into the ground, and charged towards the archer.

    Yes!

    Jeremy felt a surge of hope as Renner¡¯s second projectile closed on the Ursa¡¯s eye. However, before it could connect, the beast¡¯s hide shimmered and its speed slowed.

    The arrow hit the wide open eye, and bounced off.

    What the hell was that?!

    ¡°Renner, get out of there,¡± he ordered.

    At the order, the soldier turned and fled along their pre-planned route. As he ran, he was careful to weave between the wide tree trunks. This prevented the Ursa from reaching its top speed and overtaking him, as it was forced to slow to turn.

    Renner continued to lead him on a chase until the third tree, which hid their ambush. A pit had been dug, and a line of spears, collected as rewards in previous scenarios, were buried deep within the ground at an angle.

    The archer circled the tree, and used a low-hanging branch as a fulcrum. He swung across the ten-foot pit, landed on the opposite side, retrieved his own spear from the ground, and turned to face his pursuit.

    Come on, you stupid bear, ignore it.

    The Ursa complied and leapt over the obvious trap to reach its prey.

    ¡°Push!¡± Jeremy ordered.

    High in the tree above, Esteves, Jacobs and Lee heaved. A heavy log, which they had raised into the tree before the battle, fell from its perch. It landed atop the Ursa as it spanned the open pit, and physics took over.

    It slammed into the large creature and forced it down into the pit, onto a row of spears. However, its hide still shimmered with light, and the spears failed to penetrate, despite the momentum behind it.

    ¡°Contain it!¡± Jeremy ordered and then rushed into battle himself from his station behind a nearby tree. He sprinted forward with his long pole arm. Meanwhile, Renner thrust his spear at the trapped beast, but the attack failed to damage it.

    A moment later, Jeremy joined him. He swung the pole high, and tried to bury its axe head into the top of the Ursa¡¯s head, but it rebounded. After Jeremy¡¯s attack failed to affect the beast, the strange shimmering in its hide suddenly disappeared.

    Esteves, Jacobs, and Lee leaped from their perches with their axes blades raised, and hammered it down into the Ursa¡¯s exposed back. Unlike the previous attacks, this assault was successful. Their weapon¡¯s sharp edges bit deep into the beast¡¯s back, and released a torrent of blood. Jeremy and Renner added their own strikes, and with all five of their team combined, systematically dismantled the beast.

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Lee blurted. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of nano!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what she said,¡± Jacobs quipped.

    Jeremy could only agree. Normally, each of them received between one hundred and eighty or one hundred and ninety thousand nano for each Ursa kill. This time, however, he was granted nine hundred and forty thousand

    ¡°Looks to be about five times more,¡± Jeremy noted.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got enough for an upgrade,¡± Esteves added.

    Captain Jackson nodded. He himself had just over ten million and was eager to see what it was like to upgrade an attribute. However, he had promised to wait until they returned. The scientists wanted to observe the process under closer supervision.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Does anyone else think this was just a bit too easy?¡± Jacobs asked, finally serious.

    ¡°No,¡± Renner replied. ¡°I don¡¯t. How about you be the bait next time and see how easy it is.¡±

    Jacobs sneered. ¡°Oh please! All you did was run and jump over a pit. My five-year-old can do that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I bet your five-year-old can shoot better than you, too,¡± Lee chided. ¡°There¡¯s a reason Renner¡¯s the one that got chosen, we only have so many arrows.¡±

    ¡°Those arrows didn¡¯t seem to do much good, now did they?¡± Jacobs responded.

    ¡°Okay, game faces back on,¡± Jeremy interrupted their banter. Humor was good for morale, but they were in a war zone and needed to remain alert. ¡°Lee, Esteves, you search right, Jacobs, Renner, left. I¡¯ll take center.¡±

    The five-man team fanned out in search of their next target.

    <hr>

    Jeremy ejected from the void, and a moment later, he was joined by three others. When they suddenly appeared within the fire tower, the quarantine department on guard alerted his superior of their presence. The man frowned when he counted only four and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Renner?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t make it,¡± Jeremy growled, still angry.

    Their second takedown was a disaster. For a few seconds, the Ursa had moved at lightning speeds. It had quickly overtaken Renner and crushed the man¡¯s shoulder with its jaws. The jerkin he wore provided little protection, and the beast worried him back and forth like a rag doll.

    By the time they closed to assist, Renner was already dead.

    After that, Jeremy had made the executive decision for them to all upgrade their Physical Power, Scott¡¯s wishes be damned. He was glad he did. The extra strength and speed they gained from the increased Physical Power was pivotal in completing the scenario.

    The guard winced. After he shook his head, he added, ¡°Mister Peters wants to meet you all asap in the command tent. He said there¡¯s been a new development.¡±

    Jeremy solemnly nodded and then navigated down the metal stairs, through the chain link fence, and to the newly erected command tent outside the tower. His now shortened team followed behind him, morosely.

    Within the sparse tent was their leader, Scott Peters. The CIA man was poised behind a desk, his arms behind him. Based upon his frequent nods and responses of ¡®Yes, maam¡¯, he was in communication with his own superior.

    Finally, Mister Peters promised, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s done.¡± After that, he took off his headset, turned to face Jeremy and his team, and then frowned. ¡°Where¡¯s Renner?¡±

    ¡°Dead,¡± Jeremy bitterly replied.

    Scott swore.

    Is that actual sorrow for the loss of a good man?

    ¡°This is horrible timing,¡± The CIA man complained, and then immediately shifted. ¡°We¡¯ve got a new situation on our hands. I suppose you¡¯ll have to make due with just the four of you.¡±

    Of course, he doesn¡¯t give a shit. Renner¡¯s death is just an inconvenience.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got orders from the Pentagon,¡± Mister Peter¡¯s stated. ¡°There¡¯s a hostage situation just a few miles from here. You and your team are to disguise yourself as FBI hostage rescue, and capture the criminal Blake Summers.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit!¡± Jacobs complained. ¡°We ain¡¯t HRT! Let the FBI handle their own shit!¡±

    Scott scowled, but did not remark about the breach of discipline. ¡°The target is enhanced with nano-machines. He is the same kid who killed the local law enforcement a few weeks ago, and has been on the run ever since.¡±

    Renner was right. That psycho really was infected.

    ¡°Now, normally, I would agree with you. We would let the FBI do their jobs and discreetly appropriate the criminal later. However, like most of the government, the FBI remains unaware of the alien threat and its technology, and the Pentagon wants them to remain that way. They are unequipped to handle the situation.¡±

    ¡°Sir, if he¡¯s such a threat, why wasn¡¯t he apprehended weeks ago?¡± Jeremy asked.

    ¡°At the time, it was believed that the local law enforcement were exaggerating the kid¡¯s prowess. It seemed incredibly unlikely that a high schooler had the skills to survive on an alien world alone, and after we took away their crime scene, the sheriff refused to cooperate with us. A search was deemed a waste of resources, and he was forgotten.¡±

    ¡°What changed the brass¡¯ minds?¡± Jeremy asked.

    ¡°Priorities were shifted when Blake Summers displayed super-human capabilities on video.¡±

    Super human?

    ¡°What kind of capabilities, sir?¡± Jeremy asked.

    He motioned to the computer. ¡°Just watch the video, and you can see for yourself.¡±

    Mister Peters clicked his mouse a few times and then turned his laptop around so they could see. Video footage from a drone filled the screen. In the distance, he saw a helicopter hover over a field within some type of medieval town. The rear doors of the helicopter opened, and ropes descended.

    That looks like SWAT.

    Suddenly, he saw a skinny kid in armor leap impossibly high into the air. Just when he thought the young man would fall back to the Earth, he disappeared, and reappeared instantly on the nose of the helicopter.

    ¡°What the¡­¡± Lee muttered.

    How the hell did he do that?

    Suddenly, the helicopter jerked away, and a SWAT member fell from the back door. However, before Jeremy could even feel sorry for his death, the kid threw himself off the helicopter and dove for the doomed man.

    What is he doing?

    The kid quickly gained on the SWAT member, and just before they hit the ground, wrapped the cop in a hug. Yet, somehow, they did not impact. Instead, they appeared a few feet away, in a completely different orientation.

    ¡°Mother of God¡­¡± Esteves swore.

    Next, he released the cop, took his rifle, and tossed it at least a hundred feet like it weighed nothing. While the kid was distracted, SWAT began to descend from the helicopters. However, by the time they made it to the ground, the high schooler returned to the helicopter. Jeremy watched in slack jawed amazement as the kid tore through the highly trained SWAT members like they were children, and then captured them.

    Just who the hell is this kid? He moves so fast!

    Shortly after, the video ended and Scott asked, ¡°Thoughts?¡±

    ¡°I thought you said FBI wasn¡¯t aware,¡± Jacobs accused and pointed at the laptop. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re aware.¡±

    The CIA man shook his head. ¡°They are confused and concerned, that is all.¡±

    Jacobs snorted. ¡°Confused? They have video proof of what happened right there!¡±

    ¡°You would be amazed at what people ignore when they believe something¡¯s not possible,¡± Scott said dryly. ¡°It could be they believe there was a recording error. Or, it¡¯s possible they believe it is a one in a million fluke. Who knows what¡¯s going through their heads. But, one thing that won¡¯t be going through it is alien invasion, am I clear?¡±

    Jeremy and his team nodded. ¡°Yes sir.¡±

    ¡°Good. Now, ideally we would like Blake Summers apprehended alive, but as you can see, that might prove difficult.¡±

    You¡¯re telling me.

    ¡°So, the Pentagon has approved the use of lethal force if necessary. Your mission is to breach the wall and retrieve Blake Summer¡¯s body for study.¡± Scott Peters leaned forward on his hands. ¡°Alive is best, but dead is acceptable. Are there any more questions?¡±

 Chapter 93 - FBI

    Blake peered down from the castle merlons on the assembled forces below. The few law enforcement vehicles, which spotted the road at the beginning, had multiplied until their front gate resembled a parking lot. The FBI had descended on the small town of Pinetop, and had made it their own.

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Montgomery celebrated another victory over holo-chat. ¡°That¡¯s how it¡¯s done!¡±

    Blake watched the half-opacity feed in amusement and nostalgia as his friends bumped fists after their hard won fight over top a pile of green corpses. The trip there had not been easy.

    It had taken the trio over an hour to reach the goblin scenario. Donna contacted the faction as a whole, and found a willing member who had not stayed within the bunkhouse. Debra was visiting her mother on the Reservation and had a personal issue with the gathered law enforcement. She happily ferried them to the scenario.

    However, securing the ride was just the first step. His friends and Kuruk needed to reach the main road before it was safe to pick them up. Any closer and they risked the attention of law enforcement. Montgomery proved more than capable of the task with his Fade.

    Once they entered the level one goblin scenario, the real challenge began. To Blake¡¯s relief, the AI¡¯s assigned objective was simple elimination, but that made it straightforward, not necessarily easy. The goblins had been split into groups of five or six. So far, Montgomery and Jeff had taken each group by surprise, but that could only last so long.

    Montgomery was his usual self.

    Eventually, a neighboring group would be alerted, or a goblin would escape to gather reinforcements. However, in the meantime, Blake watched his friend''s victories while he kept an eye on the gathering crowd.

    Outside the law enforcement¡¯s perimeter, reporters arrived in their vans, eager to display live video to their viewers. The sheriff¡¯s propaganda had spread, and now, the entire country likely believed him to be a crazy criminal. His antics with the helicopter, however, were not broadcast.

    When Blake last talked to Agent Harris, he had been assured that Jennifer Taylor had been contacted. However, they continued to make no promises about an interview, or the time it would take for her to arrive. After hearing that, Blake immediately ended the conversation, and promised to return, only when she did.

    If they believed that he was solely focused on a tell-all interview, they would not do anything drastic until it was clear to both sides that nothing would come of it. He still felt it was unlikely that an interview would happen, but it was a stalling tactic he was more than happy to use.

    Who¡¯s that?

    Blake turned his head to observe another new arrival, when something suddenly slammed into his cheek bone. The impact caught him off guard, and he was rocked backward.

    What the hell was that?

    His hand immediately went to his face and rubbed the whole, but bruised skin. Then, he heard the distant crack of gunfire, as the sound from the initial shot finally reached him.

    Sniper!

    Blake jumped from the raised merlon to the battlement below and peered out the crenelation in search of the sniper. The shot had come from a distance, so he scanned the treeline.

    Seriously? What is Agent Harris thinking?! Isn¡¯t he worried about the hostages? I thought he was smarter than this.

    As he continued to search, a bright flash lit up a distant hill. Almost two seconds later, a large bullet slammed into the stone beside him and rebounded.

    Okay, enough of this.

    Blake would not stand still to be fired upon. While the large caliber bullet only slightly bruised him, he was not sure what would have happened if he had not turned his head. Blake was not eager to see if his eyeballs were just as bulletproof as the rest of him.

    He hurdled the merlons and fell twenty-six feet to the ground below. Once he landed, to the sound of gasps and alarm, he activated Alacrity and ran towards the line of cars before him.

    Before they could raise their firearms, he reached the barricade of vehicles and used a Charged Guided Spatial Step to teleport behind them. Once clear, he angled through the empty field opposite, and into the trees which lined it. At over a hundred miles an hour, he hopped fences, tore through yards, and crossed county roads in an effort to reach the distant sniper nest.

    Halfway to his destination, his Alacrity faded, yet he continued his high speed. Twenty seconds later, he scaled the four-hundred-foot hill almost a mile away from his faction town, and activated Oblate Mind Sense. He would have done so before he climbed the terrain, but his evolution of the ability would have worked against him. Blake had flattened the spell. Had he used it before, anyone atop the hill would remain hidden.

    Oh, so it¡¯s an ambush.

    His scan revealed not just the sniper in his nest, but three others hidden nearby as well. Blake decided to ignore the bait for now and eliminate the ambushers first.

    ¡°Shit! They saw us!¡± Montgomery shouted in his ear. ¡°Run Jeff, RUN!¡±

    Blake desperately wanted to check on his friends, but he could do nothing for them. Instead, he muted the audio and minimized the transparent video so it would not distract him.

    While he was momentarily distracted, his attackers did not remain idle. Two men on his left, and one on his right, exited their cover. All three had large, heavy machine guns, which they seemed to handle with ease. They were all clothed in camouflage uniforms with long Kevlar vests labeled FBI. They wore helmets and goggles which hid half their faces, but he could easily see they were a mix of races.

    ¡°Now,¡± the black man on his right barked.

    Suddenly, the ground beneath him exploded, and he was thrown off his feet. While he was not harmed, he was surprised, and remained that way when they opened fire with their high power weaponry. He was momentarily riddled with bullets, before he came to his senses and teleported to his right.

    Now that¡¯s impressive.

    The professional team was not surprised by his sudden relocation. Instead, they immediately halted fire, the leader called out his new position, and they shifted their heavy weapons.

    However, Blake did not allow them to resume fire and released a Directed Mind Blast. All three were immediately hit by the cone. They moaned in agony, sank to their knees, and as the closest to the blast, the black leader even passed out.

    Easy.

    Just as he celebrated his quick victory, a loud explosion jolted him, and he was rocked to the side. Twice more he was hit before he located the source, a camouflaged sniper hidden in the saddle of a tree. The operative wore a ghillie suit and held a massive rifle with a large attached scope. He continued to fire round after round, while Blake rushed forward, until his magazine was empty.

    While the sniper reloaded, Blake quickly cast a Hastened Gale at the man, and felt satisfaction when he was thrown from the tree. The sniper landed hard on his back, yet reached for his sidearm without delay. However, before he could draw, Blake stepped on his hand, bent over, and growled a warning, ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    The sniper froze.

    Once the threat was clear, he lifted his foot and extracted the pistol from its holster. He slipped it in his pocket, pointed to the frozen soldier, ordered, ¡°Stay,¡± and left to investigate the others.

    The leader remained unconscious, so he ignored him. While the two others were still awake, they were in no condition to fight. They cradled their heads and muttered about their inability to see.

    You¡¯ll be fine, you big babies.

    While they were incapacitated, Blake collected their weapons and piled them together. Seeing that they were still in no condition to speak, he retraced his steps to the sniper.

    ¡°You got a name?¡± he asked as he crouched nearby.

    The sniper remained silent but began to move.

    Seriously?

    ¡°I¡¯d worry about my back with a fall like that. Dude, you just shot me with a big ass gun, tried to blow me up, and then followed up with machine gun fire. The least you can do is give me your name.¡±

    For a moment, he thought the sniper would remain silent. However, the man eventually mumbled, ¡°Esteves.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Esteves. I don¡¯t know why Agent Harris thought this little exercise was a good idea, but it obviously backfired.¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re freakin¡¯ bulletproof,¡± the man muttered.

    Blake snorted. ¡°Wow. I can¡¯t believe you actually noticed. I thought everyone was still pretending magic doesn¡¯t exist.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Esteves growled.

    ¡°The same thing I¡¯ve always wanted,¡± Blake threw up his hands. ¡°To be left alone!¡± Blake began to pace back and forth. ¡°But, nooooo! You can¡¯t do that. For some reason, you and everyone else feel the need to kill some innocent kid.¡±

    ¡°Innocent?!¡± Esteves snorted, and then winced. ¡°I hear you killed a bunch of local cops so you could keep running drugs. Don¡¯t sound innocent to me.¡±

    ¡°Lies,¡± Blake rounded on the prone man. ¡°All made up by a corrupt sheriff who got mad because his bully of a nephew got beat up in school. Did you know he shut my parent¡¯s restaurant down and got a warrant to track my cell phone because of a little high school fight and truancy?¡±

    ¡°You know, you could always turn yourself in and tell your side,¡± Esteves suggested.

    ¡°Or, you guys could just get me the interview I asked for. You are seriously asking me to turn myself into a group of killers who shot first and asked questions later?¡± Blake asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Well, when you put it like that¡­¡± Esteves trailed off. ¡°What happens now? You gonna finish us off?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Blake snorted. ¡°If I wanted you guys dead, you would be.¡±

    ¡°The Captain ain¡¯t dead?¡± Esteves asked, hopeful.

    Blake glanced over his shoulder at the unconscious black man. ¡°No, he¡¯s fine. But, he¡¯ll wake up in half an hour with a splitting headache.¡±

    At the news, Esteves sagged in relief.

    ¡°But, I can¡¯t let this go unpunished, or it will keep happening.¡±

    The sniper stiffened.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to take all of you hostage, but we¡¯re almost a mile away from town. The others aren¡¯t in any condition to walk, and I don¡¯t want to carry everyone. I¡¯d have to make multiple trips. So, here¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do. I¡¯m going to take everyone¡¯s guns and since your back doesn¡¯t seem to be broken, I¡¯m going to escort you back to the walls. Then, you¡¯re going to join the SWAT team as my prisoner.¡±

    ¡°What do you need guns for? You seem to do just fine without them.¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t for me,¡± Blake said evasively as he collected their weapons. He slipped the slings of all three machine guns over his shoulder, cradled the large sniper rifle, and then strode up to Esteves. ¡°Now, get up and march.¡±

    The ghillie equipped sniper warily stood and began to trod down the hill. Unlike Blake¡¯s Alacrity fueled sprint to the ambush location, the return trip took over fifteen minutes. By the time they reached the standoff, Blake had retrieved the pistol from his pocket and pointed it at his prisoner¡¯s back.

    A line of FBI agents and local police aimed their firearms at Blake as he approached the wall, but held their fire. When they were just fifteen feet away, Blake said, ¡°That¡¯s far enough. This is going to be a bit awkward, but I¡¯m going to have to carry you.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Esteves drew out, uncertain.

    ¡°Just stand there,¡± Blake ordered, and then wrapped his arms around the sniper from behind.

    ¡°Ow! The Barret¡¯s digging into my side,¡± Esteves complained.

    ¡°Get over it,¡± Blake rolled his eyes and placed a hand at the base of Esteves¡¯ skull. ¡°You FBI guys are big babies.¡±

    Then, without warning, he leapt. When he reached his apex, he teleported them atop the merlons and turned to address the assembled crowd.

    ¡°The FBI sent these men to assassinate me!¡± he yelled. ¡°As you can see, they failed! I let the others live, but Mister Esteves here is now my prisoner. Next time, I won¡¯t be so magnanimous. The next person who attacks, dies.¡±

    He then turned and stepped off the battlement. Before they hit, he used his second accumulated charge of Spatial Step and appeared on the ground, sans velocity. Blake released the shaken Esteves and ordered, ¡°Okay, come with me. You get to join the others in a cell.¡±

    While the marched to the faction hall, Blake unmuted his holo-chat and checked up on his friends. To his relief, they were not only still alive, but had completed the scenario. Now, they waited and celebrated as Kuruk searched for the required alloy.

    Now we just need to stall for another day and a half.

    Blake escorted his new prisoner through the lobby and down the stairs to the jail below. He opened the only available cell door and forced the FBI man inside with the others.

    ¡°Agent Harris wants to talk to you,¡± the SWAT leader stated.

    ¡°And, I want to talk to him,¡± Blake agreed and collected the man¡¯s headset. Before the negotiator could say anything, Blake turned to face the leader¡¯s body cam and demanded an answer, ¡°What the hell was that?¡±

    ¡°Blake, I assure you, the FBI did not order anyone to attack.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Blake said sarcastically and pointed to the three letters plastered across the man¡¯s body armor. ¡°Because it looks to me like this says he¡¯s FBI.¡±

    ¡°I am as confused as you are, Blake¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. I¡¯m not confused, I¡¯m angry.¡±

    ¡°Please, Blake, don¡¯t do anything drastic¡±

    ¡°And why shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Blake asked. ¡°I¡¯ve only asked for two simple things, to be left alone, and an interview. You haven¡¯t delivered either of those things.¡±

    ¡°Blake, I swear, this wasn¡¯t us,¡± Agent Harris assured him.

    ¡°Stop saying my name over and over,¡± Blake said, ¡°It¡¯s weird.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to be friendly.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re trying to use psychology or whatever training you go through to calm me down,¡± Blake corrected. ¡°You know what will calm me down? Giving me that interview.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve already contacted Miss Taylor, and she has expressed interest in an interview.¡±

    ¡°Uh huh,¡± Blake rolled his eyes.

    ¡°We are now coordinating with Miss Taylor to get her to you as quickly as possible.¡±

    ¡°Good, then we¡¯ll talk again when she gets here.¡± Before Agent Harris could protest, Blake took off the headset and tossed it back to the SWAT team leader. He then left the cell and slammed the door behind him.

    He was about to contact his mother to inform her of the new development, when he received a notification. According to the interface, Jordan was trying to contact him through holo-chat. Curious, he accepted the call.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Blake asked as he climbed the stairs.

    ¡°You¡¯ll never believe it!¡± Jordan drawled in his southern accent.

    ¡°What happened now?¡± Blake complained.

    ¡°We got that alloy we needed, and the Architect threw in something extra for us!¡±

    ¡°Of course it did,¡± Blake muttered and ran a hand through his hair. ¡°What does it want now? The blood of a virgin?¡±

    Jordan laughed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t want anything. After we met the new requirements, it said we successfully completed a ¡®Complication¡¯, and it finished construction immediately as a reward.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Blake stammered, confused, as he entered the lobby.

    ¡°The shield generator¡¯s completed!¡± Jordan informed him. ¡°You can turn it on any time!¡±

    Blake eyebrows rose, and he immediately sprinted up the two flights of stairs. He ran down the hallway and burst through the open door of his mother¡¯s office. Donna jerked in surprise from behind her laptop as he rushed inside.

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he assured her as he slapped his hand on the town interface orb and navigated the menus. A moment later, he barked out a laugh.

    Your town¡¯s shield is available. Would you like to activate it for a cost of four hundred thousand nano per hour?

    ¡°Yes!¡±

 Interlude - The Interview

    Jennifer Taylor stood in the crowded field, and stared at the new world wonder in awe. A semi-transparent iridescent dome covered the walled city like a hat. It began at the top of the twenty-foot stone walls and rose hundreds of feet into the air.

    The internet had named it ¡®The Dome.¡¯ A rather bland name, now that she stood before it.

    It¡¯s so beautiful.

    The shimmering dome had been active for almost twenty-four hours, and had taken the world by storm. Everyone wanted to know what it was and what it could do. Streamers broadcast well into the night, boasting their conspiracies of its origin. The theories ran the gamut from aliens to something from inner space. So far, the FBI had blocked access to the phenomenon, but that would only last so long.

    She regained her composure and glanced at her cameraman, who openly gawked at the sight.

    Jennifer chastised herself for inadvertently missing on being at ground zero when it appeared. The FBI had notified her before the dome appeared that the criminal inside wanted to be interviewed by her. He had named her specifically in his list of demands. The agent assured her, however, that an interview would not happen. They just wanted her to be aware so she could hire security if necessary.

    So NICE of them to offer their assistance.

    At the time, Jennifer had no interest in interviewing some crazy criminal. The teenager and his family had kidnapped a group of police, and held them as hostages.

    There was no story there, just more random violence in the world. It did not fit her brand. Nothing she could post to increase her growing fame. She had dismissed the information from her mind, as she had the death threats she received once she gained popularity. It was just the cost of doing business.

    But this, this is different.

    The local media had caught the moment the dome coalesced on film. The footage was surprisingly clear, even though it was recorded from a great distance. Immediately, people began to speculate about the origin of the new technology. She had immediately attempted to contact the FBI, and received silence in response.

    Within hours of the dome rising, the already packed street became a circus. Twice now, the FBI and police had to move the cordoned off area further away. A horde of influencers, reporters, and interested parties had descended on the small town, and every hotel was booked. She was forced to promise favors to obtain a room for the night.

    The airspace was a no-fly zone, and they now shot drones on sight.

    Jennifer was no different from the others, and that was a problem. She was stuck behind the police tape like everyone else, with no special access despite the original contact.

    Hopefully I can change that.

    ¡°We go live in thirty,¡± Bobby, her cameraman, reminded her.

    At the warning, she retrieved her compact mirror out of her purse and inspected her face. With a quick motion, she checked her straight, shoulder-length, light brown hair for flyaways. The natural light forced her to try a new foundation, she preferred the LED lighting of her studio. She inspected her brow line, careful not to wrinkle the flawless skin.

    Jennifer added a translucent powder to stop any shine from her high cheekbones and short nose, which curved upward at the end. She was told it made her look ¡®cute¡¯ rather than ¡®hot¡¯, but she had no desire to change it. Most women took special care with their appearance. Jennifer had never really cared overmuch, and had only done the bare minimum to be accepted by other women.

    However, that changed when she began her career as a social media influencer. She was forced to ensure every hair was in place, her makeup was perfectly blended, and her mascara had not run. The internet was forever, and if she were not careful, a lapse in appearance could become the news.

    And lighting was everything.

    Bobby began to count down, first verbally and then with his left hand, and she quickly put the mirror away. They had already tested the microphones and other equipment necessary for live-streaming remotely, and were ready to begin.

    Okay, get your game face on.

    Jennifer plastered a fake smile on her face, tilted her head to the left, her best side, and threw back her shoulders.

    Jaw relaxed, don¡¯t squint, not too much teeth, tongue to roof of the mouth.

    When the countdown reached zero, she was live on Selftube, Tweeter, and the other major social media websites. She held the smile for a breath and then flowed directly into her intro.

    ¡°This is Jennifer Taylor from the Taylor Report. I¡¯m here, live, at ¡®The Dome¡¯ in the small town of Pinetop, Arizona. As you can see,¡± the camera shifted focus to take in the crowd of reporters, protestors, cult members, and tailgaters. ¡°I am joined by thousands of others. It may be hard to see behind me, as we aren¡¯t allowed any closer, but the dome rises hundreds of feet and is NOT an illusion. It was proven real when an enthusiast¡¯s personal drone flew into it at full speed. The drone was destroyed, its remains collected, and the operator arrested.¡±

    Jennifer took an even breath. ¡°The people inside remain a mystery. The only thing we learned from a background search was that the suspect¡¯s parents owned a nearby restaurant and moved here from Phoenix a few years ago. Rumors suggest that there are others inside not related to the suspect or his family, but they have not yet been substantiated.¡±

    Okay, now tease the crazy stuff people eat up.

    ¡°There are also rumors that Blake Summers has shown ¡®special abilities¡¯, which science can not explain.¡± Jennifer emphasized the phrase with a sardonic voice to show just what she thought of that rumor.

    ¡°We do not yet know what he wants, or why he and his family are holding police hostages. However, I do have something unique to add to the conversation. Blake Summers wants an in-person interview with your favorite journalist, me. It was in his list of demands, and the FBI notified me of that fact BEFORE the dome went up. I am telling you now, I would love to do that interview. Unfortunately, the FBI will not allow me to approach the dome, and have not given me any special access.¡±

    Suddenly, the surrounding crowd hushed and turned toward the dome.

    Is something going on? I need to get it on camera!

    Taking the queue, she changed focus and asked her cameraman. ¡°Can you zoom in on the dome? I think something may be happening.¡±

    Only when the camera panned from her face did she herself turn to look. Atop the stone wall, hidden behind the semi-transparent dome, was a young man wearing armor. He stood atop the merlon and scanned the gathered horde until he found what he was looking for.

    Suddenly, he stepped off the fortification.

    Jennifer, along with the crowd, gasped as he fell over twenty-five feet to the ground below. She expected him to break his legs and cry out, but instead, he easily absorbed the impact with his knees, and took off at a sprint towards the crowd.

    How did he do that? That¡¯s a neat trick! Oh, he¡¯s coming this way.

    ¡°Did you get that, Bobby?¡± she whispered to her cameraman.

    ¡°Yep,¡± he replied with a huge grin.

    She motioned for him to bring her into the view.

    She turned to the camera and addressed her viewers. ¡°We just witnessed something unbelievable. A person, whom I can only assume is Blake Summers, just stepped off the top of the wall and dropped over twenty feet with no visible consequences. Now, he seems to be headed this way. Will he address the crowd? Will he take more hostages?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m good, I have plenty,¡± a young male¡¯s voice next to her interrupted her livestream and she visibly startled. ¡°I was actually going to release them soon.¡±

    What the hell?!

    She whipped around with wide eyes, and for the first time laid eyes on the suspected murderer. Her first impression was not kind.

    He could be cute if he actually groomed himself. What is with that hair? Is he going for homeless chic? Shampoo and conditioner exist, you know. And, don¡¯t try to grow a beard if all you can manage is peach fuzz!

    The teenager looked thin and younger than his reported years. He sported a mop of long, brown hair, light skin, and an unflattering cocky grin. He had a bruise on his cheek, which confused her.

    I thought your whole shtick was being bullet-proof. You may want to use some concealer on that.

    For some reason, something about that grin made her want to punch him in the face.

    This is the guy? He looks like an annoying teenager!

    Regardless, she was a professional. She recovered from her surprise almost immediately and replied evenly, ¡°Blake Summers, I presume?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± he agreed, almost chipper.

    He doesn¡¯t seem worried about the FBI or police at all! Hell! Where are they?

    She noticed his eyes flick to the side momentarily, and she glanced over her shoulder. Men wearing FBI blazers were rushing their way.

    So he does at least care about them.

    ¡°Would you like to interview me? Find out what¡¯s really going on? This your camera guy?¡± he asked, attention divided by the approaching law enforcement officers.

    ¡°Yes and I would love to,¡± she began. ¡°What I would like to¡­¡±

    Suddenly, he bent low and threw her over his shoulder. He then repeated the same action with Bobby. ¡°Sorry,¡± she heard. ¡°But, they won¡¯t let it happen out here. You¡¯ll have to come inside the shield so we can talk in peace.¡±

    What is he doing?!

    Suddenly, the world blurred, and bile rose in her throat. She had been on rollercoasters many times in her life, but this was far worse. She desperately clung onto his armor for dear life.

    This was a mistake!

    She saw the ground rush past and then suddenly blur as he jumped into the air. Then, as if by magic, her ride stood upon solid stone. He jumped down a few feet, and then gently laid his passengers down onto the cold, hard surface.

    Don¡¯t throw up! Don¡¯t throw up! If you throw up on camera, they¡¯ll never unsee it.

    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± he blushed in embarrassment, but the gate takes too long to open, and I don¡¯t want others inside. Not yet.¡±

    What just happened?

    Bobby bent over and gagged but held the small camera steady.

    When Jennifer¡¯s nausea passed, she stood to look around. When she peered through the crenelation, she gasped in surprise. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    I¡¯m inside the dome! I didn¡¯t feel it at all!

    ¡°How?¡± she stammered. ¡°How did you do that?¡±

    What kind of tech does this kid have? How did he get a hold of it?

    She suddenly realized Bobby had never stopped the stream. To her horror, she had forgotten the fact and showed her true reaction.

    I hope I didn¡¯t look too bad.

    Jennifer whirled on her cameraman and asked as she composed her face, ¡°Are we still live?¡±

    He gave her a thumbs up.

    ¡°Oh, good,¡± Blake said cheerfully. ¡°I was afraid radio waves wouldn¡¯t work within the shield.¡±

    Okay, get back to the interview. The kid may be weird, but people want to know what he has to say. Bring it around, back to me.

    ¡°The first thing I¡¯d like to ask is why me? Out of all the people out there, why did you choose me to interview you?¡±

    The teenager seemed to blush. ¡°You seem pretty popular right now, and my brother has a crush on you.¡±

    ¡°Awww,¡± she cooed and winked at the camera. ¡°That¡¯s so sweet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m actually surprised you agreed. I¡¯d think most people would be afraid to go through the shield.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t exactly give me much warning. Is that what you call ¡®The Dome¡¯, ¡®the shield¡¯?¡± she asked.

    Blake shrugged and affected an air of ease. ¡°As good a name as any.¡± He then gestured with his hand, and said, ¡°Come walk with me, I¡¯ll give you a tour.¡±

    Jennifer and Bobby obediently followed behind him as he descended the stone stairs of the battlement. She ensured she was in the camera¡¯s frame at all times, angled slightly to her good side. After two flights, they reached the ground and walked along a gravel path.

    Can¡¯t have dead air. Say something Jennifer.

    ¡°What are all these buildings?¡± she asked, eager to fill the sudden silence.

    ¡°The tall ones are bunk houses where people will live,¡± he answered. ¡°Some of the others are stuff like a blacksmith, cookhouse, tailor, and anything else we¡¯ll need to survive the apocalypse.¡±

    Oh, damn. He¡¯s one of those.

    ¡°Apocalypse? Are you a member of a doomsday prepper group?¡± she asked with a laugh and tossed a knowing look at the camera.

    Blake snorted and then smiled at Jennifer. ¡°I never thought of it like that, but I suppose I am.¡±

    He¡¯s really pushing the easy-going, good guy routine hard. Just what is he hiding?

    ¡°Is that what you¡¯re doing here? Preparing for the end times?¡± she asked as they walked past a small wooden structure.

    The teenager nodded sadly. ¡°You could say that.¡±

    Okay, lead the conversation back to The Dome. Everyone wants to know about that. Get the scoop.

    ¡°No offense, but a lot of these buildings look primitive, or at least normal. They¡¯re kind of at odds with something like The Dome,¡± she pointed out.

    ¡°It¡¯s all alien technology,¡± he explained.

    Hah! Good one. They¡¯ll love that! A magician never shares his secrets.

    ¡°Most of these buildings are still low level.¡± He then pointed in the distance at one of the eight-story monstrosities. ¡°If you see those bunkhouses, they¡¯re level three. They look much nicer, have an elevator, air conditioning, refrigerators, and plumbing.¡± Blake turned with a large grin on his face, inordinately pleased. ¡°The works.¡±

    They¡¯re freaking buildings! Who cares about that? You can find them anywhere.

    ¡°Right¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like ¡®alien technology¡¯.¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± he assured her. ¡°Just like the shield is. It¡¯s all built by nanomachines. They¡¯re what make it all possible. What makes me bulletproof, allows me to teleport, and do any other number of things.¡±

    Uh huh. We¡¯ll figure out how you really did it later, when we slow the tape down. Bulletproof. He actually said it. How can I use that?

    ¡°Eleven point eight and climbing,¡± Bobby suddenly whispered.

    Almost twelve million viewers?! This is my biggest stream yet!

    Jennifer did her best to hide her giddy excitement and asked another question, one of the crazier ones she had seen asked online. ¡°You say this is all possible through alien technology, and it makes you bulletproof? Where did you get this tech? Are you in contact with extraterrestrials?¡±

    She did not even remotely believe he was, but she had to ask. Her viewers would want to know, and the more sensational it sounded, the more the video would spread. If she had twelve million live viewers now, by tomorrow, the video on demand would easily have ten times that.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably not what you think,¡± Blake replied as he walked. ¡°There aren¡¯t spaceships or little green men. Well, besides the goblins,¡± he laughed, as if that statement were somehow funny. ¡°It¡¯s all nanomachines. Sent to Earth by some alien artificial intelligence known as the ¡®Architect¡¯.¡±

    What do I know about AI, besides that one movie with the robots?

    As he explained, they passed a construction site. A man in jeans, flannel, and a cowboy hat leaned over the frame of a primitive building and hammered a cross brace together. Jennifer thought nothing of it until an eight-foot-long board suddenly appeared in his hands out of nowhere.

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± she blurted and then froze.

    How did he do that? Was I meant to see this? Is that why he walked us past this man? Where¡¯s there mirror?

    Blake stopped with a frown. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±

    Jennifer blinked her eyes as she stared at the mundane act before her before she shook her head. ¡°Sorry, who is this? Did he help build all of this?¡± she gestured toward the growing city around her.

    ¡°This is Jordan, and yes, he and a few others built this town,¡± Blake replied.

    After the man finished hammering, he tipped his hat and said, ¡°Ma''am,¡± in a deep southern accent.

    What¡¯s with all this politeness?

    Suddenly, another board appeared in his hands.

    She stumbled back and pointed, glad that Bobby had taken her out of frame to focus on the worker. ¡°How did you do that?!¡± she demanded as she tried to discern the trick.

    ¡°He¡¯s a constructor,¡± Blake answered. ¡°He works with nanomachines to build and upgrade the town.¡±

    More of this crap? Really? What do you think I am, five?

    ¡°But¡­¡± she stammered, pretending to be confused. ¡°He¡¯s using a hammer and nails. How are those nanomachines?¡±

    There we go, that¡¯s the tact to take. No one likes it when you¡¯re combative.

    ¡°Well technically, a constructor isn¡¯t necessary, unless you want to customize a building. What he does, is save us a ton of nanomachines. Without him, it would cost us a fortune to build something, and it would happen slower. And, our budget¡¯s already tight because we had to rush the shield.¡±

    ¡°You keep mentioning nanomachines,¡± she frowned. ¡°But I don¡¯t see any.¡±

    ¡°Well, you can¡¯t see atoms or molecules either, but they exist,¡± Blake replied.

    Jennifer tried not to roll her eyes. ¡°Do I need to have faith that the nanomachines exist?¡±

    Watch out, not too snarky.

    Blake cocked his head to the side, obviously confused, oblivious to her sarcasm. ¡°Why would you need that? The interface keeps track of that for us. You¡¯ll see once you''re inducted.¡±

    Jennifer froze.

    Oh, shit. Maybe coming here was a mistake.

    ¡°Uh¡­ I signed up for an interview, not to join your¡­¡± She almost said cult, but finished it off with, ¡°group.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not going to induct you. At this point, it would be a waste of resources. In two weeks, the whole world will join ¡®the Collective¡¯, and it won¡¯t be necessary anyway.¡±

    What does he have planned?

    Jennifer frowned and asked slowly for effect, ¡°What happens in two weeks?¡±

    Blake turned and began to walk down the gravel pathway again. ¡°That¡¯s Invasion day, June 29th.¡± Jennifer chased after him. ¡°The day the alien AI disables all electricity on Earth, and everyone joins the Collective. Then, three days later, monsters will begin to appear everywhere.¡±

    That¡¯s way too much information to unpack. I need to focus this down.

    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± she yelled. ¡°Back up.¡±

    Blake stopped and turned.

    ¡°How is it possible to disable all electricity? Wouldn¡¯t that violate the laws of physics?¡±

    ¡°I assure you, on June 29th, no electricity will function, anywhere on Earth. Planes will fall from the sky, cars will crash, people will starve, and you¡¯ll never see another thunderstorm in your life.¡±

    How can he possibly say that with a straight face?

    ¡°So, Mister Bulletproof, you believe this doomsday will happen in two weeks?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it, I know it,¡± he corrected.

    ¡°How can you possibly know that?¡± Jennifer pressed.

    What do you have planned?

    ¡°Because, I¡¯m from the future.¡±

    Oh, Dear Lord. He¡¯s actually crazy. Next, he¡¯ll tell everyone he¡¯s ¡®the chosen one¡¯.

    ¡°Care to elaborate on that?¡± she laughed in an attempt to shed her sudden tension.

    ¡°From my point of view, I lived through Invasion day when I was eighteen, ten and a half years ago. I survived the Apocalypse and thrived. I and others grew stronger and more powerful, but the Architect didn¡¯t leave us alone. It threw tougher and tougher opponents against us until humanity was all but wiped out. Then, through some accident, I, or at least my memories, were sent back in time to my eighteen-year-old body.¡±

    Sure you were.

    Jennifer smirked. ¡°Got any stock tips for me?¡±

    He seemed momentarily confused. ¡°Sure, sell your stocks and buy lots of non-perishable food and probably some toilet paper. Find a defensible place, and join with friends and neighbors. Don¡¯t leave home on the 29th.¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to start a panic?¡± Jennifer asked. ¡°Claiming the end of the world is here?¡±

    What do you get out of this?

    Blake shook his head and turned to walk once again. ¡°Better a panic than mass death.¡±

    ¡°Okay, say all this somehow happens,¡± she played along and moved fully into the camera frame. ¡°Why wait all this time to tell everyone? According to Sheriff Slater, you¡¯ve been on the run for six months now, and two months ago, you killed five cops.¡±

    ¡°I did not kill five cops,¡± Blake stated adamantly. ¡°And, I didn¡¯t tell people because I didn¡¯t want the government coming after me to stop me.¡±

    Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice that phrasing. How many cops did you kill?

    To deescalate, she focused on the second half of his answer. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that sounds a little paranoid?¡±

    Blake snorted and gestured to the wall. ¡°Really? Who do you think is on the other side of that wall?¡±

    What do you expect when you kill and kidnap police?

    ¡°They say they are there because you killed their men,¡± she pointed out

    ¡°No, Sheriff Slater says that,¡± Blake said bitterly. ¡°The others are here to kill me and study my body. To find out how the nanomachines work.¡±

    Right, because you¡¯re so special.

    ¡°You believe the government already knows about this alien threat?¡± Jennifer asked, careful to sound dubious rather than incredulous.

    ¡°Well, if they didn¡¯t in the last timeline, they do now.¡± The armored teenager pointed into the distance. ¡°About five miles that way is a fire tower. Inside it is a portal to another world, the Ursa planet. Think of them as big, monstrous bears. Anyway, at this very moment, it is surrounded by government vehicles, temporary structures, and a whole host of Feds. It has been for over two months.¡±

    Sure it is. He really seems to believe this, what is he taking?

    ¡°I encourage you to drive by it and see for yourself,¡± he earnestly suggested.

    Oh, you bet your ass I will. No way I¡¯m passing up that much free content. Okay, now how do I get myself out of this without sounding afraid?

    ¡°So,¡± she laughed. ¡°You don¡¯t plan to hold me hostage like the others?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, you can leave whenever you want. Although, I¡¯d stay in town if I were you,¡± he advised. ¡°On Invasion day, your car won¡¯t run. At least, not without heavy modification. You need electricity to ignite the engine.¡±

    ¡°I have an electric vehicle,¡± she corrected him.

    Blake shook his head and ran a hand through his long, unkempt hair.

    ¡°So, what proof do you have of your claims?¡± she asked. ¡°Surely, you don¡¯t expect people to just believe you, right?¡±

    This is your chance. Show me some more magic tricks. Let¡¯s get it all on film.

    The teenager whirled, gave her a look of disbelief, and his voice dropped. ¡°Seriously? After everything you¡¯ve seen? What, you think I cooked up a force field in my garage or something? This isn¡¯t Steelman, and I¡¯m not some brilliant inventor. I¡¯m a fighter, a warrior.¡±

    Suddenly, he threw his hands up in the air, and Jennifer backed slowly away.

    Woah. Someone¡¯s got a temper. That¡¯s not gonna play well online.

    ¡°Whatever, no one is going to believe me until it happens, no matter what I do. So, here¡¯s what I want you to do. Go online and download the guide I created. It explains everything, in great detail. Print it out before the twenty-ninth, as you won¡¯t be able to access it after that. Even if you don¡¯t believe me now, print it anyway, it can¡¯t hurt anything, right?¡±

    Good, let¡¯s shift focus. He¡¯s obviously a bit unhinged.

    ¡°Where can people go to access this manifesto?¡± Jennifer asked, her voice steady.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a freakin¡¯ manifesto, for Christ¡¯s sake!¡± Blake shouted, forcing Jennifer back.

    Bobby stood still as stone and zoomed in on Blake¡¯s distraught expression.

    Okay, no more poking the bear. Careful or you¡¯ll find yourself in a cell next to those poor cops.

    ¡°It¡¯s a guide. And here,¡± he hurriedly rifled through his armor¡¯s pockets until he found a small slip of paper. ¡°Post this with the video online. It¡¯s an address to the document, and another welcome video I posted.¡±

    ¡°We just passed thirty mil,¡± Bobby whispered.

    Suddenly, her concern over his temper no longer mattered. It evaporated like the morning dew.

    I¡¯m going to be so famous!

 Chapter 94 - Never Enough

    Blake sat on the couch in his mother¡¯s office and rubbed his bruised cheek.

    His mother frowned. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you healed that yet?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that totally worked against you in the interview,¡± Oliver added helpfully from a padded chair across the room. ¡°What kind of ¡®bullet-proof¡¯ guy gets a bruise?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t healed it because I want to remind myself that I¡¯m not indestructible. If that bullet had been just an inch away, I might not have survived.¡±

    ¡°I agree with Blake,¡± Peter defended his son. ¡°He needs to take fewer chances now, and if he needs a reminder of that, I¡¯m all for it. We have the town all but built, Jordan and Brent are busy upgrading the bunkhouses to level three, and we¡¯re protected by the shield.¡± He turned to address his son directly. ¡°You won. You did it.¡±

    ¡°Not if we run out of nano,¡± Blake muttered.

    ¡°Do we need to raise taxes higher?¡± Jessica asked through holo-chat.

    Blake sighed. ¡°No. If we do that, the combat teams won¡¯t be able to upgrade their attributes. It¡¯s already hard enough for Montgomery and Jeff to take on level one scenarios with just the two of them. Let¡¯s just leave it at fifty percent for now. Once I can leave town, I¡¯ll lower it back to ten.¡±

    Oliver snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t see why you can¡¯t just leave whenever you want. They can¡¯t do shit to you, and we got the shield keeping us safe.¡±

    Blake groaned and rolled his eyes. ¡°I already told you, I don¡¯t want to lead them to the portals. Enough people are going to die as it is.¡±

    ¡°We specifically warned people not to attempt scenarios until they were ready,¡± Donna reminded him.

    Peter snorted. ¡°Yeah, because people take warnings seriously.¡±

    ¡°And, that assumes people actually read the guide. After that interview, I don¡¯t know why anyone would bother,¡± Blake grumbled.

    ¡°Perhaps you should have prepared more for it,¡± his mother suggested.

    ¡°I did prepare for it,¡± Blake insisted. ¡°But, she kept asking the dumbest questions and insinuating horrible things. It threw me off. Honestly, we should¡¯ve just gone with a normal news reporter.¡±

    His brother¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Are you kidding me? She¡¯s the best! It¡¯s not her fault you¡¯re an idiot.¡±

    ¡°Oliver!¡± Peter snapped. ¡°That was uncalled-for.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he replied, without sincerity.

    ¡°Despite your brother¡¯s crude language,¡± Donna shot her oldest son a pointed look. ¡°I do think she was the right choice. According to the stats, the interview has already received a hundred and forty million views on Self-tube, and another sixty million on Tweeter. It¡¯s only been a few hours since it was posted, and it¡¯s spreading rapidly.¡±

    ¡°How many people have downloaded the guide?¡± Blake leaned forward. ¡°That¡¯s the important part.¡±

    Donna winced. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The website went down almost immediately. Too much traffic.¡±

    ¡°Of course it did,¡± Blake muttered. He took a breath and added in a louder voice, ¡°So, to sum it up, hundreds of millions of people got to see her treat me like a cult leader and terrorist, yet no one got to actually download the guide that will save lives. Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Not quite,¡± Jessica corrected him. ¡°People who downloaded the document before the site went down are sharing it with others. I¡¯ve also already contacted the hosting site, and they¡¯ve promised to increase our bandwidth allocation.¡±

    Blake let out a sigh. ¡°At least that¡¯ll be fixed. Thanks,¡± he nodded to Jessica.

    The Vietnamese woman nodded. ¡°If it¡¯s any consolation, my workers here loved the interview. And your friends, Montgomery and Jeff, thought it was especially humorous.¡±

    ¡°I bet they did,¡± Blake groaned as he pictured his old friend¡¯s reaction. ¡°How are they holding up over there? Any problems? What about the other combat teams? Are they all settling in okay?¡±

    When Blake realized the FBI would blockade the portal right up until Invasion day, he had his mother contact the faction members left outside. They agreed to continue to work at the Payson expansion town until Blake was able to retrieve them.

    ¡°Most people seem to be doing fine,¡± Jessica replied. ¡°I¡¯ve had a few complaints, mostly from Montgomery, but people seem to understand this is temporary.¡±

    ¡°What kind of complaints?¡± Donna asked.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure if you were aware, but it is ninety-eight degrees here. None of our buildings have air-conditioning yet, and some people are overheating. I¡¯ve brought in battery powered fans, but that only helps so much. Right now, we have a lot of people taking breaks in their vehicles with the AC on.¡±

    ¡°How long until you can upgrade your faction hall to level four?¡± Blake asked. The level four building included an enchantment for temperature regulation, and allowed the other structures to be upgraded with it as well.

    Jessica grimaced. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The constructors you sent over have helped speed things up tremendously. We almost have all the prerequisite buildings completed, and there are enough materials left over from the level four Lupus scenario you ran. Unfortunately, we lack the nano for the upgrade.¡±

    In the end, it always comes down to money. There¡¯s never enough.

    ¡°How much are we getting per day right now, and how much are we using?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°Well, the vast majority is coming from our four combat teams. Right now, they¡¯re spending the hot afternoons and evenings in the Arachne portal. Every team is completing two scenarios per day, which nets about twenty mega-nano in taxes.¡±

    ¡°What about the non-combat classes?¡± Blake asked.

    Jessica shrugged. ¡°Almost one mega-nano today, which mostly came from completing directives. I¡¯m not sure if that will go up or down in the future, but either way, I wouldn¡¯t rely on it.¡±

    Blake rubbed his temples. ¡°So, the shield requires nine point six mega-nano per day. How much do the building upgrades cost?¡±

    ¡°We spent ten mega-nano today,¡± Jessica answered. ¡°And transferred another twenty to your treasury. Now, we only have a reserve of four mega-nano.¡±

    Donna sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, our treasury¡¯s already empty. Upgrading bunkhouses to level three is expensive without an enchanter.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Debra¡¯s been a Godsend,¡± Jessica agreed. ¡°Her enchanting has saved us a ton of nano and time.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s obviously not sustainable,¡± Blake grumbled. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to pause bunkhouse upgrades until I can get out there and start earning.¡±

    Peter ignored his oldest son¡¯s comment and asked, ¡°When will you go?¡±

    ¡°Tonight, after the sun sets. It¡¯ll be harder for them to follow me that way. At least, I hope it will,¡± he corrected. ¡°I don¡¯t know if the drones have infra-red or not. If they do, and I can¡¯t get a clean get-away, I may just have to come back here.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you run at like a hundred miles an hour?¡± Oliver asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think drones move that fast.¡±

    ¡°For fifteen seconds,¡± Blake answered. ¡°And, there¡¯s also three helicopters up there,¡± he pointed to the ceiling. ¡°They can go a lot faster than that, and I¡¯ll have to lose them as well.¡±

    ¡°Blake, you do not wish to reveal portals to the public because you fear loss of life, correct?¡± Jessica asked for clarification.

    Blake nodded.

    ¡°Then, why not use the one they already know about? Didn¡¯t you say the government is already aware of the portal in the Pinetop fire tower?¡±

    Oh my God. Why didn¡¯t I think of that?

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Oliver blurted. ¡°You can kick their asses while you¡¯re at it! Think of the views. You know someone will be there with a camera ready.¡±

    Blake rubbed his bruised cheek again.

    Peter shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s too risky. Blake was already injured by a bullet. They¡¯ve been set up there for weeks now. Who knows what kind of defense they have?¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± his mother added. ¡°We can stop the upgrades here and just rely on the combat teams at Payson to supply taxes. And, if we need more, we can always increase taxes.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No more taxes. Fifty percent is already high enough, even if it¡¯s just temporary. Remember, everyone just hit level one, and they haven¡¯t maxed out their attributes yet. Until they do, they¡¯re at greater risk.¡±

    ¡°I can cut back on the upgrades here,¡± Jessica offered.

    ¡°No,¡± Blake disagreed. ¡°Oliver¡¯s right, I need to get out there and start earning nano. I mean, I can more than double their taxes in just a single scenario. If I go, we can cut taxes back down so they can upgrade their attributes.¡±

    ¡°Blake,¡± his father protested. ¡°Take the win. You don¡¯t need to keep putting yourself in danger like this,¡± he urged.

    ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll try and lose them on the way to the Lupus scenario. If I can, then great, no more risk. If not, then I¡¯ll head back to Pinetop and use the Ursa portal.¡±

    ¡°If you surprise them, that may work the first time, but you have to come back out eventually. They know that, and they¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡±

    Blake smirked. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve already thought of that. I¡¯ve got a surprise they won¡¯t see coming.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± His brother asked as he leaned forward. After Blake informed him of his plan, OIiver burst out in laughter. ¡°I love it!¡±

    Peter sighed. ¡°That may work, but please try for the Lupus portal first.¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will.¡±

    ¡°If you do escape them, you can join us here,¡± Jessica suggested.

    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t risk them finding out about your town. The government¡¯s already involved, what if they have a satellite spying on me? They could just watch as I lead them right to you,¡± Blake explained.

    Peter cursed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think about that. If that¡¯s true, they could set up a trap in Snowflake as well.¡±

    ¡°I can teleport,¡± Blake reminded his father. ¡°I¡¯m a lot harder to trap than you think.¡±

    ¡°What if they fill up the pit with gravel while you¡¯re gone?¡± Oliver asked. ¡°Do you die instantly when you come back through?¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°No. It doesn¡¯t work like that.¡±

    ¡°You sound very sure of that,¡± Donna remarked.

    He nodded. ¡°Trust me, lots of traps have been tried. None of them work. The Architect won¡¯t allow anyone to block its portals.¡±

    ¡°Blake,¡± Jessica spoke up. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but you need to hear this.¡±

    Blake and the others watched through holo-chat as Jessica clicked a few buttons and then rotated her laptop so they could see the screen. A Self-tube video with the caption, ¡®BREAKING: Arizona Governor calls in National Guard to Pinetop¡¯ was displayed. When she hit play, the splash screen was replaced with their Governor, Mike Willis.

    ¡°By now, I am sure you are all aware of the situation in Pinetop. I want to reassure everyone that I am not taking this lightly. Four Phoenix SWAT team members and an FBI HRT member remain hostages of this insurgent. That is unacceptable. We can not allow this tragedy to continue. We must put a stop to this terrorist before he captures even more innocents. While I am thankful Miss Taylor was allowed to leave, we can not rely on the whims of a criminal.¡±

    ¡°To that end, I have coordinated with the FBI and called in the National Guard to assist them. They will establish a large perimeter, guarded with heavy weaponry, so no one else can be kidnapped. I tell you this now, if the terrorist known as Blake Summers shows his head outside his compound again, it¡¯ll be the last time he does so. I will not have time for questions, that is all.¡±

    The governor then turned and fled the podium, while reporters peppered him with questions. Jessica paused the video and added, ¡°I suggest you move up your timeline.¡±

    Yeah, probably a good idea.

    Blake immediately stood.

    ¡°Are you going now?¡± Donna pressed.

    Over his shoulder, he replied, ¡°After I release our hostages, yeah.¡±

    ¡°Hold up!¡± His father yelled. After Blake paused, he asked, ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we already had this discussion,¡± Blake replied as he leaned against the door frame. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m still going to try and lose them first.¡±

    ¡°I was referring to releasing the hostages,¡± Peter corrected his son dryly.

    ¡°Oh. Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°They mentioned they¡¯re bringing in heavy weaponry,¡± Peter pointed out. ¡°When there¡¯s no more hostages, they¡¯ll be free to use every bit of that against us.¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°As long as we have the nano, there¡¯s no way they¡¯re getting through this shield,¡± he said confidently, turned, and left. He strode down the hallway, the two flights of stairs in the lobby, then headed toward the basement entrance. When he opened the thick metal door, he heard voices down below.

    I wonder what they¡¯re talking about.

    He quickly cast Adjustable Dampen Sound to muffle his steps and descended the stairs. As he reached the bottom, the muffled voices became clear.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you,¡± Esteves said confidently. ¡°It¡¯s all just tricks. What you¡¯re saying is impossible.¡±

    ¡°I fell out of a helicopter, and he saved me,¡± the SWAT member insisted. ¡°How did he fake that?¡±

    ¡°Beats me,¡± the sniper said dismissively. ¡°But I¡¯ve seen magicians saw their assistants in half, and make people disappear. Just because I don¡¯t know how it¡¯s done doesn¡¯t mean I believe in magic.¡±

    He shot me in the face and saw the bruise! How the hell can he think I¡¯m tricking him?!

    ¡°But, he DID save me,¡± the SWAT member pointed out. ¡°If he¡¯s a terrorist like they say, why bother? Why not just let me die?¡±

    ¡°He needed hostages,¡± Esteves answered easily. ¡°Besides, are you sure you would¡¯ve died?¡±

    Is he gaslighting them? I¡¯ve heard enough.

    He disabled his aether spell and walked into view.

    ¡°Of course I would¡¯ve died! You think I¡¯m an¡­¡± the policeman¡¯s voice cut off when he spotted his captor, and the entire group suddenly stood. They placed their backs to the cell and watched him warily.

    Blake opened the cell door and gestured toward the stairs. ¡°Okay, you¡¯re all free to go.¡±

    They remained where they were.

    ¡°What¡¯s the trick?¡± Esteves asked. ¡°You gonna knife us in the back while we escape?¡±

    Blake rolled his eyes. ¡°If I wanted you dead, I¡¯d do it to your face. None of you could stop me.¡±

    ¡°Why let us go now?¡± The SWAT member who had defended him earlier asked.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m tired of feeding you guys,¡± Blake replied flippantly. ¡°Does it matter?¡± When they remained frozen for another few seconds, Blake threw up his hands. ¡°Do you guys seriously want to stay here, or are you going to leave?¡±

    The man he saved tapped his headset. ¡°Waiting on permission.¡±

    Blake¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You seriously have to ask permission to leave? Isn¡¯t it your duty or whatever to try and escape?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s got a point,¡± Esteves shrugged and walked towards the open cell door. Then, in monotone, added, ¡°Oh, look. The cell door is open. We must escape.¡±

    After that, the others shook their heads and followed behind.

    Un-freaking-believable.

    Blake quietly escorted the group up the stairs, through the hallway, and out the lobby. When they finally reached the front gate, he said, ¡°Hold up here, let me make sure it¡¯s clear.¡±

    He quickly sprinted up the battlement stairs and peered out a crenelation to ensure no one was within range of the gate. The national guard had yet to arrive, but a large contingent of FBI and local police stood around their vehicles. Sheriff Slater was nowhere to be found.

    I bet they got tired of his annoying ass.

    Blake shook his head and sprinted back down the stairs. He then used his interface to raise the gate.

    ¡°What about my Barrett?¡± Esteves asked.

    ¡°Mine now,¡± Blake grinned.

    The sniper swore.

    When the heavy metal barrier rose high enough, he ordered, ¡°Everyone out before I change my mind.¡±

    After that, they ducked under the gate and sprinted toward the line of cars in the distance. The moment they were clear, Blake reversed the mechanism¡¯s direction and stayed to ensure nothing slipped through.

    Okay, time to grab my weapons, get some snacks, and make my own escape.

 Interlude - Regret

    Jennifer Taylor slumped in the back seat of her large electric vehicle, parked outside the checkpoint, and scanned through the top-rated comments on her now viral video. It had been online for a few hours now, and her viewers were decidedly split into two camps.

    Skeptics believed the footage could not possibly be real, and were the vast majority. They insisted that she had collaborated with Blake to fake the video using a combination of camera tricks and AI. Some out right accused her of being a fraud who fabricated everything to gain viewers, while others claimed she was paid off by the government to participate in a psyop.

    The believers, on the other hand, defended the authenticity of the video vehemently. They not only trusted every word Blake spoke, but went to great lengths to show corroborating evidence. Most of the ¡®Domers¡¯ were laughed at and belittled by the skeptics, but the more Jennifer considered her experience, the more she found herself agreeing with them.

    ¡°I think I screwed up,¡± she mumbled with a groan.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Bobby, her cameraman and assistant, rotated slightly in the driver¡¯s seat while he scrolled through Tweeter on his tablet.

    ¡°I said, I think I screwed up the interview.¡±

    ¡°No way. The interview is on track to be the most watched video ever. How can you possibly be upset about that?¡± he asked in disbelief.

    Jennifer sighed and read him a comment attached to her video, ¡°Obviously, this chick¡¯s fifteen minutes of fame was up and she couldn¡¯t handle it. The only thing that really surprises me about all this, is how obviously fake the video was. Does she seriously expect anyone to believe the bad CGI?¡±

    ¡°How many times have I told you, Jennifer?¡± he asked rhetorically. ¡°You¡¯ve got to stop reading comments. They¡¯re all trolls and incels.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the top-rated comment, Bobby. That means a LOT of people agree with him.¡±

    ¡°Your fifteen minutes weren''t up,¡± Bobby assured her. ¡°If anything, it was the opposite. You tripled your initial audience within a year.¡±

    ¡°Not that,¡± she rolled her eyes. ¡°They think I faked the video. Almost everyone does.¡±

    ¡°I mean, can you blame them? The stuff that kid can do,¡± he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s unreal.¡±

    ¡°It is, which is why I didn¡¯t believe it.¡±

    Bobby frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°During the interview, I viewed the whole thing as some scam. I thought it was all smoke and mirrors.¡± Jennifer sighed and dropped her phone to the seat. ¡°Now, I¡¯m not so sure.¡±

    ¡°You seriously thought he was tricking us? I thought that was just a play to get a rise out of him. Which, by the way, I almost pissed myself when you called his guide a manifesto. I thought he was gonna murder us right then and there. His eyes!¡± Bobby mimicked Blake¡¯s reaction to her statement and chuckled.

    ¡°How was I supposed to know he¡¯d take offense to that? And yes, I thought it was all smoke and mirrors.¡±

    Bobby shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking at comments, too. Somebody found out how far we were from The Dome and timed how long it took for him to carry us to it. Did you know he carried both of us there at over fifty miles an hour?¡±

    Jennifer¡¯s jaw dropped.

    ¡°Then, even more unbelievable, he jumped at least fifteen feet into the air and teleported us to the top of the wall. I admit, at the time, I was kinda freaked out. But, I still knew, one hundred percent, the kid was the real deal. That¡¯s just not possible to fake.¡±

    ¡°Ugh,¡± she groaned and rubbed her temples. ¡°Such a waste! I have so many questions, and there¡¯s no way he¡¯ll talk to me again. Not after the way I treated him. And now, we can¡¯t even get footage of the fire tower because they blocked the whole area off!¡±

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Bobby blurted and lifted his tablet so she could see. ¡°Check this out!¡±

    The device displayed drone video footage of the fire tower from above. Camo-colored temporary facilities surrounded it, as well as a host of military equipment and personnel as they guarded the area.

    Was he telling the truth about this as well? Shit, I really screwed up.

    Suddenly, she saw a flash from a hidden sniper¡¯s rifle, and the drone began to spin widely out of control. A moment later, the video abruptly ended.

    ¡°That¡¯s badass!¡± Bobby exclaimed.

    This is awful. How do I fix this? How do I get back in?

    Jennifer placed her face in her hands while she thought through the problem. The video may have gone viral, but that was not necessarily a good thing. Her subscribers had already dropped by ten percent since the livestream, as most believed she faked the interview. If that were not bad enough, the Domers hated her as well. Her inane questions and obvious lack of belief in the face of overwhelming proof lowered their opinion of her.

    I need another interview. It¡¯s the only way.

    She lifted her head. ¡°Bobby, that site the document was on, did it have a way to contact Blake?¡±

    ¡°Naw, he replied absently while he continued to scroll through his feed. ¡°The site was pretty bare bones. I think they threw it up in a hurry.¡±

    Damn it.

    Jennifer sighed. ¡°Can you think of any way to contact him? Maybe he¡¯ll do another interview, this time remotely, since they won¡¯t let anyone near The Dome now.¡±

    Bobby paused briefly before he carefully responded. ¡°Judging from the look he gave you, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be willing to talk any time soon.¡±

    Figures. Wait! Didn¡¯t he say his brother had a crush on me? He has to be a subscriber!

    Jennifer was about to ask another question when she was distracted by a large, black SUV. It sped past her on the road, drove directly up to the temporary gate, showed identification to the guards, and was promptly waved through.

    I wonder who¡¯s in there.

    ¡°Jennifer, you¡¯ve got to see this!¡± Bobby again exclaimed from the front seat.

    She turned away from the window and focused on the tablet once more. A live stream from a Phoenix-based news channel filled the screen. The chyron showed the title, ¡®Breaking: Suspect flees after releasing hostages!¡¯. Meanwhile, video footage taken from a helicopter tracked Blake in close focus as he barreled across the countryside.

    What is he doing?

    The skinny teenager, still clad in his ridiculous medieval armor, also sported an oversized backpack and quiver. He had a large bow looped through his left arm, while he held a long spear sideways in his hands. Then, the video zoomed out and revealed his surroundings. Just a few hundred feet in front of him was a large road with heavy traffic.

    That¡¯s highway two-sixty. Where¡¯s he going?

    Blake turned north and cut through a corner parking lot at high speed. A moment later, he was on the sidewalk, which paralleled the main road the entire length, to Show Low.

    ¡°Damn, that¡¯s fast,¡± Bobby whispered in appreciation.

    Jennifer watched in disbelief as he passed by vehicular traffic. In the distance, through her window, she could hear the faint sound of a helicopter¡¯s blades as it grew closer.

    ¡°I think he¡¯s just a couple miles away,¡± Bobby said. ¡°You think he¡¯s coming here?¡±

    She shrugged.

    Suddenly, Blake shot forward like a rocket and doubled his speed. The cameraman on the helicopter struggled to keep him in focus as he leapt over an entire intersection and passed cars like they were standing still.

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Bobby blurted.

    It¡¯s not a trick. There¡¯s no way this can be a trick.

    Jennifer watched in disbelief as Blake moved at what had to be over a hundred miles an hour along the highway. He continued at the ludicrous speed for about fifteen seconds, when he suddenly slowed to his previous pace.

    Meanwhile, the helicopter followed him north along the highway as he made his impressive but foolhardy escape.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s coming here,¡± she told her cameraman. ¡°He¡¯s still headed north and the helicopter¡¯s already past us.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± he agreed.

    They both continued to watch Blake¡¯s flight as he suddenly teleported across the main road to the opposite side and rushed into the woods. The camera briefly lost visual, before it locked on to his position and followed.

    ¡°How long do you think he can move like that?¡± Bobby asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but he doesn¡¯t seem to be losing his tail. The real question is, can he keep it up long enough for the helicopter to run out of gas?¡±

    Bobby snorted. ¡°I¡¯d say there¡¯s no way, but the kid¡¯s bulletproof and faster than a speeding bullet already.¡±

    Jennifer rolled her eyes at the Uberman reference, but continued to watch Blake fail to evade his pursuit. After fifteen minutes, he reached the Show Low airport. Suddenly, Blake stopped and looked directly at the helicopter. He seemed to shake his head before he turned around and reversed course.

    I guess you do have limits.

    While Blake retraced his route, something disquieting occurred to Jennifer.

    What if it¡¯s all true? Is the world really going to end?

    She felt a pit in her stomach grow as she considered the seriousness of the situation. If Blake could be believed, the world would end in two weeks. Billions of people would die, and life as she knew it would never be the same.

    Worse, the best hope for her survival was the teenager currently sprinting down the expressway, who had reason to despise her. His compound used the invading alien technology to protect all within from the monsters who would appear within weeks.

    I need to get mom and dad here.

    Jennifer had a tenuous relationship with her parents, yet still loved them, despite her resentment. Their disagreements began just after she graduated from high school. They insisted she attend university after graduation, and she vehemently disagreed. Jennifer thought college was useless, a scam. It took years to earn a degree, in which they taught things you could learn for yourself online. In the end, graduates were left with tens of thousands of debt, and poor prospects for employment.

    She had relentlessly argued the point with her parents until they had conceded their loss and kicked her out of their house. They informed her that if she were not going to attend university, then she needed to get a job and her own place.

    Over the next three years, she worked full time at a factory in Austin while she lived in a cheap apartment with her two roommates. Meanwhile, every spare chance she got, she practiced her real dream, journalism. For years, she posted reaction videos to social media as well as investigated corporate crimes.

    After three years, she had only a few followers and earned pennies, yet she refused to give up her dream. The few times she visited her parents, they insisted she give up her ¡®experiment¡¯ and focus on a real future. Eventually, she grew tired of their nagging and cut off all contact.

    Then, just a year before, one of her videos went viral. Suddenly, she had hundreds of thousands of followers. Her entire backlog of videos was perused, and she started making real money from ads. The second she received her first check from Self-tube, she quit her job and focused exclusively on her new profession.

    Jennifer scrolled through her phone until her mom¡¯s contact appeared. Her thumb hovered over the picture of her mom as she hesitated. It had been over a year since she last spoke with her, and she was afraid of her mother¡¯s potential reaction.

    She took a deep breath and was about to make the call, when Bobby finally spoke up. ¡°Uh¡­ Jennifer, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going back to his compound. I think he¡¯s coming here.

    <hr>

    Captain Jeremy Jackson reflexively cleaned his rifle in his temporary quarters near the fire tower, despite its near uselessness. He ran the bore brush and cotton patches, wetted with solvent, through the barrel, disregarding its pristine state.

    I still can¡¯t believe none of the bullets hurt that kid. Not one!

    He turned the rifle over in contemplation. For the last twenty-four hours, he obsessed over his failed operation. Not only had they lost Renner to an Ursa attack, Esteves was as good as gone as well.

    There¡¯s no way that psychopath lets him live, not after that attack.

    Suddenly, the flimsy door sprang open, and Lee rushed inside. ¡°Hey, Cap, Esteves is back!¡±

    Huh?

    ¡°That Blake kid let him go, along with all the other hostages.¡±

    Jeremy dropped his disassembled rifle and rushed to his feet. ¡°Where is he?¡±

    Lee raised his hands. ¡°Hold up, Cap. Esteves¡¯ still in route. Scuttlebutt says he walked out almost an hour ago, but the FBI kept him detained. That FBI agent in charge was pissed, and raised hell, but Peters came through. CIA boss had to make some calls to the DoD, but she finally let him go.

    Thank God for that.

    ¡°ETA?¡± Jeremy asked.

    ¡°Any minute now,¡± Lee shrugged. ¡°The Dome¡¯s just a few miles away.¡±

    Jeremy groaned as they left the temporary habitat. ¡°Not you, too. That¡¯s such a stupid name.¡±

    ¡°What else am I gonna call it? Anyway, Mister Peters wanted you to be there when he debriefed Esteves.¡±

    Jeremy nodded and slapped his subordinate on the back in thanks before he headed towards the command tent alone. The area surrounding the fire tower was far different from what it was weeks ago when he first arrived. It was now a well defended fort, with heavy munitions, sniper nests, sandbag walls, and plenty of temporary structures. The fire tower, at the edge of the camp, was visible at all times as it loomed above the camp.

    He nodded to a fellow soldier as he passed, and a few moments later stopped in front of the command tent. ¡°Mister Peters wanted to see me,¡± he announced.

    ¡°ID.¡± the guard on the left demanded.

    Jeremy rolled his eyes, yet complied.  The guard made a show of examining the document before he opened the door and announced his presence. Inside, Scott Peters perched behind his desk and poured over a thick stack of printed pages. At Jeremy¡¯s presence, he glanced up, ¡°Good, you¡¯re here early. Sit. What are your thoughts on Mister Summer¡¯s so-called guide?¡±

    ¡°Sir?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen it?¡±

    Jeremy shook his head.

    ¡°Then, in that case, after we debrief Esteves, I want you to go over it. We need to find out how much of this is bullshit, and how much is the real deal. I¡¯ve been able to verify some of it as accurate, but there¡¯s a lot here, and I want your opinion on it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Scott went back to perusing the guide, and momentarily ignored Jeremy¡¯s presence.

    Captain Jackson suppressed a sigh and peered at the printouts.

    That stack¡¯s huge. How can that psycho possibly know this much about the alien tech? Although, he does have that force field set up. How did he get that?

    A shout from the door guard broke him from his thoughts. ¡°Sir, Sergeant Esteves is here.¡±

    ¡°Let him in,¡± Scott ordered.

    When Jeremy saw his friend slip through the door, he couldn¡¯t keep the grin off his face and rose quickly to greet him. ¡°Son of a bitch! I can¡¯t believe you got away from that psycho.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, not all of us take a nap mid-op,¡± Esteves ragged. ¡°Some of us take this stuff seriously, you know.¡±

    Jeremy rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Did you follow procedure?¡± Mister Peters demanded.

    Still an asshole, I see.

    At the question, Esteves reflexively shifted to parade rest and answered the question. ¡°Yes, Sir. Blake Summers and the SWAT team members are unaware of the fact that we have knowledge of the alien tech. I also refrained from using the interface while in captivity.¡±

    You should have at least messaged me once you got free.

    ¡°How confident are you of that assessment?¡± Mister Peters asked.

    ¡°Sir, from the way Blake Summers spoke, it was obvious. I believe if he knew I was in the Collective, he would have said something. As far as the SWAT team, I actively argued against Blake having special abilities. I insisted it was a trick.¡±

    The CIA man snorted. ¡°Did it work?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe so, sir.¡±

    ¡°Worth a shot. Did Mister Summers explain why he released the hostages?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t say, sir.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Scott Peters scratched his chin. ¡°What level do you believe he is?¡±

    Esteves hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, sir. He used multiple magic like abilities and showed such strength and speed, I¡¯m not even sure he¡¯s human anymore. I shot him in the face with a fifty caliber bullet, and all it did was leave a bruise. Then, less than a day later, the bruise was almost gone. Sir, I¡¯m not sure how we can fight something like that.¡±

    Neither am I.

    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­¡±

    Jeremy and the others flinched as gunshots suddenly deafened them. Scott Peters immediately reached for a radio and yelled into the mic, ¡°Report! What¡¯s the situation?¡±

    While they waited for a response, even more gunfire joined the first. Soon, he heard dozens of weapons discharge.

    What the hell is going on out there? Shit! My weapon¡¯s still disassembled.

    A panicked voice finally replied on the radio. ¡°Sir, Blake Summers has breached our walls. We are attempting to stop him, but he seems immune to small and large arms fire.¡±

    Oh shit, not again.

    ¡°Where is he headed?¡± Scott yelled back over the gunfire.

    ¡°He¡¯s at the base of the fire tower, sir. He seems to be attacking it with a spear?!¡± The voice rose on the last word, as if he was not sure.

    Jeremy ignored proper procedure, he had to see. He turned and fled the tent until he could see the entire fire tower structure. Thousands of bullets rained down upon their target with no effect. Meanwhile, Blake Summers systematically demolished the base of the tower with his spear.

    Each swipe severed a support and the tower shuddered at the onslaught. Finally, the last support was cut, and it began to list to the side. In what appeared to be slow motion, the seventy-foot tall fire tower slowly began to lean and then fall.

    Holy shit!

    The fire tower slammed into the ground and crushed the temporary wall they had created. Dust obscured most of the scene, but Jeremy watched in slack-jawed amazement as Blake Summers leapt twenty feet into the air like an anime character where the tower once stood. Then, just when he thought the kid would descend, he suddenly appeared twenty feet higher, and an instant later, twenty feet higher once again.

    Then, he disappeared into the spatial distortion.

    What the hell just happened?

 Chapter 95 - Away From Home

    Blake lounged before his campfire and warmed his hands before the flames. His back was to his small tent and bedroll, which had surprisingly survived the rain of bullets earlier that day. The tent required only minimal duct tape to seal the holes, but half his water bottles were destroyed.

    That¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve got a bottle in my Spatial Storage, and I can find more water here.

    Luckily, after his display of force, Blake had been transported to a boreal forest, reminiscent of Northern Canada, Scandinavia, or Russia. Water and firewood were plentiful, as were the swarm of small, annoying insects. He slapped his neck for the hundredth time, when the holo-chat request he had been waiting for finally arrived.

    Finally, we can start the meeting.

    Blake accepted the call, and two separate feeds appeared before him. The first was his family, along with Jordan and Brent. They were inside the cookhouse and the remnants of a late dinner remained on the table. The second screen was Jessica. Blake recognized her office in the Payson faction hall.

    ¡°Hey, Blake, are you doing okay?¡± His father asked.

    ¡°Great!¡± Blake grinned. Unfortunately, the statement was ruined when he was forced to slap his own cheek. ¡°Sorry, lots of bugs here.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be bulletproof?¡± Oliver asked as the peeled the wrapper from a cupcake. ¡°How are bugs biting you?¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t, they¡¯re just annoying,¡± Blake replied. ¡°It tickles when they crawl over my beard.¡±

    His brother snorted and said with a full mouth, ¡°That¡¯s not a beard.¡±

    ¡°Oliver, chew first!¡± Donna reprimanded her oldest son. She then turned to Blake. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay staying the night on another planet?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, mom,¡± He assured her. ¡°I¡¯ve done this hundreds of times. All the monsters are dead, and I¡¯ve got my tent and roll already set up.¡±

    ¡°And, the battle at the fire tower didn¡¯t cause you any problems? I know you messaged me you were fine, but I¡¯ve seen what you consider ¡®fine¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I really am good,¡± Blake repeated. ¡°I just got a few bruises, which are all healed now.¡±

    ¡°Just a few bruises from all that?¡± Oliver swallowed quickly and asked in disbelief. ¡°That was badass! They¡¯ve been playing footage of the tower falling for hours!¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°How¡¯d they get footage? Didn¡¯t they have the area blocked off? I doubt the Feds released it.¡±

    ¡°Bro, you can see the tower from the grocery store parking lot. People have been camped out there ever since the interview, and they got real cameras that can zoom.¡±

    ¡°You really stirred up a hornet''s nest there,¡± His father informed him as he collected the plates into a pile. ¡°The president announced a state of emergency, and our senator¡¯s calling for investigations. Evidently, DHS didn¡¯t have the authority to set up here like they did, let alone fire upon US citizens. They¡¯re calling whoever¡¯s in charge back to Washington for hearings. There¡¯s been a lot of pushback on TV ever since the locals saw the tower go down.¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°I bet they are. Are they packing up and leaving now?¡±

    Peter frowned and shook his head. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°I thought what they were doing was illegal, though? Shouldn¡¯t they be pulling out?¡±

    ¡°They are arguing that the state of emergency gives them the authority to stay,¡± Jessica replied.

    ¡°What does a state of emergency allow them to do?¡± Jordan asked, speaking up for the first time.

    The holo-chat remained silent, as no one seemed to know the answer. Finally, after a short delay, Jessica responded again. ¡°According to the internet, it allows the government to bypass most legal restrictions. They can declare martial law, temporarily suspend civil rights, and it allows them to deploy the military to suppress insurrections.¡±

    Brent cursed and asked Blake directly. ¡°Will the shield hold up to bombs?¡±

    ¡°I think so,¡± Blake answered.

    ¡°What do you mean, you think so?¡± Brent demanded. ¡°I thought you said they couldn¡¯t get through it no matter what they did?¡±

    ¡°I said the police and the FBI can¡¯t get through it,¡± Blake corrected. ¡°I have no clue what the military is capable of. I¡¯m pretty sure it won¡¯t stop a nuke.¡±

    ¡°No one is going to nuke Pinetop,¡± Donna adamantly stated.

    I sure hope not. That would be insane.

    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯ll start with missiles and bombs first,¡± Oliver unhelpfully agreed.

    ¡°They won¡¯t do that either,¡± Donna argued. ¡°The president most likely declared a state of emergency so they could evacuate everyone in the area.¡±

    ¡°Have they started doing that yet?¡± Blake asked.

    Donna shook her head. ¡°Not yet, but I¡¯m sure it will come soon.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Oliver drawled. ¡°Does anyone else have any internet? My phone can¡¯t connect.¡±

    Blake watched as everyone in the room with a phone checked their connection.

    ¡°I¡¯m not connected either,¡± Brent offered.

    ¡°Same,¡± Jordan agreed.

    ¡°My laptop won¡¯t connect,¡± Donna added.

    ¡°The internet is working fine here,¡± Jessica informed them. ¡°Perhaps the cell tower is overloaded? I¡¯m actually surprised it continued to work when so many people descended upon the town.¡±

    ¡°It was slower, but we could still get data,¡± Donna replied.

    ¡°I bet the government cut us off,¡± Oliver suggested and shook his phone in disgust.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°If it remains down, I can keep everyone abreast of current events,¡± Jessica offered.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Donna nodded. ¡°I would appreciate that.¡±

    ¡°You are welcome,¡± Jessica returned. ¡°And Blake, thank you for the nano. Our constructors are building new bunkhouses as quickly as they are able. With all the new arrivals, most have been forced to share rooms, and are beginning to feel cramped.¡±

    ¡°Shit!¡± Jordan cursed. ¡°My son is still out there, and I¡¯ve got no way to contact my ex. How am I supposed to let them know where to go?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Brent spoke up. ¡°My family¡¯s out there, too.¡±

    ¡°If you give me their phone numbers, I can contact them for you after this meeting,¡± Jessica offered.

    ¡°But, what if they don¡¯t have cell service either?¡± Brent¡¯s voice rose.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Blake assured him. ¡°It¡¯ll be mostly safe for the first three days. Monsters won¡¯t appear until then.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®mostly¡¯?¡± Brent demanded.

    Blake grimaced. ¡°Well, people are going to freak out a bit when electricity stops working and words appear before their eyes. People are going to start looting. But, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back before then, and I¡¯ll personally collect your families.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of coming back,¡± Donna segued. ¡°The portal is now seventy feet up in the air. How will you reenter it?¡±

    Blake smirked. ¡°I can teleport twice in a row. It won¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    ¡°What if they bring in a boom lift or a ladder truck and block the portal?¡± Peter asked in concern.

    He shook his head. ¡°Won¡¯t work. Like I said before, it¡¯s been tried. The portal will just spit me out further away.¡±

    ¡°But, how will you get back in if it¡¯s blocked,¡± his father added.

    Blake snorted. ¡°I knocked down that tower pretty easily, I¡¯m pretty sure I can cut down a cherry picker.¡±

    ¡°But, they¡¯ll be firing upon you,¡± his father reminded him.

    ¡°They fired last time too, didn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°But they weren¡¯t expecting you. This time, they¡¯ll be ready,¡± Peter warned. ¡°What happens if you get hit by an RPG, or they bring in a tank?¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°I get what you¡¯re saying, dad, but it¡¯s hard to hit someone who can teleport. And, if they do escalate like that, I may have to take them out. Launching an RPG into a dry forest sounds like a recipe for a nasty fire.¡±

    Oliver hooted, ¡°Kick their asses!¡± while his parents frowned.

    ¡°Please avoid that, if you can,¡± his mother pleaded.

    Peter nodded in agreement. ¡°And not just for moral reasons. They didn¡¯t declare a state of emergency until after you assaulted the fire tower. If you start killing soldiers, they might actually start bombing us.¡±

    ¡°You make a good point,¡± Blake admitted. ¡°I¡¯ll try to avoid it if I can, but I¡¯m not going to just let them kill me.¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± his mother agreed.

    The sound of a distant explosion filled the holo-chat, and everyone but Jessica and Blake jerked in surprise.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Oliver blurted.

    Everyone froze to listen, but the sound did not immediately repeat itself. After a while, Donna broke the silence. ¡°We should head outside to see if a building collapsed or something.¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t happen unless someone on the inside blew it up,¡± Blake disagreed. ¡°Since you guys are the only ones there, that can¡¯t happen.¡±

    ¡°Uh, Blake?¡± Donna sounded nervous. ¡°What about the ¡®back door¡¯?¡±

    Blake frowned as he considered the secret tunnels he had Owen install in the quarry. Only the three of them knew about the second exit, but that did not mean the FBI might not locate the trap door.

    ¡°Wait, this place has a back door?¡± Oliver blurted. ¡°I thought the gate was the only way in and out?¡±

    Blake ignored his brother and answered his mother¡¯s concern. ¡°Even if they found the trap door, the shield is a sphere and extends underground. They would still need to get through that, and they can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Seriously,¡± Oliver demanded attention. ¡°Why did no one else tell me we have a back door?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to know, and you¡¯re horrible at keeping secrets,¡± Blake stated bluntly.

    ¡°I am not.¡± Oliver defended himself. ¡°I ¡­¡±

    Suddenly, another explosion interrupted his brother¡¯s rant.

    ¡°Okay, everyone outside,¡± Donna ordered and stood. ¡°We need to figure out what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Blake watched in concern as his family and friends filed out of the room. The group made it as far as the lobby stairs, when another explosion jolted them. After they recovered from their surprise, they quickened their pace and were soon outside.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see any damage,¡± Jordan offered.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it can¡¯t be from the inside. Whatever¡¯s happening is outside the shield,¡± Blake insisted.

    ¡°If it is, it''s probably by the front gate,¡± Peter suggested.

    As a group, they cautiously walked down the gravel pathway towards the town¡¯s entrance. When they were halfway there, another detonation occurred. However, this time they could clearly see the blast.

    Ten feet above the gate, the iridescent shield solidified at the epicenter of the explosion, and then once again became transparent. Without the cloud of smoke which remained, there would be no proof that anything happened.

    ¡°Can someone go up on the battlement and see what¡¯s going on?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Donna disagreed. ¡°We need to stay as far away from that as we can.¡±

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s perfectly safe, trust me,¡± Blake insisted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Oliver offered. He began to stride forward, when his mother caught his shirt. ¡°Wait. What if something gets through?¡±

    Blake sighed. ¡°Mom, you should be able to check the strength of the shield through your town interface.¡±

    ¡°I can?¡± she asked in surprise. Then, her eyes crossed as she navigated the menus. A moment later, she said, ¡°It says the structural integrity is at one hundred percent.¡±

    ¡°See, nothing can get through until that hits zero.¡±

    Suddenly, another explosion resounded.

    ¡°Uh,¡± his mother stammered. ¡°It just dipped down to ninety-nine point seven before it ticked back to one hundred.¡±

    ¡°Are they bombing us already?¡± Brent asked.

    Oliver pulled away from Donna. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go check it out.¡±

    Blake watched as Oliver sprinted ahead and raced up the stairs. When he reached the top of the battlement, his brother peered out the crenelation at the national guard beyond. Blake rotated the holo-chat¡¯s view until he, too, could see the source of the explosions.

    The police and FBI vehicles were now gone, replaced by the national guard. Large camo cargo trucks, Humvees, an armored personnel carrier, and even a large towed artillery gun were present. Although, the artillery had yet to be offloaded from its trailer and readied.

    At least fifty troops stood in groups and watched three of their fellow soldiers lift a shoulder mounted rocket. A few seconds passed as they armed the device and then backed away.

    Suddenly, a plume of fire appeared behind the soldier, and a rocket blasted forward into the wall. Almost faster than the eye could follow, it impacted the shield, which once again turned opaque on impact.

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Oliver blurted. ¡°That was awesome!"

    ¡°Okay, you can come down now!¡± Donna yelled from below.

    His brother nodded and skipped down the stone stairs to rejoin the rest of the group.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure releasing the hostages was a good idea,¡± Jessica stated carefully.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Peter agreed. ¡°Now they aren¡¯t worried about reprisal.¡±

    ¡°Honey,¡± Donna gave her husband a look of warning. ¡°It was the right thing to do.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Blake shrugged. ¡°They can¡¯t get through the shield. Honestly, they probably shut down the cell towers in the area and evacuated everyone so no one could record them bombing us. I bet they don¡¯t want the public knowing what they¡¯re doing.¡±

    Jordan turned his head and spat. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t surprise me.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps I could get the word out,¡± Jessica offered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Blake replied. ¡°You don¡¯t have a shield to protect your town yet, and I don¡¯t know how easily they can track you. I¡¯d rather you guys stay as far away from this as you can.¡±

    Jessica nodded. ¡°That seems reasonable. I will have a few people watch the forest entrance as well. It¡¯s far enough away that if they locate us, we will have enough time to escape.¡±

    ¡°Good idea,¡± Blake told her.

    ¡°I think I also may have a way to stop them from bombing you,¡± Jessica added. ¡°Although, that will require tribal leadership to play along.¡±

    ¡°Anything¡¯s worth a try,¡± Blake nodded. He then turned to his mother, ¡°Keep watch on the shield¡¯s strength. If it doesn¡¯t recover immediately, or dips down below seventy-five percent, let me know. I¡¯ll head back and take care of them.¡±

 Chapter 96 - Escalation

    ¡°Why are they doing this to us?¡± Donna exclaimed and rubbed her temples as loud music blared over the holo-chat feed.

    ¡°Because Jessica stopped them from using rockets and artillery last night,¡± Peter reminded her and handed her a cup of coffee. ¡°The FBI did the same thing to that group in Waco.¡±

    ¡°The credit should go to Apache tribal leadership,¡± Jessica disagreed. ¡°They were the ones that went on TV.¡±

    Peter shook his head in disbelief. ¡°I have to admit, complaining about bombs starting forest fires was a pretty good tactic. Although, I think I preferred them to this racket.¡±

    ¡°Hey, this music¡¯s fire!¡± Oliver bobbed along with the beat.

    ¡°It IS peak fire season,¡± Jessica pointed out, ignoring Oliver. ¡°And it hasn¡¯t rained for weeks. The risk is real, monsoon season can¡¯t come soon enough. ¡±

    ¡°Fires are actually going to be a problem after Invasion day,¡± Blake cut in, snuggled within his sleeping bag for the nightly meeting. ¡°Without electricity, more people are going to start them, and there won¡¯t be any firemen to put them out when they get out of control.¡±

    ¡°Should we form a fire brigade for the town?¡± Donna loudly asked her son over the heavy metal.

    ¡°The town itself is fine,¡± Blake replied. ¡°Nano infusion makes buildings resistant to fire, and the higher level they are, the more resistant. The real problem is the non-Collective buildings, and the dry brush around them. I don¡¯t see how we can put out large fires until we have some mana users willing to learn water or earth spells, which are less useful in combat.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll put it on the list for later,¡± Donna sighed as she added a line to her notebook. She had switched to paper records a few weeks prior, since Invasion day rapidly approached. There was no point in relying on a laptop. ¡°Now that we have a steady source of nano, we can begin to upgrade bunk houses to level three again.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Jordan growled. ¡°I need something to distract me. I¡¯ve been sitting here all day, twiddling my thumbs, listening to that crap. Give me some good ole country music, please.¡±

    ¡°You and Brent have been working hard the last few weeks,¡± Donna said. ¡°You both needed a break.¡±

    Jordan disagreed. ¡°What I need is a good night¡¯s sleep, and I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to happen now.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s bad enough, we can always bring mattresses down to the basement,¡± Donna suggested. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be quieter down there.¡±

    ¡°Most of the cells are filled with food,¡± Peter reminded her.

    ¡°There¡¯s just five of us,¡± his mother argued. ¡°We can squeeze in together for a little while. Speaking of squeezing in together, how are things going over in Payson, Jessica?¡±

    ¡°We had to pay off one of the locals to stay off the forest road and keep quiet, but so far we¡¯re under the radar. The constructors just upgraded another bunkhouse to level two, so people have more room. In another few days, we should have plenty of space, then they can switch back to upgrading the prerequisite buildings for a level four faction hall, and completing the wall. ¡±

    ¡°How long will that take?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°Before the faction hall is upgraded to level four?¡± Jessica clarified.

    He nodded.

    ¡°If we focus entirely upon it, I estimate it could be completed the day before Invasion day.¡±

    ¡°How close are you to finishing your wall?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°The level one wall should be completed within two days, sooner if we prioritize it,¡± the Vietnamese woman answered. ¡°So far, it is the structure that has taken the longest to complete.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded. ¡°Your wall is twice the size of ours.¡±

    Unlike Pinetop, Jessica¡¯s town was not constrained by property lines. The Payson expansion was hidden in the forest near the Mogollon Rim, a half hour away from civilization. This meant that the walls could circle the town at the maximum range a level three faction hall allowed.

    At level one, structures could not exist more than four hundred feet from the faction hall. This provided the town with eleven and a half acres of use. At level two, that doubled to eight hundred feet, and quadrupled the usable area.

    Jessica¡¯s town was level three, and she built her wall at the maximum distance allowed. The fortification circled the faction hall, twelve hundred feet away, on all sides. This barrier protected over one hundred acres of land, twice as much as Donna¡¯s town.

    Eventually, Blake had plans to expand their own wall, but that would have to wait until after Invasion day. For now, they would make due with their limited space.

    ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d ignore all other buildings and focus entirely on the wall,¡± Blake advised. ¡°Twenty feet of stone will keep almost every monster out.¡±

    ¡°And humans,¡± Oliver added helpfully as he continued to bob to the beat.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Blake agreed.

    Jessica sighed. ¡°You make a good point. I had hoped to upgrade the bunkhouses to level three by Invasion day, to provide relief from the heat. However, our safety is paramount.¡± She smirked. ¡°Montgomery will not be happy.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he running scenarios during the day?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°That does not prevent him from complaining,¡± she responded dryly.

    Blake chuckled.

    <hr>

    Blake stalked the Ursa at a distance of fifty feet, his bow at the ready. It would be his first kill of the day, and he was eager to earn more nano. Just as he began to charge his arrow with chi, he received a notification. Since he remained hidden, he decided to release the built-up energy and quickly checked his interface.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Jessica Nguyen: Blake, I know you are busy, but we have an emergency on our hands. Are you able to meet with everyone over holo-chat in five minutes?

    That¡¯s not good.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Sure.

    Blake¡¯s first instinct was to race back to the portal, but he had yet to even begin the level three scenario. If he rushed, it would take him an hour to complete it and be allowed back through the portal to Earth. Once he was back in Pinetop, he could be home within minutes.

    Of course, that assumes the military doesn¡¯t ambush me.

    Surprisingly, he had not been fired upon even once since he knocked down the tower two days before. Each time he exited and reentered, he had just enough time to see what progress the military camp made. The tower was now completely disassembled, and they had moved their temporary structures to allow access for large vehicles.

    Blake considered quickly taking out the Ursa in the distance, but decided to wait until he heard the news before he proceeded. With Adjustable Dampen Sound still active, he retreated from the Ursa and placed a large, stocky tree between himself and his target. Not long after, he received a holo-chat request from Jessica.

    He accepted the call and the Vietnamese woman appeared before him in her office. Her frown concerned him, as she was usually upbeat. Almost immediately after, his family and friends appeared within the cookhouse. They sat around the table, but food had yet to be served.

    Oliver yawned loudly and commented, ¡°It¡¯s too early.¡±

    The music. It¡¯s gone!

    With a smile, Blake said, ¡°I see they decided to stop playing music non-stop.¡±

    For some reason, Jordan seemed embarrassed by the statement. Oliver on the other hand snorted. ¡°Oh, they didn¡¯t decide shit. It played all night long, and we got, like, no sleep. Finally, my man Jordan here,¡± he hooked his thumb to his left. ¡°took matters into his own hands. He got that fifty cal sniper rifle, climbed up on the wall, and shot out every speaker. It was badass!¡±

    Not a bad idea. I should¡¯ve thought of that.

    ¡°Jordan, you didn¡¯t by chance hit anyone with a stray bullet, did you?¡± Jessica asked warily.

    The man in question shook his head and answered in his southern drawl, ¡°No, ma''am. It was dark, but I lined my shots up right.¡±

    Jessica closed her eyes and sighed. ¡°Well, whether you hit anyone or not, the National Guard is claiming that we opened fire on them and one of their soldiers died as a result.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit!¡± Oliver blurted while Jordan frowned.

    ¡°They have a body,¡± Jessica informed him solemnly. ¡°Whether that was a result of shrapnel from Jordan¡¯s shots, or some accident of their own making, is irrelevant. They are claiming we are responsible, and no one is doubting them.¡±

    Blake cursed.

    ¡°The President is capitalizing on this,¡± she continued. ¡°He just released a statement which declared you as an ¡®insurgent force¡¯ within the United States, which must be dealt with immediately. He said the Insurrection Act of 1807 allows him to deploy the military on US soil to suppress insurrection and rebellion.¡±

    ¡°Uh, the military isn¡¯t exactly subtle,¡± Peter noted. ¡°Won¡¯t people get hurt if they start bombing us?¡±

    Jessica scrunched her nose. ¡°Governor Willis has already declared martial law within the Pinetop area, and has begun to evacuate citizens. I don¡¯t know what action the President will take, but he promised a ¡®swift end to the crisis¡¯.¡±

    Blake groaned. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m coming back early.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± His mother asked. ¡°Not that I don¡¯t want you here, but what can you do against a fighter jet?¡±

    ¡°Bomber,¡± Brent corrected. ¡°They¡¯d send a B-52 and bomb us from fifty thousand feet.¡±

    ¡°Precisely my point,¡± Donna replied in annoyance.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Blake admitted. ¡°But, I doubt they¡¯ll start with that. I can keep them from attacking on the ground, and if nothing else, I can kidnap some soldiers and hold them hostage. That might keep them from bombing the place.¡±

    Peter shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s come to this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jordan apologized. ¡°I just wanted some peace and quiet. I didn¡¯t mean for anyone to die.¡±

    Donna laid a hand on the somber man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. We don¡¯t even know if his death was your doing, we only have their word.¡±

    ¡°And we know that¡¯s shit,¡± Oliver added.

    Donna then turned to Jessica. ¡°It''s so frustrating being in the dark here. What is the media saying about all of this?¡±

    ¡°Most are reporting exactly what the government tells them to,¡± she replied.

    Brent snorted. ¡°No surprise there.¡±

    ¡°But some independent journalists are questioning why the government has such a distorted response,¡± Jessica continued, ignoring Brent. ¡°Interesting enough, Jennifer Taylor has become one of your most ardent defenders. The ¡®Domers¡¯ have rallied around her. She questioned why you would go through so much trouble to save or spare their lives, to suddenly shoot a soldier dead.¡±

    ¡°I told you she was amazing,¡± Oliver beamed.

    Blake rolled his eyes. ¡°At least that¡¯s something.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, she is in the minority,¡± Jessica replied. ¡°Most are calling for the President to end the standoff.¡±

    The room went quiet as they processed what that could mean. Finally, Blake broke the silence, ¡°Give me an hour or two to finish this scenario. I¡¯ll be there as soon as I can.¡±

    ¡°Be safe,¡± his father told him.

    Blake acknowledged his concern with a nod, and disconnected from holo-chat.

    In the end, it took him just under an hour to eliminate every level three Ursa within the boundary. He forwent a reward, quickly left the portal, and braced himself for combat. To his surprise, when he exited the void, his feet landed upon the basket of an industrial boom lift.

    That was fast.

    Blake immediately leapt from the construction equipment and kept an eye on the soldiers below. Like before, they watched him warily, but refrained from opening fire.

    Whatever. You don¡¯t bother me, I won¡¯t bother you.

    Just before he hit the ground, he used a teleport charge to arrest his fall, and sprinted through the forest, down the large hill. A few minutes later, he emerged at the vacant grocery store parking lot.

    They¡¯re moving fast.

    On his way to the portal, the lot had been packed, as it was the best view of the tower. Now, it was empty, and every store within eyesight was closed. For the first time since Blake went back in time, there were no moving vehicles on the highway.

    Is it wrong that I kind of prefer it this way?

    Blake ignored the sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, and continued his journey to his faction. Five minutes later, he jumped over a privacy fence, crossed another field, and arrived at the back side of the town wall. With the aid of a teleport, he landed atop a merlon, stepped off it, and raced along the battlement. When he finally reached the entrance to their town, he leapt atop another merlon and observed the land below.

    Where did they all go?

    There was no longer an encampment before him. The national guard was nowhere to be seen, the FBI was gone, as were the people in the field beyond. Off in the distance, he heard a distant blast, but saw no sign of military equipment. A few minutes later, he heard a whistling sound. It grew progressively louder, and Blake craned his neck to locate the source.

    There!

    Above him, a pinpoint grew larger until it finally revealed itself as a rocket just as it impacted the shield above. A large explosion temporarily blocked his view, yet the shockwave did not reach him.

    Blake smirked.

    Gonna have to do better than that.

    Suddenly, he heard multiple soft blasts, from what must have been miles away. Again, a few minutes later, he heard whistling. Shortly thereafter, at least fifteen rockets impacted the barrier simultaneously.

    Again, the shield easily rebuffed the attack.

    I bet they¡¯re watching through a satellite.

    Blake waved cheekily to the sky.

    The next salvo was different. This time, the familiar distant blasts repeated every few seconds for almost a minute straight. Blake expected the rockets to land in staggered intervals, but was taken by surprise.

    Holy shit!

    Over two hundred rockets converged from different angles, which would impact the shield simultaneously. At the sight, Blake swallowed and reflexively braced himself for impact. A moment later, the entire shield lit up, blindly bright.

 Chapter 97 - Large Explosions

    Despite Blake¡¯s faith in the shield, he flinched as the munitions fell, and released the breath he did not realize he held. The iridescent dome above him shimmered opaquely over a two hundred foot area.

    Donna Summers: Blake, that brought the shield down to seventy percent. It¡¯s climbing again, but not as fast as before.

    That¡¯s not good.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: I think it¡¯s because the shield¡¯s still on fire up there. Once that clears, it should go back to full strength.

    Donna Summers: I hope you¡¯re right.

    Blake squinted as what looked like fiery goo slid down the surface of the shield and hit the ground outside the wall. The tall, dry grass immediately ignited, and the fire began to spread.

    I need to put that out.

    He cast Improved Flame Shield on himself, stepped off the merlon, and landed inside the fire. By the time he arrived, the flames had already filled the distance between the wall and the road, which acted as a fire block. Unfortunately, there was still plenty for it to burn on his side.

    How am I supposed to put this out?

    Blake¡¯s spells were meant for combat, not utility. Out of all of his abilities, only Gale would affect the inferno, and that would only serve to fan the flames. Unable to think of a solution, he hurried through the now smoldering remains of the grass towards the road. Once he stood on the loose gravel, he turned and stared in horror at the devastation.

    The grass was not the only thing on fire.

    The explosion had thrown fiery debris for hundreds of feet in all directions. Three separate clusters of Ponderosa Pines had already begun to burn, while fire raced through the barren field next to them. In just minutes, it would engulf the vacant barn. Meanwhile, more molten sludge dripped down from the dome and dropped to the ground below.

    I can¡¯t stop this.

    His only hope was for the fire to burn itself out before it spread across any other roads. If it did not, it could start a chain reaction that could not be stopped. Especially if they did not allow firefighters into the area.

    They¡¯re going to burn Pinetop to the ground.

    Donna Summers: Blake, I think we have a problem.

    What now?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: What¡¯s wrong?

    Donna Summers: I¡¯m looking at our treasury, and the nano is dropping.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: What do you mean dropping? How fast?

    Donna Summers: I¡¯m pretty sure it was at twenty-eight million nano this morning. Now it¡¯s at twenty-one, and dropping by around five thousand a second. Do you think it¡¯s using nano to repair the shield?

    Shit! Of course, it does! Why didn¡¯t I consider that?

    Blake was not a member of faction leadership in his past life. He was not included in any meetings, and did not know the nitty-gritty details of how these structures worked. He cursed his lack of knowledge.

    I should have asked Metal more questions.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: How strong is the shield right now?

    Donna Summers: It¡¯s back up to ninety-one percent.

    So, it used about seven mega-nano to repair by a bit over twenty percent. If they keep this up, we¡¯re going to run out of nano quick.

    Distant blasts from the north suddenly interrupted his thoughts. Fifteen minutes had passed since the last salvo, and Blake had hoped it was the last. Unfortunately, as before, the blasts did not relent. Every few seconds, a new explosion resounded.

    I have to stop this. NOW!

    Blake sprinted down the road and activated his Alacrity. He did not know the location of the artillery, but the blasts came from the North. By the time he reached the main highway and turned, the launches abruptly ceased.

    Good, it¡¯s not any more than last time.

    His Alacrity came off cooldown, and he activated it again to speed his journey. Blake knew the military was likely watching him through either satellite or a high-flying drone. Wherever they were, they would be ready for him when he arrived.

    It did not matter, he had to destroy their destructive equipment regardless.

    Donna Summers: Shield integrity dropped to sixty-one percent this time, and we dropped below twenty-mega nano.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m going to stop them.

    Donna Summers: What are you going to do?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: I¡¯m going to blow up their missiles and take whoever¡¯s in charge hostage. I never should have let those cops go.

    Donna Summers: Be careful.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: I always am.

    Donna Summers: Sorry. Logically, I know you¡¯ve done this for years, but I can¡¯t help but worry. If it¡¯s not too much to ask, can you try not to kill anyone?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Sorry mom, I can¡¯t promise that. I won¡¯t go out of my way to kill anyone, but I can¡¯t just wait for them to get clear before I blow up their weapons. That¡¯s a great way to end up dead, myself.

    Donna Summers: I suppose that¡¯s the best I can hope for. And you¡¯re right, I¡¯d rather you survive.

    Blake closed his interface and reactivated Alacrity. He had travelled over five miles, and had yet to find a trace of the military. While he did not want them to launch another salvo of missiles at their town, he may not be able to locate them if they held their fire.

    Just how far away are these guys?

    He traveled another three miles before he finally found them. The Dall-mart parking lot was filled with military vehicles and personnel. A line of tanks, armored personnel carriers, and other equipment Blake had never seen formed an outer perimeter. Beyond, were around fifteen rocket artillery units along with large cargo vehicles. Soldiers hurriedly unloaded the rockets from the back of the truck and continued to reload the platforms.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Blake had only a moment to take in the situation before the perimeter opened fire on him. The moment he heard the first blast, he immediately teleported twenty feet to his left. Despite his lightning fast reaction, he was almost too slow.

    A pressure wave washed over him, which caused him to stumble. His hearing was shot, and his back bruised by debris, but he ignored the pain and teleported again. A moment later, he stood safely behind a Taco Hut. The restaurant was a standard brick building, which every fast food restaurant seemed to emulate.

    Hopefully this gives me a few minutes.

    While Blake waited for his teleport to recharge, he focused his regeneration on his ears. Unless he wanted to peek his head around the corner, he needed his hearing to know what they were doing.

    That was when the building he crouched behind exploded.

    Blake was thrown ten feet away by the blast and rolled another five before he stopped at the bottom of a small drainage ditch. His vision blurred, and a cloud of dust and smoke was before him, but he could easily see nothing remained of the chain restaurant. Before they could line up a shot on him, he quickly ducked into the ditch and laid frozen along the bottom.

    Wow, they¡¯re really going to level the whole town to kill me. I need to reach that front line!

    If he could close the four hundred foot gap between them, they would be forced to ceasefire or risk hitting their own side. At least, the explosives and tank rounds would stop. Blake fully expected the mounted machine guns and small arms fire to follow him regardless.

    Unfortunately, his Spatial Distortion charges were drained, and there was no way he would succeed without both of them available. Blake would need to remain hidden for at least three minutes before he could make the attempt.

    Maybe this wasn¡¯t such a good idea.

    He was tempted to raise his head to peek over the rise, but suppressed the urge. Instead, Blake remained completely still in the hope they would assume he was dead.

    After another minute passed, in which no shots were fired, he grew hopeful. Blake activated Oblate Mind Sense, and immediately celebrated at what it revealed.

    They bought it!

    A force of two armored vehicles and a Humvee had split from the defensive line. They crept slowly forward as a squad of soldiers paced cautiously alongside them. At the speed they currently moved, he would be within their sights in just another minute.

    It¡¯ll be tight, but it should work.

    Seventy seconds later, a soldier yelled, ¡°I have eyes on him! Tango down, I repeat, tango down!¡±

    ¡°Keep your sites on target!¡± another soldier ordered. ¡°We don¡¯t know what he¡¯s capable of.¡±

    No you don¡¯t

    Two seconds later, both charges of his Spatial Step were ready, and he enacted his plan.

    Blake teleported from a prone position to standing, twenty feet closer to the infantry troops, and simultaneously activated Alacrity. Before they could react, he stood among the soldiers. Only a few shots rang out as they struggled to follow his movements.

    ¡°Shit! Target¡¯s active! Target¡¯s active!¡±

    Blake ignored their cries and orders and focused on the greatest threat, the armored vehicles. As he ran, he unhooked his spear from his belt, grasped it tightly, and channeled chi to its tip. By the time it was fully charged, he was only feet away from his target.

    As he passed the vehicle, he swung his spear and easily severed the extruding barrel. He then pivoted and repeated the maneuver on the armored vehicle beside it. Meanwhile, rifles and the Humvee¡¯s mounted machine gun continued to fire. However, only a few bullets found their target, and none of them did more than annoy him.

    Humvee next.

    Three steps later, he swept the energized tip of his spear through the mounted gun just as it fired. The machine gun exploded, and the soldier who aimed it flew off the vehicle.

    With the minor threats eliminated, and the line of tanks and other defenses unable to attack, he easily disarmed the infantry within seconds. Blake heard bones snap as rifles were pulled from their hands and subsequently destroyed. Each time he stole a rifle, he slammed the barrel into the pavement, which deformed the barrel.

    Finally, when the last man was disarmed, he ordered the troops to stand in a line before him. If he wanted to reach the artillery before they fired another salvo, he needed human shields

    ¡°Surrender now, or you will be fired upon!¡± an amplified voice ordered from within the perimeter.

    You already fired on me and it didn¡¯t work, dumbass.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± a soldier before him asked as he cradled his broken fingers.

    Blake brandished his spear. ¡°I want all of you to slowly walk in a line back to the line of tanks where you came from. I¡¯ll be right behind you. But, I¡¯m warning you now, if any of you make any sudden moves, you¡¯ll be cut down.¡±

    ¡°You think we¡¯ll just play along?¡± another soldier growled.

    Blake swung the butt of his spear into the man¡¯s helmet. At impact, the defiant soldier flew sideways and rolled limply along the ground. Blake growled. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s dead or not, but if you don¡¯t want to join him, I suggest you get walking.¡±

    After that, two soldiers complied with his orders, which led the others to follow suit. Blake marched close behind them as they slowly made their way to the line of tanks and armored vehicles. As they steadily moved closer, the amplified voice grew increasingly hostile until he finally gave Blake an ultimatum, surrender in the next ten seconds, or they will open fire.

    You won¡¯t fire on your own troops.

    Unfortunately, Blake was wrong.

    Two of the tanks opened fire and the ground beneath his line of human shields erupted. Blake quickly teleported twenty feet into the air, but not before he saw body parts fly.

    What the hell is wrong with these people?

    While airborne, with only a single hand available, Blake cast Gale. Less than a second later, he shot higher into the sky. Their stream of bullets attempted to follow him, but failed to track his movements. A few moments later, he reached his peak and began to descend just before the line.

    Twenty feet from the ground, he used another charge of his Spatial Step and appeared on top of the tank. He stomped his foot on the barrel, and the thick steel bent downward. Blake activated Alacrity, rushed to the next vehicle, and disabled its main weapon as well.

    Blake worked his way down the line as bullets rained down upon him. By the time he destroyed the last vehicle¡¯s weapons, his body was bruised, and his hair was in shambles.

    He did his best to ignore the rain of bullets which peppered him as he reached for his bow. The rockets were almost completely loaded within their platforms, and Blake needed to destroy them before they could fire. Blake retrieved an arrow from his quiver, channeled chi into it as he pulled the string back, and released.

    The arrow penetrated a rocket within the artillery unit, and exploded from within. This caused the rest of the rockets to erupt, and within seconds, the entire line of artillery was gone. A massive explosion completely destroyed the equipment, which released a wave of shrapnel.

    Everywhere, soldiers fell to the ground and screamed. All gunfire ceased as those who remained uninjured cried out for medics and rushed to their fellow¡¯s aid.

    No longer under attack, Blake searched for someone high rank to take hostage. He could only hope the Generals back at the Pentagon valued their soldier¡¯s lives more than the local commander, or humanity was doomed.

    Finally, Blake spotted a mobile command tent engulfed in flames. Soldiers stumbled out of the temporary structure before it fully caught ablaze. They did not get far before Blake stopped them.

    ¡°Everyone, stop right there!¡± he ordered.

    At his command, they whirled, eyes wide with fear. The soldier on the end reached for his pistol, but Blake stunned him with a Mind Blast before his hand found its grip.

    ¡°If anyone else reaches for their weapon, they die,¡± Blake stated coldly.

    ¡°You¡¯ll kill us anyway,¡± a man sneered.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t,¡± Blake argued. ¡°A dead hostage is useless.¡±

    ¡°Is that what we are now?¡± another asked. ¡°Hostages?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you are,¡± he confirmed. ¡°And, you better hope your leaders care more about your lives than whoever was in charge here. Opening fire on your own men?¡± Blake shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s disgusting.¡±

    ¡°It was an illegal order,¡± a soldier in his forties growled as he eyed Blake warily. ¡°I¡¯ve already placed the CO under arrest. Colonel Stenberg will stand trial,¡± he promised.

    Blake nodded. ¡°Are you in charge now?¡±

    The new commander nodded curtly.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the XO, Major Dominguez,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Then you, and the rest of your command staff, are coming with me. Pick one person to remain behind and organize medical care, but everyone else is now my hostage.¡±

    ¡°Are you bringing us to the dome?¡± the commander asked.

    Blake nodded.

    The officer spat and turned to address his subordinate. ¡°Tanner, you stay and coordinate medical evac.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± the officer confirmed the order with relief.

    ¡°Are we going to march the entire way back?¡± the commander asked.

    ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re going to take one of the transports and drive us there.¡±

    ¡°This many people won¡¯t fit in a Humvee,¡± he pointed out.

    ¡°Then we take an APC,¡± Blake growled. ¡°Pretty sure you¡¯ll all cram inside that. Oh, and bring a radio or some way to contact whoever¡¯s in charge. I want to negotiate.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to surrender?¡±

    ¡°No, you are.¡± Blake replied.

    Twenty minutes later, Blake sat in the passenger seat of an APC as they drove through the open gate to his city. During the drive home, numerous attempts were made to contact him through the radio. Blake only answered a single time. He informed them that he would only negotiate with a single person, the President of the United States. From that point on, he ignored their pleas.

    He wanted his prisoners safe within their cells before he opened negotiations, and he was in no hurry to speed things along. There was only a week and a half left before Invasion day, and Blake intended to stall.

 Chapter 98 - Stalling Tactics

    ¡°Your hair looks ridiculous.¡± Oliver commented as Blake entered his mother¡¯s office.

    In the two hours since he secured his new hostages, he had cleaned the blood, sweat, and soot from his body, as well as eaten.

    Blake ran a hand through his half charred, chin length locks as he relaxed into the padded couch and shot his brother an irritated look. It had been over six months since he last had it cut, and it had grown far longer than he intended. He had been so busy since he returned, he had not had time to devote to something as simple as a hair cut.

    Well, I need to cut it now.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got some scissors,¡± Peter offered. ¡°I can¡¯t promise you a glamorous cut, but it¡¯ll be straight.¡± After a moment, he mumbled, ¡°Mostly.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Won¡¯t work. The scissors will break before my hair does.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re made out of steel,¡± his father pointed out.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Blake explained. ¡°Nano makes my hair more resistant to damage, as well as my nails and teeth. I¡¯ll have to cut it myself with this.¡± He held up a small dagger he received from a level three scenario.

    ¡°Barbers in the future are gonna have to be high level,¡± Oliver quipped.

    ¡°You should have done that before the interview like I asked,¡± Donna reprimanded her son, and then turned to Jessica, who was present through holo-chat. ¡°Our internet is still out, are the media aware of what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Jessica frowned as she typed on her laptop. ¡°People heard the explosions for miles. They¡¯re demanding to know what¡¯s going on but, so far, the government has remained silent.¡±

    ¡°Of course they are,¡± Oliver snorted. ¡°They just got their butts kicked.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what worries me,¡± Peter admitted. ¡°Blake made them look weak, and that¡¯s the last thing they want. President Warner promised to end this quickly, and it backfired on him.¡±

    ¡°Well, I told them I¡¯ll only negotiate with the President,¡± Blake informed them. ¡°Hopefully they stop their attacks until then.¡±

    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll actually let you talk with him?¡± Brent asked.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll find out, but as long as they stop bombing us for the next week and a half, that¡¯s all that matters.¡±

    ¡°The Governor just released a statement alongside a video,¡± Jessica said as she rotated her laptop. She hit play and drone footage of Blake¡¯s battle began to play.

    I can¡¯t believe they actually released this.

    Surprisingly, the video was of high quality, despite being shot from high altitude. Blake watched as he came into view and teleported behind the Taco Hut. A moment later, the entire building exploded, and he was thrown backwards.

    Donna gasped and gave him a worried look.

    ¡°Go ahead and fast-forward a couple of minutes,¡± Blake suggested as he looked away from his mother. ¡°I stay in that ditch for a while.¡±

    Jessica nodded and complied.

    His parents continued to wince as they watched him fight, while Oliver praised him and supplied a running commentary. However, when the video showed his escort of the infantry back to the main force, he noticed something missing.

    ¡°Jessica, can you rewind that a few seconds?¡± he asked.

    The footage replayed, and Blake shook his head in disgust.

    ¡°They deleted part of it,¡± he announced.

    Jessica paused the video.

    ¡°It looked like you were walking forward with the soldiers, then they just suddenly exploded.¡± Jordan stated carefully. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Blake growled as he made a fist. ¡°They fired on their own men, and it looks like they want to hide the evidence. Now, it makes me look like an animal.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll all come out eventually,¡± Donna assured him.

    The footage resumed, and they continued to watch the video in silence until the end. Even Oliver refrained from speaking, as he realized the footage showed him in a bad light. After the video ended, Jessica stated, ¡°The Governor said this is an act of war, and he blames you for the massacre of his soldiers. He said he is coordinating with the President for a large assault on The Dome, and will not rest until justice is served.¡±

    ¡°No mention of them bombing us first?¡± Blake asked.

    Jessica shook her head to the negative.

    Of course there isn¡¯t.

    Peter cleared his throat. ¡°This looks bad. We need to get our side of the story out there.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Blake asked in frustration. ¡°You hear those helicopters? They have missiles. They¡¯ve been flying around ever since I got back, and the second I step outside, you know they¡¯ll open fire.¡±

    ¡°Wait, they¡¯re military?¡± Peter furrowed his brow. ¡°I thought they were there to put out the fires.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°I think the fires burned themselves out. I didn¡¯t see any on the way back in.¡±

    ¡°Thank God for small miracles,¡± Donna muttered.

    ¡°Who cares if they¡¯re military, aren¡¯t you bulletproof?¡± Oliver asked flippantly. ¡°Just shoot them down with your bow.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Blake replied dryly. ¡°Just stand still while missiles blow up around me, and shoot a moving target over a thousand feet in the air.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    His brother scowled. ¡°Take a hostage, idiot.¡±

    ¡°I tried that,¡± Blake reminded his brother. ¡°Didn¡¯t work out so well for the hostages.¡±

    Donna studiously ignored their argument and addressed the Payson chancellor. ¡°Jessica, can you put a statement on our website?¡±

    The Vietnamese woman shook her head. ¡°Sorry, they took it down. But I can message reporters covering the story. Hopefully, one of them will read it and mention it on the news.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget Jennifer Taylor,¡± Oliver blurted.

    Blake rolled his eyes.

    Why is he so obsessed with her?

    <hr>

    Blake stared discreetly at the Mark of Cain as he lounged on the couch, and waited for the daily meeting to begin. The tattoo had grown darker and larger since his battle the day prior. It now crawled up his entire forearm and wrapped around it. He was not sure how many deaths he was directly responsible for, but it was enough for the Architect to label him a mass murderer.

    I didn¡¯t want to kill anyone.

    He had long grown accustomedto death, but that did not mean he felt nothing for their loss. Every human he was forced to kill was another win for the Architect in its sick extermination game. It was one less resource they could use to survive. Worse, they were soldiers. They had experience in warfare as well as training which would serve them well in the future.

    What a waste.

    Suddenly, a notification pinged in his interface and distracted him from his morose thoughts. He quickly hid his arm before anyone noticed and accepted the holo-chat call. Jessica appeared before him with a smile.

    ¡°Good news, I was able to contact three influencers, who have released videos explaining your side of the story.¡±

    ¡°Was Jennifer one of them?¡± Oliver leaned forward.

    Jessica nodded.

    Blake sighed. ¡°I noticed you said, ¡®influencers¡¯. Did any real journalists report it?¡±

    ¡°Hey! Jennifer¡¯s a real journalist!¡± Oliver objected from across the room.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Jessica shook her head. ¡°I received no responses from any mainstream sources. It was difficult enough to contact individual influencers. When they did finally respond, I had to show proof that we knew you personally.¡±

    ¡°How did you do that?¡± Donna asked.

    Jessica smiled. ¡°I recorded a short video of the combat teams showing off their powers.¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°I bet Montgomery loved that.¡±

    ¡°He did,¡± Jessica confirmed. ¡°As did the others with flashy spells.¡±

    ¡°Did you contact their families?¡± Donna asked. ¡°If that video gets out, the authorities can identify them and track down their family members.¡±

    ¡°Already done,¡± Jessica replied. ¡°We will have a whole host of new guests shortly.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the reaction online so far?¡± Peter changed the subject.

    ¡°Well, the videos were only released a few hours ago, but they are surging in popularity. Especially Miss Taylor¡¯s. It has over a hundred million views and climbing. She found an expert who went over the released footage and showed how the video was missing frames.¡±

    ¡°Thank God,¡± Blake sighed. ¡°I guess your girlfriend was useful after all.¡±

    Oliver showed him his middle finger.

    Jessica grimaced. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get your hopes up. There are a lot of people who are accusing her and others of collaborating with you. They¡¯re calling for the DoJ to arrest them for working for the enemy. So far, the President has remained silent on the issue.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he hasn¡¯t contacted me yet either,¡± Blake informed her. ¡°Although, as long as they don¡¯t bomb us, I don¡¯t really care if he picks up the phone.¡±

    <hr>

    For what seemed the hundredth time over the past two days, the radio squawked for his attention. With a sigh, Blake reached for the microphone and answered the call. ¡°Is the president ready to talk yet?¡± he asked in a bored tone.

    ¡°Yes, Mister Summers,¡± the voice confirmed. ¡°You will be connected shortly. Please stay on the line.¡±

    Wait, what?

    Blake sat up and glanced at his mother behind her desk. She seemed just as surprised as he. Donna and Blake were currently the only two people present in her office. While he waited for the President to come on the line, he quickly sent a message out to his father and Jessica so they could witness the interaction.

    A minute later, he heard someone run up the stairs. Oliver burst into the room in excitement. ¡°Is the President seriously going to talk to us?!

    ¡°To me, not us. And, if you want to stay, you have to be quiet,¡± Blake informed his brother.

    Oliver raised his hands. ¡°I got it, I got it.¡±

    Blake shook his head and watched his father file into the room. Peter smiled, quietly sat in the chair opposite Blake, and stared intently at his oldest son.

    Another two minutes later, the voice on the radio returned, ¡°The President will speak with you now.¡±

    ¡°This is President Warner, whom am I speaking to?¡± The President asked in his famous southern accent.

    That¡¯s him.

    It had been ten years since Blake heard the voice, but even he remembered the final President¡¯s distinctive southern accent and cadence. The world had essentially ended only six months into the man¡¯s first term, but for two years leading up to it, they had heard his voice, and seen his thin, pale complexion everywhere. Between campaign ads, the numerous debates, and the viral clips online where he verbally destroyed his opponent, it was a rare person who could not identify him immediately.

    ¡°This is Blake Summers,¡± he responded calmly.

    ¡°Right¡­¡± the President drawled. ¡°Are your parents there, son? Your handler? I want to talk to whoever¡¯s in charge, not some kid.¡±

    ¡°I am in charge,¡± Blake insisted. ¡°If you actually paid attention to what¡¯s going on, you¡¯d know I¡¯m from the future.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m aware of what¡¯s happening alright,¡± President Warner growled. ¡°I¡¯m looking at the picture in your file right here. It says you are an eighteen-year-old delinquent who dropped out of school to sell drugs and kill cops. Now, I suppose we need to add mass murder of our brave soldiers to the list.¡±

    ¡°Physically, I¡¯m eighteen, but I have ten years of memories in my head from the future. And, most of those soldier¡¯s deaths are on Colonel Stenberg. He¡¯s the one that gave the order to open fire on his own men.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s still under investigation,¡± The president evaded. ¡°But the fact remains, you attacked US soldiers and are a threat to this country.¡±

    ¡°I defended myself,¡± Blake argued. ¡°If you want to stop the bloodshed, all you have to do is stop attacking us for the next week.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot?¡± the President suddenly yelled. ¡°You¡¯re obviously backed by China, Russia, or some other foreign power. You have advanced tech we haven¡¯t seen before, and are staging some sort of assault from within that Dome. I can¡¯t just stand by and let that happen.¡±

    Blake¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± he said firmly. ¡°You are a threat to this nation, and I don¡¯t intend to watch the greatest country on Earth fall to a foreign adversary. Now, who are you working for? Where did you get that tech?¡±

    The man¡¯s an idiot. How did he ever get elected?

    Blake took a deep, calming breath and said, ¡°Mister President, portals have appeared all over the world. I know for a fact the government has studied at least one of them for months now, and must have some idea of what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m concerned that YOU don¡¯t know about it yet. What are they keeping from YOU. The ¡®tech¡¯ you are so worried about is alien, not from some other country.¡±

    President Warner snorted, yet his voice seemed uneasy. ¡°Hogwash. You think I was born yesterday? That line may play well to the masses, but I know bullshit when I hear it. There is no ¡®alien invasion¡¯.¡±

    Wait, he might not actually know anything about it.

    ¡°Oh. My. God.¡± Blake said in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re serious. You don¡¯t have a clue about what¡¯s going on, do you? You¡¯re not important enough to be in the know.¡±

    ¡°Listen here, son,¡± the President growled. ¡°I am the President of the United States, Commander in Chief of the world¡¯s greatest military. There is nothing I am not aware of.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s true, then what was the government doing at the Pinetop fire tower?¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you on about, kid?¡±

    He really doesn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Mister President, I suggest you find out why your men were at the Pinetop fire tower and what they were securing. Find whoever was in charge of that group and start asking questions. When you finally know what the hell you¡¯re talking about, call me back. In the meantime, there¡¯s no point in continuing this conversation.¡±

    Blake threw the microphone down in disgust and turned off the radio. When he finally looked up, he saw shocked faces around the room.

    ¡°Broooo¡­¡± Oliver drawled. ¡°Did you just hang up on the President?¡±

 Chapter 99 - Negotiations

    Blake ignored the radio for six hours. He was not sure if they tried to contact him while it was offline, but a full day had passed, and they had yet to reach out. He reclined with the microphone in his hand on the comfortable couch in his mother¡¯s office alongside the rest of the small town¡¯s population as they held yet another meeting with Jessica.

    ¡°Most families have now arrived and are settling in. They aren¡¯t too happy with their accommodations, but understand it is a temporary measure. All but one or two believe. The whole ¡®Dome¡¯ issue makes some people nervous, but we are keeping everyone calm. I¡¯ve had quite a few volunteers for non-combat roles, and I¡¯ve assigned them as general laborers. Hopefully that should speed up construction of the wall.¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°If there¡¯s any hard workers, you can change their class when more positions open up.¡±

    ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t change classes,¡± Donna interrupted.

    ¡°You can¡¯t change your combat class,¡± he corrected her misunderstanding. ¡°You can change your non-combat classes any time, but you lose all the progress you¡¯ve made in it. But, since laborers don¡¯t get any progress, it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡±

    ¡°That is good to know, ¡°Jessica scribbled the information in her planner. ¡°I will update the guide.¡± After she finished the notation, she looked up and continued on with her report. ¡°The scouts I posted have still not reported any unusual traffic. Although, they have had to turn a few vehicles away. To ensure this location remains secret, I¡¯ve also confiscated all cell phones. That caused a bit of a backlash, but no one threatened to leave over it. What does concern me, however, is the report I received about large, black SUVs in town.¡±

    Blake sat up and leaned forward, radio forgotten.

    ¡°Jeff¡¯s family stopped by the grocery store for a few snacks and supplies before they arrived. His father reported numerous suspicious vehicles canvassing the area. It could be all in his head, but I instituted a lockdown, just to be safe.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Blake nodded. ¡°Better safe than sorry.¡±

    ¡°My thoughts as well.¡± Jessica grinned. ¡°Still no response from the President?¡±

    Blake shook his head.

    ¡°Hanging up on him was not the best response,¡± she said carefully.

    ¡°You can say that again,¡± Blake¡¯s father muttered, while Oliver snickered.

    Jessica continued on. ¡°I¡¯m concerned his pride may prevent negotiations. If he does contact you, I suggest showing him respect, even if you believe he does not deserve it.¡±

    Blake let out a sigh. ¡°Yeah, probably a good idea. Although, at this point, I honestly don¡¯t care if he calls back or not. We only have six more days. As long as they don¡¯t bomb us or start blasting music again, he can give me the silent treatment all he wants.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s probably raisin¡¯ hell trying to figure out what you¡¯re on about,¡± Jordan pointed out. ¡°I bet a lot of people are losing their jobs right about now.¡±

    ¡°Naw,¡± Oliver disagreed. ¡°The man¡¯s an idiot. He just got butt hurt, is all. I bet he never even looks into it.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t homeland security supposed to inform the President of all threats? Why would they keep it from him?¡± Brent asked.

    Donna smiled. ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®managing your boss¡¯. You limit what information they see, make sure the only possible solutions they¡¯re aware of are ones you put forward, and when they order you to do something you don¡¯t like, you drag your feet. After a few months, they usually forget about their new initiative.¡±

    ¡°Speaking from experience?¡± Peter laughed.

    Donna¡¯s grin widened.

    ¡°Yeah, well I¡­¡± Blake began when he was suddenly interrupted by the radio.

    He reached out to the microphone and answered, ¡°This is Blake, is the President ready to talk?¡±

    ¡°He is,¡± the voice confirmed. ¡°Please stay on the line as I connect you.¡±

    Finally! Let¡¯s see if he learned anything.

    ¡°Oliver¡­¡± Blake began.

    ¡°I know, I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut.¡± His brother slouched onto the couch next to him and mimed zipping his mouth closed.

    The radio crackled again, and the familiar southern drawl of the President greeted him. Blake returned the greeting in a chipper voice while looking at his mother. ¡°Good morning, Mister President. Did you have a good night¡¯s sleep?¡±

    Donna gave him a look of warning.

    Yeah, yeah. I¡¯ll be good.

    ¡°No, frankly I didn¡¯t,¡± he drawled. ¡°I had a long talk with the agent previously in charge of the Pinetop quarantine. It was¡­ illuminating.¡±

    Blake bit his lip to prevent himself from rubbing the President¡¯s previous lack of knowledge in his face. Instead, he asked innocently, ¡°Oh? How so?¡±

    Donna coughed.

    ¡°He confirmed some of what you claimed, and has some theories of his own,¡± President Warner replied in his thick, southern accent.

    Oliver slapped Blake on the shoulder.

    ¡°What kind of theories?¡± Blake asked with genuine curiosity.

    ¡°The alien component is verified, as well as the spatial distortions we have quarantined throughout the US.¡±

    Is that what you¡¯re calling the portals? I bet you haven¡¯t even found one percent of them.

    ¡°Initially, it was thought that you accidentally stumbled into a distortion and somehow survived. However, your ¡®guide¡¯ you¡¯ve spread online destroyed that theory. According to my aids, it¡¯s quite extensive. There¡¯s no way you gained that much knowledge in just a few months.¡±

    Good, he¡¯s finally starting to believe me.

    ¡°Which means you¡¯re working for the alien AI,¡± the President said, confidently.

    What the hell?!

    Anger surged within Blake, and before he could stop himself, he blurted, ¡°Screw you! I¡¯ve spent the last ten years working against that glorified toaster. I hate it! I hate it and everything it stands for!¡±

    His mother¡¯s eyes went wide.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    When he finished his rant, the radio went quiet. All he could hear were his deep breaths as he tried and failed to control his temper. He glanced around the room, and saw the look of concern on his mother¡¯s face mirrored across the rest of his family and friends. Even Oliver looked at him in disbelief.

    His brother mouthed silently, ¡°Dude, you said ¡®screw you¡¯ to the President.¡±

    What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I so emotional?

    For years, Blake had dealt with cults who worshiped the Architect as well as people who praised its rewards. They annoyed him, but he never blew up when confronted. He forced himself to calm down and leaned back into his seat.

    Is it teenage hormones?

    Finally, the President responded and interrupted his self-reflection. An, amused tone overrode his usual sleepy cadence. ¡°I see I hit a nerve. Perhaps we have it backwards. Is the AI coercing you in some way? What is it holding over you?¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t holding anything over me,¡± Blake replied through gritted teeth. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m from ten years in the future. THAT¡¯s how I know what¡¯s going to happen. THAT¡¯s how I know how the collective works.¡±

    ¡°Boy, if you expect us to believe that, we might as well end this conversation right now,¡± the President threatened.

    ¡°Fine with me,¡± Blake shrugged. ¡°In six days, you¡¯ll see for yourself. Of course, it¡¯ll be too late for you by then.¡±

    Oliver shifted forward on the couch as if he was watching a sports game in the last moments.

    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± he asked, irate.

    What?

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not threatening you,¡± Blake corrected the President. ¡°I¡¯m talking about Invasion day. Didn¡¯t you read the guide?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the highlights,¡± President Warner evaded. ¡°You¡¯re referring to when everyone on the planet magically joins this ¡®Collective¡¯ of yours, and electricity somehow stops functioning. Do I have that correct?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not my Collective, but essentially yes,¡± Blake conceded.

    ¡°How?¡± the President asked simply.

    Blake furrowed his brows in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Tell me how that is even remotely possible, because my scientists have gone over the numbers, and they tell me it''s impossible. Do you know how many nanomachines there would have to be to infect everyone in the world?¡± President Warner asked rhetorically. ¡°Because I do. We don¡¯t have a number that goes that high. They had to write it down and show it to me in exponential form. Trust me when I say, it was a lot of zeroes.¡±

    Blake sighed. ¡°Look, I have no clue how it works. It¡¯s an alien technology,¡± he reminded the President. ¡°I just know it¡¯s going to happen.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Warner trailed off. ¡°So, I have an offer for you.¡±

    Blake leaned forward.

    ¡°Turn off The Dome. Turn yourself in, along with your co conspirators, and release the hostages. Work with us so we can learn more about this alien threat. If you do that, we¡¯ll go easy on you and your friends. You¡¯ll be set up in nice rooms with room service, and all the entertainment you can handle.¡±

    Is he serious?

    ¡°Let me get this straight,¡± Blake said, deadpan. ¡°You want me to surrender unconditionally. In return, I get¡­ room service?¡±

    ¡°You are not negotiating from a position of strength,¡± the President replied smugly. Blake could hear cockiness ooze out of the man¡¯s mouth as his southern twang intensified.

    Screw you.

    ¡°How about a counteroffer?¡± Blake replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m listening¡­¡±

    ¡°Announce to the public that the threat is real. Print off hundreds of millions of copies of my guide and distribute them before Invasion day. And, get the other world leaders to do the same. If you do that, I¡¯ll release half the hostages.¡±

    President Warner guffawed. ¡°Can you believe the balls on this kid? Why are you pushing this guide so much?¡± he asked. ¡°What¡¯s in it for you?¡±

    ¡°The survival of the human race,¡± Blake answered simply.

    The President responded in a stern tone, ¡°You have tested my patience long enough. You have twenty-four hours to surrender yourself and your associates.¡±

    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Then we will blow your little Dome to smithereens.¡±

    ¡°You already tried that,¡± Blake reminded him. ¡°Didn¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°You think we¡¯re limited to artillery? This is the United States military we¡¯re talking about. I will send bombers against you armed with GBU43¡¯s. Do you know what they call those? The Mother Of All Bombs.¡± President Warner then snorted. ¡°And if that doesn¡¯t work¡­ well¡­ we have tech the public doesn¡¯t even know about.¡±

    Blake swallowed.

    ¡°I have hostages,¡± he reminded the President. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about them?¡±

    ¡°The death of a few men is a small price to pay for freedom. Now, what¡¯s it going to be? Are you going to play ball?¡±

    He actually said that out loud.

    Blake steeled his nerves. ¡°Hard pass.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself. Just remember, when the bombs start falling, and you start shitting your pants, all you have to do is pick up the radio to make them stop. I¡¯ll be waiting to accept your surrender.¡±

    After that, the radio went silent. Blake gazed into the small speakers in disbelief.

    How the hell did that go so wrong?

    ¡°Well, that went well,¡± Oliver broke the silence.

    ¡°Son,¡± Peter said gently. ¡°You need to get that temper under control.¡±

    Blake nodded in agreement. ¡°I do, but I don¡¯t think it would¡¯ve made a difference. He was going to give me that ultimatum no matter what I said.¡±

    ¡°I have to agree with Blake,¡± Jessica spoke up. ¡°His poll numbers are in the toilet, and the public is calling for him to end this standoff. I believe he is more worried about reelection than the fate of the world. But you do have a temper.¡±

    Typical politician. Of course, he is.

    ¡°Is there anything we can do to stop this?¡± Donna asked.

    Blake shook his head.

    ¡°Well, if it is any consolation, you don¡¯t need to worry about other countries remaining ignorant,¡± Jessica said.

    He glanced up and stared intently at his chancellor through the holo-chat. ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because the guide is everywhere now,¡± she explained. ¡°It has been translated to every language, and is being discussed from Australia to Zimbabwe. I¡¯m sure there are a few primitive tribes who remain ignorant, but the rest of the world is watching with rapt attention.¡±

    At least people will be forewarned, even if I die before Invasion day.

    <hr>

    True to his word, exactly twenty-four hours later, the first bomb fell. The explosion was much louder than he expected, and everyone was startled.

    ¡°That brought the shield down to eighty percent,¡± his mother informed him.

    Blake cradled the radio¡¯s microphone in his hand, but refused to transmit. He considered smashing it against the wall but refrained. Everyone waited with bated breath for the next bomb to drop. However, thirty seconds later, Donna informed him the shield was back to full strength.

    ¡°How much nano do we have in the treasury?¡± Blake asked.

    His mother¡¯s eyes glazed as she navigated her interface. A moment later, she said, ¡°One hundred and fifteen mega-nano.¡±

    Blake¡¯s brows rose in surprise. ¡°That much?¡±

    ¡°Jessica stopped every project but the wall upgrade and is funneling all of her incoming nano to us.¡± Donna sighed. ¡°I just hope it¡¯ll be enough.¡±

    For five days? I doubt it.

    ¡°What if they nuke us?¡± Oliver asked. Blake could hear the fear in his voice.

    ¡°They won¡¯t use nukes,¡± he assured his older brother. ¡°Warner only cares about reelection, remember? Who would elect a President who dropped a nuke in the middle of a city.¡±

    ¡°But they evacuated everyone,¡± Oliver pointed out. ¡°Besides, didn¡¯t they used to drop nukes all the time in Nevada?¡±

    Blake did not have an answer to that.

    An hour passed before the next bomb impacted the shield. This time, there were multiple explosions, and integrity dropped to sixty-eight percent before it began to rapidly recover.

    Weird, you would think five times the bombs would mean five times the drain, but that¡¯s not even double.

    He was not sure why it worked in his favor, but he was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Instead, he snatched one of the few printed guides from the lobby and walked unhurriedly down to the jail cells below.

    Blake descended the stairs, stopped before the only occupied cell, and gazed at his hostages. Eight men stared silently back at him in defiance. The sound of explosions had obviously rattled them.

    After a full minute, Major Dominguez broke the silence. ¡°Are you here to execute us?¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± the Major asked. ¡°I can hear them bombing us, didn¡¯t you threaten to kill us if they attacked?¡±

    ¡°I implied it,¡± Blake conceded with a shrug. ¡°But, I never told them I would. Why would I? You guys were just doing your jobs. Hell, I could use soldiers like you if we make it to Invasion day.¡±

    The command staff sneered.

    ¡°You think I¡¯m the bad guy? I¡¯m not the one bombing my own soldiers,¡± Blake pointed out. ¡°The President made it very clear he considers you all collateral damage.¡±

    Dominguez winced, but the others remained unconvinced.

    Blake sighed and extended the guide through the bars. ¡°Read this. If we survive the next five days, you¡¯re going to need to know what¡¯s going on.¡±

 Chapter 100 - Conspiracy Theories

    Blake was exhausted.

    The government had bombed them throughout the night, with only an hour or so break between rounds. Each time he drifted off to sleep, he was quickly awakened by a harsh blast. Now, he lay in his bunk half awake, unable to enter a full sleep, as his eyes strayed to the glass window.

    Suddenly, the sky lit up as if it were day. The resulting explosion was so loud, he felt the bed beneath him vibrate. He waited for the motion to stop.

    It did not.

    Blake sat upright, immediately awake as he tried to determine what was happening. The awful noise continued for five full seconds before it began to dissipate.

    What the hell was that?

    The explosion was the largest they had ever experienced, and Blake was surprised the shields held. He quickly sent off a message to his mother, and it took only seconds to receive a response.

    Donna Summers: That blast took the shield down to 22%. I don¡¯t know what kind of bomb they used, but it¡¯s not recovering as quickly as before.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: I bet it was that M.O.A.B. he was talking about. It¡¯s the only thing that makes sense.

    Donna Summers: Maybe. The sun¡¯s rising, and there¡¯s no way I can sleep now. I¡¯m going to message everyone to meet in the cookhouse for breakfast.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Sounds good.

    Blake closed the messages and let out a deep breath.

    Should I just surrender?

    His situation seemed hopeless, and he wondered if a government cell for him and his family was preferable to complete obliteration. It would only be temporary anyway. Regardless, he would not make such a large decision without first consulting the others.

    Now that the event was over, his weariness returned.

    I need coffee.

    Blake shuffled into the cookhouse with his eyelids half closed. The second he entered the building, he froze and took a deep sniff. ¡°Ahhhh, coffee.¡± With renewed purpose, he rushed to the freshly brewed pot and poured himself a cup.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± Donna greeted him over her own mug as she sat at the table, her usual cheerful demeanor soured.

    Blake grunted in response.

    ¡°Mornin¡¯,¡± Jordan said in his southern accent as he entered the room, Brent right behind him.

    ¡°What¡¯s for breakfast?¡± Brent asked after a yawn.

    ¡°How are you yawning after that boom?¡± Jordan asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± Brent sighed.

    Peter suddenly exited the kitchen door, with plates of bacon in his hands. ¡°Bacon, eggs, and hash browns.¡± He sat the plate on the table and laughed as hands greedily reached for a slice. ¡°Don¡¯t fill up too much, the eggs and hash are coming.¡±

    ¡°Thank you kindly,¡± Jordan replied.

    Ten minutes later, the rest of the food was delivered, and they sat around the table to eat.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Oliver?¡± Blake asked.

    Donna shook her head. ¡°I think he¡¯s still asleep.¡±

    ¡°How can anyone sleep through that?¡± Jordan asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Oliver can sleep through anything,¡± Peter replied confidently.

    They continued the small talk as they ate, and avoided the looming subject of the shield.

    After Blake felt the caffeine finally take effect, he took a moment of silence while the conversations continued. He breathed deeply and broached the subject he had come to discuss. ¡°So, that last blast came pretty close to taking down the shields, and we still have four days left. I¡¯m wondering if it might not be better to just surrender.¡±

    The table fell immediately silent.

    ¡°No way!¡± Brent recovered first, while Jordan shook his head in agreement.

    Blake sighed and rubbed his temples with both hands. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t want to either, but it might be the smarter play. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll kill us in the next four days. After Invasion day, I can try and escape wherever they¡¯re holding us and rescue the rest of you. Then we can make our way back here.¡±

    ¡°That assumes you even know where the rest of us are,¡± his father pointed out. ¡°What if they fly you to Guant¨¢namo Bay? How are you going to cross the ocean to get back here with no boats or planes?¡± Peter shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s too risky.¡±

    ¡°Jessica can send a group of constructors over with nano to build the portal room. Once it¡¯s finished, we can just pay to teleport back home from anywhere.¡±

    ¡°How long would that take?¡± Donna asked.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°Two to three weeks.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re forgetting about the guys with guns,¡± Peter argued. ¡°They¡¯ll still be here after Invasion day, and you¡¯re the only bulletproof person we have.¡±

    ¡°I think we should add Jessica to this meeting,¡± Donna stated before her eyes unfocused.

    ¡°You think she¡¯s awake this early?¡± Blake asked.

    A moment later, he received a holo-chat request, which answered his question. As usual, the Vietnamese woman was behind her laptop at her desk, a mug of coffee in her hand.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± she greeted them. ¡°What brings you to a meeting so early?¡±

    ¡°Talk of surrender,¡± Brent growled.

    Jessica frowned. ¡°Is something wrong with the shield?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, but I don¡¯t know how much longer it can take the abuse.¡±

    ¡°Well, if public opinion is any guide, this may be over sooner than you think.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean? Peter asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°President Warner is getting hounded on all sides for his decision to bomb The Dome despite your hostages. Some Domers even stormed the White House lawn.¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°How did people find out about the hostages? I thought the whole point of disabling the cell towers and locking down airspace was so they can do whatever they want without the public knowing.¡±

    ¡°When they released casualty estimates, the government tried to keep the hostage situation secret,¡± Jessica explained. ¡°The soldiers didn¡¯t like that and informed the families their loved ones were taken hostage. Those families then went to the media.¡±

    ¡°Nice!¡± Brent whooped.

    ¡°Good for them,¡± Jordan agreed.

    ¡°It was not just that news that leaked,¡± she added. ¡°They also corroborated the friendly fire event. Now, Jennifer Taylor¡¯s credibility is soaring.¡±

    ¡°Thank God for that,¡± Donna mumbled.

    Blake smirked. ¡°Oliver will be thrilled.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been about a half hour since the last bomb,¡± Brent added. ¡°And it was a hell of a lot bigger than the others. I bet they used the M.O.A.B. in a last ditch effort to see if they could crack the shield.¡±

    Jordan sighed. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right, but the President giving up now will make him look weak. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s willing to ruin his image like that.¡±

    ¡°He does seem to be between a rock and a hard place,¡± Donna agreed.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t have happened to a nicer guy,¡± Blake replied, blandly.

    Peter nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope his sense is greater than his pride.¡±

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    Jessica nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll keep you informed if anything else happens, in the meantime I have to go. I have someone at my door.¡±

    After she left, the table lapsed into silence, and Peter brought out some biscuits with a new pot of coffee. Blake poured himself another cup and stared into the dark liquid.

    Ten minutes later, the President was on the radio.

    ¡°Ready to surrender yet?¡± he began, without preamble.

    ¡°No,¡± Blake responded simply.

    ¡°Are you certain?¡± Warner asked in his southern twang. ¡°I can keep this up for weeks if necessary.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you can,¡± Blake disagreed. ¡°People found out about the hostages, and they¡¯re pissed. Besides, you¡¯ve been bombing us for hours, and we¡¯re still here.¡± Then, Blake decided to gamble. ¡°Your precious M.O.A.B. didn¡¯t even leave a scratch. It didn¡¯t even wake up my brother.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll come to regret your blatant disrespect,¡± the president growled. ¡°I told you, son, we¡¯ve got tech you ain¡¯t ever heard of, and I think it¡¯s time you found out.¡±

    After his parting message, the President was gone.

    ¡°What do you think he meant by that?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Donna admitted. ¡°But I believe the explosions will stop.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope so,¡± Peter replied.

    <hr>

    ¡°Looks like Mom was right,¡± Blake yelled as he entered the alchemy Workshop six hours later. Heavy metal music blared over the cell phone speaker, and his brother¡¯s head bobbed to the beat.

    Didn¡¯t he get tired of this crap last week?

    ¡°Right about what?¡± Oliver yelled back as he poured a solution from his decanter into his boiling glass beaker.

    Blake rolled his eyes. ¡°That they¡¯re done dropping bombs. If you didn¡¯t sleep through this morning¡¯s meeting, you¡¯d know what I was talking about.¡±

    ¡°Did you actually need me there?¡± his brother asked.

    Blake shook his head as he strode over to the bench and turned down his brother¡¯s cell phone. ¡°How does this thing still have a charge?¡± he muttered.

    ¡°Car charger.¡±

    ¡°So, what are you working on?¡± Blake changed the subject.

    ¡°I unlocked a new recipe.¡±

    ¡°What kind of recipe?¡±

    Oliver finished pouring and began to stir it slowly in. ¡°If I get this right, it¡¯ll be our first healing potion!¡± he said, excitedly.

    Blake¡¯s brows rose.

    Already?

    ¡°How much does it heal?¡± he asked.

    ¡°How the hell am I supposed to know? I haven¡¯t made it yet. And, if you don¡¯t leave me alone, I¡¯m going to fail again, and I¡¯ll never find out,¡± he warned.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Blake raised his hands defensively. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡±

    Just as he was about to exit the building, his brother yelled, ¡°Turn the music back up!¡±

    As Blake walked nonchalantly along the gravel path, blaring music behind him, he watched the skies. The shield partially discolored the cloudless sky, but he could easily see and hear the numerous military helicopters which circled it. They had been a constant presence for over a week, and had only retreated when The Dome was about to be bombed.

    Now it just needs to stay this way right up until Invasion day.

    Blake yawned and then saw Jordan and Brent beneath the overhang of the faction hall. He changed direction and soon joined them as they rested in the shade.

    ¡°How long do you think this will last?¡± Jordan asked.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°Hopefully until Invasion day, but I doubt it. Warner was pretty confident the ¡®new tech¡¯ would do the job. Whatever that is.¡±

    ¡°Naw, he was just blusterin,¡± Jordan replied. ¡°He can¡¯t do nothing with the media watchin.

    ¡°Nothing big, anyway,¡± Brent corrected his older cousin.

    ¡°Hey Brent,¡± Blake changed the subject. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering, why does Jordan have an accent, but you don¡¯t?¡±

    Brent rolled his eyes. ¡°This idiot adopted that stupid accent five years ago. Said the ladies ate it up. Now, I don¡¯t think he can drop it.¡±

    Jordan smirked. ¡°The ladies do love it. Maybe if you tried it on, you¡¯d get you a girl, too.¡±

    Brent blew a raspberry. ¡°It only attracts the crazies. Why would I want to deal with that?¡±

    His cousin shrugged. ¡°You got me there. My ex¡­¡± Jordan suddenly sat up. ¡°Do you guys hear that?¡±

    Blake cocked his head to listen.

    Brent shook his head. ¡°Hear what?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Jordan climbed to his feet. ¡°I don¡¯t hear no helicopters.¡±

    He¡¯s right.

    They left the shade of the faction hall and walked out into the field for a better view. The sky remained clear, and they saw no sign of the military in sight.

    ¡°You think they gave up?¡± Jordan asked.

    ¡°No way,¡± Blake replied. ¡°Not after Warner¡¯s threats.¡±

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Jordan blurted and pointed to the apex of The Dome.

    Suddenly, a jet black craft in the shape of a triangle shot into view. If Blake was forced to guess, it traveled at close to a thousand miles an hour and then suddenly stopped on a dime. Now, it hovered directly above the shield at an altitude of around a thousand feet.

    That¡¯s impossible.

    It was large, at least seventy feet from tip to tip, with four glowing orange circles on its underside. Each tip of the triangle held a smaller circle, while a larger one filled the center. The strangest fact of all, however, was its complete silence. It just hovered, ominously above them.

    ¡°Oh my God! That¡¯s a Black Manta!¡± Brent blurted.

    ¡°You know what that thing is?¡± Blake asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Brent continued in excitement. ¡°It¡¯s a TR-3b, or maybe c, I don''t know its official designation, but it¡¯s totally real!¡±

    ¡°Brent¡¯s into a bunch of conspiracies about UFOs and such,¡± Jordan explained, but did not look away from the craft.

    ¡°UAPs,¡± his cousin corrected, and then pointed to the strange craft above them. ¡°And I¡¯d say I was justified.¡±

    ¡°Do the conspiracies say anything about what kind of weapons it carries?¡± Blake asked.

    Brent shook his head.

    ¡°Maybe it just looks scary?¡± Jordan suggested.

    ¡°Think you can shoot it down?¡± Brent asked Blake.

    He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s way too high. Besides, did you see how fast it moved? The last thing I want to do is piss it off.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think it¡¯s here?¡± Jordan asked.

    Blake frowned. ¡°Give me a second, I want to check something out.¡±

    He exited the field and strode forward until he was almost directly beneath the large triangle ship. It hovered directly in the center of The Dome, as people now called it, above the middle of the gravel road next to the warehouse.

    That¡¯s weird.

    As he grew closer, he could see what looked like a mirage above the road. It reminded him of the way heat shimmered over asphalt in the summer. He stepped forward, into the distortion, and immediately scrambled backward.

    ¡°Owww!¡± Blake shrieked and cradled his sunburned arm.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Brent asked as he and his cousin ran over to him.

    ¡°Stay back!¡± he ordered, and followed his own advice.

    When they reached what he judged a safe distance, he showed them the burn.

    Brent¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s a Directed Energy Weapon!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s what they use to start all those fires, so they can buy up all the land cheap!¡± Brent explained triumphantly.

    ¡°That¡¯s horseshit,¡± Jordan disagreed.

    While the cousins argued, Blake contacted his mother.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Hey mom, can you check the shield integrity real quick?

    Donna Summers: Sure. Is something wrong?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: There¡¯s some kind of UFO above us that¡¯s heating up the ground. I don¡¯t know why the shield¡¯s letting it through, but it might be a problem.

    Donna Summers: Integrity is at 99%, but it¡¯s not climbing.

    Blake released a sigh of relief.

    Donna Summers: Uh, Blake. I just checked the treasury, and it¡¯s shrinking. Are Jordan or Brent building something right now?

    He glanced at the two constructors, who were still in their heated argument.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: No.

    Donna Summers: Then I think whatever¡¯s happening is draining the shield, and pulling nano from our treasury to repair it.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: How fast?

    Donna Summers: If I had to guess, we¡¯ll be out of nano by bedtime.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Crap. Can you contact Jessica and let her know? I think we need to raise taxes to one hundred percent.

    Donna Summers: Sure, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to help. The other teams just don¡¯t make as much as you do.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to head to the Ursa portal.

    Donna Summers: But what about the helicopters?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: They¡¯re gone.

    Blake closed the chat, cursed under his breath, and rushed back to his room to collect his gear. He quickly filled his pack with enough supplies to last a week, and then rushed back outside. On his way to the wall, he hastily explained his plan to Jordan and Brent, and then, just in case, cast Improved Flame Shield on himself.

    After a deep breath, he stepped off the merlon, and fell twenty-five feet to the ground below. He only made it three steps away from the wall before the black triangle UFO appeared directly above him. His shield was overloaded almost immediately, and his flesh began to sizzle.

    Shit!

    In a panic, he leapt into the air, and teleported back atop the wall. Blake grit his teeth in pain, enabled Regeneration, and braced for more heat. Surprisingly, it never came. Instead, the craft slowly floated back to the center of the shield and resumed its attack.

    Wait, can it not see me through the shield?

    Blake knew from experience that the Dome was transparent unless under attack. Even then, only the affected areas were opaque, and once repaired, it returned to an iridescent shimmer.

    Maybe the shield blocks its camera?

    Blake sighed in relief, and informed his mother of their new circumstances. If she was right, they had less than twelve hours before they ran out of nano. After that, they would be fully exposed to attack.

 Chapter 101 - The Race

    ¡°Wait, it¡¯s leaving!¡± Jordan shouted, which prompted everyone to look at the sky.

    Everyone but Oliver congregated outside in the shade and passed the sniper rifle between themselves. For the last six hours, they took shots at the craft until they ran out of ammo. His brother sequestered himself in his workshop after Blake refused to allow him a turn. In response, he huffed off and stated he had more important things to work on.

    Jordan snarked that Oliver¡¯s healing potion had been an epic failure, and he hadn¡¯t been seen since. Unfortunately, their attempts to shoot down the craft were as unsuccessful as Oliver¡¯s potion.

    When the bullets either failed to penetrate the craft or had no visible effect on it, Blake tried his bow. It also failed spectacularly. In the end, they resigned themselves to watch the strange craft while they sipped beer in their reclining chairs. They passed the time by discussing their impending doom.

    Within seconds of Jordan¡¯s exclamation, the UAP was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°This might be your chance,¡± Brent suggested to Blake. ¡°It looks like the helicopters are already coming back. You might be able to reach the Ursa portal before they get here.¡±

    ¡°It could be a trap,¡± Peter warned.

    Blake shook his head as he slipped his arms through his oversized back and grabbed his weapons. ¡°I have to risk it. If that thing comes back after it refuels, or whatever it needs to do, we¡¯re screwed.¡±

    ¡°Message us the second you¡¯re safe,¡± Donna ordered.

    ¡°Will do!¡± he nodded and dashed toward the wall. Blake waited to activate Alacrity in case his father was correct, and it was a trap. Regardless, he was atop the wall in less than a minute. He leapt off it without stopping and sprinted along the road.

    So far, so good.

    By the time his feet hit the main road, he could hear helicopters in the distance. They were headed directly towards him.

    It¡¯s gonna be tight.

    Since the Black Manta had yet to return, he activated Alacrity to double his speed. A few minutes later, he raced past the grocery store and entered the woods. That was when he heard the missiles.

    Blake immediately teleported forward twenty feet. A moment later, a blast wave hit him, and he barely kept his feet. He activated Alacrity once again, but saved his last Spatial Step charge. Blake would need it to reach the portal.

    Twice more, the helicopters released their missiles. Blake barely stayed ahead of them. Finally, he reached the temporary wall, which surrounded the government compound, and leapt over it, just as his second Spatial Step charge became available.

    Suddenly, the helicopters stopped their attacks.

    Blake glanced around at the soldiers within the compound as he sprinted toward the boom lift beneath the portal. Their rifles followed him, but they refrained from firing. He was curious why the attacks had ceased, but not enough to stop and ask.

    Instead, he used a Gale assisted jump to reach a height of thirty-five feet, and then used both charges of his Charged Guided Spatial Step. A moment later, he was within the void.

    I made it.

    Blake chose to only increase the difficulty once to level three. While he was confident he could complete a level four Ursa scenario, it would be faster and safer to run lower level scenarios back to back. In the end, he would receive almost as much nano, without the increased risk.

    He could not afford to exit the portal injured.

    Blake was dropped into a desert on the Ursa planet, and contacted his mother to inform her of his success. She expressed her relief, and informed him that the helicopters now hovered above The Dome.

    An hour later, just after Blake found and killed his second Ursa, his mother contacted him.

    Donna Summers: Blake, it¡¯s back.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: The Black Manta?

    Donna Summers: If that¡¯s what it¡¯s called, yes. The helicopters left about five minutes before it arrived. Brent thinks whatever propulsion it uses will disrupt other aircraft, so they have to keep their distance.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: I assume it¡¯s attacking the shield again?

    Donna Summers: Yes. How long until you complete that scenario?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: I don¡¯t know exactly, but if I¡¯m lucky, another hour. Why?

    Donna Summers: Because I¡¯m still not sure it¡¯ll be enough. Repairing the shield seems to burn about thirty mega-nano an hour. Jessica transferred everything in her treasury to us, and quite a few people donated their personal funds. Even Oliver donated.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Well, hopefully in an hour, you¡¯ll get another fifty. Then I can start another scenario.

    Donna Summers: That may work for a while, but you need to rest sometime.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: I don¡¯t need as much sleep with my Physical Stamina.

    Donna Summers: Then why were you yawning this morning?

    Blake refrained from answering his mother¡¯s pointed question. Instead, he said goodbye and insisted he needed to get back to the hunt.

    <hr>

    After three days of constant fighting, Blake was barely conscious.

    He had run scenario after scenario, and could not keep up with the drain on their treasury. Even with only two hours of sleep a day, it was still not enough.

    There might be only fourteen hours left until the apocalypse, but the treasury was almost empty, and he knew there was no way they would make it. Blake contemplated increasing the difficulty to level four, but when he considered the countless mistakes he had made due to exhaustion, he eliminated that option.

    Maybe if I started off with level fours¡­

    Blake rubbed his eyes and contacted his mother through holo-chat.

    ¡°You look horrible,¡± Donna said, shocked. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Shit! She wasn¡¯t supposed to see me.

    For the last couple of days, Blake connected with audio only. When asked why he hid his appearance, he lied and said his pants were ripped, and he was indecent. Unfortunately, in his fatigued state, he forgot to disable the video.

    ¡°Nothing happened, I¡¯m fine,¡± Blake lied.

    ¡°Blake, your face is covered in blood, your armor¡¯s in tatters, and your left eye is closed shut! How can you possibly say you¡¯re fine?!¡± she demanded.

    ¡°I will be fine in a couple of hours,¡± he corrected his prior statement. ¡°I just need to give Regeneration time to work.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t get some real sleep, you¡¯re going to get yourself killed,¡± she warned him.

    Blake yawned and then disagreed. ¡°There¡¯s no time. The best I can do is a couple of hours while I heal.¡±

    ¡°You need more than a couple of hours,¡± his mother admonished. She then took a deep breath and said in a pained tone, ¡°Blake, even if you kill yourself trying to tackle these scenarios¡­ It won¡¯t matter. The treasury will be empty in just a few hours.¡±

    Blake squeezed his eyelids closed.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t going to work,¡± she said softly. ¡°We need to find another way.¡±

    He snorted. ¡°Short of shooting that thing down, I can¡¯t think of a single thing that¡¯ll work.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just use your spells to take it down?¡± After a second, she added, ¡°As long as you get at least six hours of sleep first.¡±

    Blake laughed. ¡°If only it was that easy.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s work the problem,¡± Donna suggested. ¡°Why can¡¯t you shoot it down?¡±

    Blake yawned once again and rubbed his eyes. ¡°It''s protected somehow. It''s got some kind of shield that won¡¯t let the bullet through, or my arrows.¡±

    ¡°Is it over the whole thing, or just the bottom?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s like a thousand feet up, I can¡¯t exactly shoot it from above,¡± he said dryly.

    ¡°What if Jessica chartered a helicopter?¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°No one would be crazy enough to fly me around. Besides, they would just shoot it down.¡±

    ¡°With what?¡± his mother asked. ¡°Brent said the antigravity field stops other helicopters from getting close. I bet it stops missiles, too.¡±

    Seriously? Antigravity? What is this, Star Journey?

    Rather than point out how ridiculous human built antigravity tech was, Blake poked a hole in her plan. ¡°How is my helicopter supposed to get that close if it stops theirs?¡±

    His mother threw up her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know! I¡¯m just trying to be helpful.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know,¡± he replied. ¡°I just can¡¯t think straight right now. I need a nap.¡± Blake then laughed. ¡°About the only plan I can think of right now is to skydive out of an airplane and land on top of it.¡±

    ¡°Would that work?¡± she asked, curious.

    ¡°Of course, not¡­¡± he trailed off.

    Would it actually work? I can Spatial Step through whatever field protects it, and get rid of my momentum at the same time.

    After a moment of thought, he replied. ¡°If I could get really far above it, probably, but I don¡¯t see how that¡¯s possible.¡±

    Donna grinned excitedly. ¡°Really?¡±

    I just told her it can¡¯t happen, why is she excited?

    ¡°Mom, there¡¯s no way a pilot¡¯s going to fly over military airspace. At best, they¡¯ll go to jail when they land. At worst, they¡¯ll get shot down.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re serious about this working, then I¡¯ll make it happen,¡± she promised. ¡°If I get you that plane, can you take that thing out?¡±

    Blake took a deep breath, which turned into a yawn, and tried hard not to roll his eyes. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then get some sleep,¡± she ordered. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it, and I¡¯ll have a plane ready for you when you wake up.¡±

    Blake laughed. ¡°In two hours?¡±

    ¡°Six,¡± she corrected his assumption.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait that long,¡± he reminded her. ¡°Our nano¡¯s almost gone.¡±

    ¡°Blake, no matter how hard you work yourself, it won¡¯t be enough. We¡¯re going to run out early no matter what. Just get a good night¡¯s sleep, and we can try your plan in the morning.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should just surrender,¡± Blake mumbled.

    ¡°Do you trust Warner not to have you killed the second you leave The Dome?¡± his mother asked. ¡°You¡¯re a threat, and you made him look like a fool. He didn¡¯t address the killing of his own soldiers. People like him are petty and care more about their pride than their future.¡±

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    Yeah, she¡¯s probably right.

    He rubbed his eyes and once again yawned.

    ¡°Fine, wake me up in six hours,¡± Blake capitulated. ¡°I might as well face the end well rested.¡±

    <hr>

    Donna Summers: Blake, are you awake yet?

    Huh?

    Blake sleepily rubbed his eyes as he slowly woke. After a moment, when he remembered his mother¡¯s promise, he replied.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: I am now. Did you get that crazy airplane pilot?

    Donna Summers: Maybe, will a helicopter work instead?

    Is she serious?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: I don¡¯t know, it depends on how high they can fly.

    Donna Summers: Give me just a minute, let me talk to Jessica.

    Almost ten minutes passed as Blake fully woke up, ate breakfast, and emptied his bladder.

    Donna Summers: Jessica says it can reach about eight thousand feet, maybe ten thousand if they push it. Is that high enough?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: It might be. If you¡¯re serious, it¡¯s at least worth a shot.

    Donna Summers: And you¡¯re sure you won¡¯t get hurt by the fall?

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: As long as I have a teleport available, I¡¯m safe, no matter how high it is.

    Donna Summers: Then meet Jennifer at the Rez casino parking lot in an hour.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Wait, Jennifer? You mean Jennifer Taylor? Why is she going to be there? Why is she involved in this at all?

    Donna Summers: I may have promised her exclusive interviews and a spot for her and her family and friends in our faction.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: But why do we need her specifically?

    Donna Summers: She knew a pilot that¡¯s a Domer. He¡¯s ex-military, and the only one willing to do this for us.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Whatever. If this actually works, she can have as many interviews as she wants.

    Blake said goodbye to his mother, and she wished him luck. The next hour passed slowly. He even contacted his brother, who informed him of his success with the healing potion. According to Oliver, it sped up healing by a factor of three hundred for an entire hour. Unfortunately, it did not cure him of Parkinson¡¯s disease.

    Finally, the hour passed. After he refreshed his Improved Flame shield, and collected his bow, he raced through the portal. As before, when he exited the void, the boom lift remained, and the soldiers on guard refrained from firing on him.

    Why aren¡¯t these guys trying to kill me?

    Blake shoved the errant thought from his mind and fled the area. He raced through the woods, found the main road, and ran along it unmolested. After a few miles, he even began to hope.

    Maybe Brent¡¯s right. Maybe the helicopters can¡¯t get within a few miles of the UFO.

    Ten minutes later, he reached the casino parking lot. He was surprised no helicopters pursued him, but he was not going to question his good luck. As promised, a helicopter idled on the pavement, its blades still active.

    I can¡¯t believe they actually got it here!

    The door to the helicopter opened, and Jennifer Taylor stuck her head outside it. ¡°Blake! Come on in!¡±

    He shrugged and climbed into the craft. There were three people within, the lunatic pilot, Jennifer, and her cameraman, Bobby. She handed him a headset, and the moment he fit it over his ears, the outside noise became muffled.

    ¡°How did you get here?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I had to fly along the highway from the south, about fifty feet off the road,¡± the pilot replied. ¡°It was the only way to stay off their radar.¡±

    Fifty feet! Where did she find this guy?

    ¡°Wow, you look like shit. Can you do a short interview before we leave?¡± Jennifer asked.

    He ignored her critique. ¡°A minute or two, maybe, but I really have to go before¡­¡± he trailed off.

    ¡°Before what?¡± she leaned forward and motioned to Bobby with her right hand.

    Blake noticed the cameraman had the camera already pointed at him, and he was likely already recording.

    ¡°How long until this airs?¡± he asked to evade her question.

    ¡°We¡¯re live,¡± she replied and then glanced down at her phone. ¡°Over twenty million people are watching this right now.¡±

    Blake smiled awkwardly at the camera before he turned to Jennifer. ¡°What? How? They took down the cell towers.¡±

    Jennifer smiled. ¡°We have Spacelink satellite internet service. It works anywhere. Now, please let my viewers know what¡¯s been happening and what your plans are. They¡¯re dying to hear your side of the story.¡±

    ¡°You want me to give my plans away, live?¡± he asked in disbelief.

    ¡°There¡¯s a delay,¡± she informed him.

    How big is the delay? Screw it, this either works and it doesn¡¯t matter, or it doesn¡¯t and I¡¯m dead.

    Bobby pushed the camera directly into his face from the front passenger seat.

    ¡°They have some kind of UFO hovering above The Dome,¡± he explained, using the new term for the shield. ¡°It looks like a black triangle, and it¡¯s been using some kind of heat weapon against The Dome for the last few days now.¡±

    Jennifer frowned at the mention of UFOs, but did not disagree with him. ¡°Is this weapon capable of piercing through The Dome?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and no,¡± he waffled and flinched as Bobby swung the camera back to him. ¡°As long as we have nano, everything is fine, but it keeps needing more and more to repair the shield. Eventually, we¡¯re going to run out. Nano is¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jennifer interrupted him. ¡°We¡¯re aware of what nano is, it¡¯s in The Guide. So, how do you plan on defeating this¡­ craft?¡±

    Blake took a deep breath. ¡°That¡¯s where this helicopter comes in. If he can fly us high enough, I can jump out of it and land on top of the UFO. Then I can destroy it.¡±

    Blake heard nothing but silence for two seconds as Jennifer¡¯s jaw dropped. Finally, she seemed to remember they were live and asked, ¡°Can you survive a fall from that altitude?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem,¡± Blake replied. ¡°I¡¯m more worried about getting close enough without the engines failing.¡±

    Jennifer laughed and looked at the camera. ¡°That¡¯s not the problem, he says.¡± She faced Blake once again and asked, ¡°What do you mean by engines failing?¡±

    ¡°We think the UFO stops aircraft and helicopters from getting too close. It¡¯s why all the military¡¯s helicopters leave when it shows up.¡±

    ¡°How close do I need to get, and how high do you need me to fly?¡± the pilot asked from the front seat with a large grin.

    This guy looks like he¡¯s about to ask for my autograph.

    Blake turned to address the man, and the camera followed his gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but as high as possible, and as close as possible. I¡¯ll do the rest.¡±

    ¡°You need a parachute?¡± the pilot asked.

    Blake shook his head.

    The pilot raised his eyebrows and then nodded.

    Suddenly, Blake heard a voice over the helicopter¡¯s radio demand they stay grounded and remain until they are placed under arrest.

    I guess they watch her livestream. No surprise there.

    The pilot turned a knob counter-clockwise, and the volume of the voice dropped until they could no longer hear it. ¡°Sometimes voices try to tell me what to do. I just ignore them.¡±

    Blake looked at Jennifer in concern and noticed her eyes were wide as well.

    ¡°We need to go, now, before they get here,¡± Blake told the aviator and prayed his flying was more stable than his mind.

    The pilot nodded in agreement and yelled, ¡°Buckle in!¡± The helicopter quickly began to rise. Jennifer grasped the handhold to brace against the fast ascent, and Bobby struggled to maintain the camera. She continued to ask him questions.

    ¡°Before you jump out of a helicopter without a parachute, is there anything you¡¯d like to tell the viewers?¡±

    Blake looked at the camera lens. ¡°In about seven hours, all electricity will fail. Whatever you do, don¡¯t get in a car or airplane. They¡¯re deathtraps, and crashes will kill millions of people worldwide. Hospitals, get ready! Your generators will not work. If you need electricity to survive, I¡¯m sorry, say goodbye to your loved ones.¡±

    ¡°Bobby, focus on The Dome,¡± she ordered her cameraman. ¡°You can see something above it.¡±

    Sure enough, Blake could faintly see a flat triangle as it hovered a thousand feet above the iridescent shield.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Jennifer mumbled.

    I told you, it¡¯s a UFO.

    ¡°Looks like they picked us up on radar. We¡¯ve got company incoming, hold on.¡± the pilot warned before Blake could respond.

    Blake twisted his neck and looked out the opposite window. In the distance, he saw two helicopters angled toward them. They were flying at a much higher speed, and would quickly close the distance.

    ¡°Can you get closer to The Dome?¡± he asked the aviator.

    ¡°Sure thing,¡± he said with a maniacal grin, and adjusted the cyclic stick to move them forward. While their speed dramatically increased, their altitude did not. Another two minutes passed as The Dome grew closer. Bobby continued to film the strange craft, while Jennifer rambled on and the pilot mumbled and laughed to himself.

    ¡°Are any of my audience members able to identify whatever strange aircraft that is?¡± she asked, and then turned to address Blake. ¡°Are aliens real? Could this be their craft?¡±

    ¡°Of course they¡¯re real,¡± he frowned as Bobby zoomed in. ¡°Where do you think the nanomachines come from? As far as the UFO,¡± he shrugged. ¡°I have no clue. I¡¯ve never seen this before.¡±

    ¡°I knew those bastards were real!¡± the pilot yelled.

    Suddenly, the helicopter lurched and Blake heard alarms blare. The pilot frantically fought for control and quickly arrested their forward movement. ¡°I got it, I got it!¡±

    ¡°If you can get me higher, this is close enough!¡± Blake informed him.

    ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t got it, I don¡¯t think higher is an option.¡±

    ¡°Just get away from the UFO, and it¡¯ll stop,¡± Blake said confidently.

    The pilot nodded, and a few seconds later, the flight smoothed out. After he had full control of the craft, they began to rise higher into the air. ¡°Screw those bastards,¡± he muttered.

    Looks like Brent was right again.

    Jennifer leaned forward to ask another question, when the pilot cursed. ¡°Shit! We¡¯re painted!¡±

    Huh?

    Suddenly, Blake saw a flight of missiles shoot from the two helicopters. They traveled at incredible speed, and would reach them in only moments. Their pilot whooped over the intercom and the helicopter dove toward The Dome in an effort to evade them.

    We¡¯re still not high enough!

    A moment later, the helicopter began to stall. To Blake¡¯s amazement, the missiles did as well. They fishtailed through the sky and quickly lost altitude. When they fell uselessly to the ground, the pilot pulled away from The Dome, and resumed their ascent.

    We might actually pull this off!

    Jennifer seemed ecstatic. ¡°As you all just witnessed, the United States military just opened fire on this unarmed helicopter, and planned to murder four US citizens. This is unacceptable.¡±

    She¡¯s pretty cool under fire. Most people would be freaking out right now.

    ¡°Damn right it is,¡± the pilot yelled. ¡°Assholes!¡±

    A minute later, the pilot said, ¡°This is as high as we go. Any higher, and we¡¯ll be on our way down, the quick way.¡±

    It¡¯ll have to do.

    Blake opened the door, and the camera whirled to focus on him. Suddenly, he could not keep a smirk off his face. ¡°Just know this,¡± he told the camera. ¡°When I negotiated with the President, he didn¡¯t give a shit about the hostages. He told me their lives were a small price to pay. This is for you, Mr. President!¡±

    After that damning statement, he displayed both middle fingers to the camera, turned, and leapt from the helicopter.

    Immediately, he felt as if his stomach rose into his throat, and tried his best to ignore the uncomfortable sensation. Blake quickly used a Gale to reorient his direction, and angled his body to control his fall. Wind rushed past his head, and he did not dare look back to see the fate of his ride. While he had never skydived before, he quickly gained control and zoomed toward the UFO. Every time his Gale was available, he cast the spell and grew ever closer to his target.

    I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to make it. I need to use a teleport charge.

    Blake used a Spatial Step to shift himself forward twenty feet, confident the charge would regenerate by the time he destroyed the craft. The spell worked, and he was now certain he could land on top of it.

    Does it not have cameras on top of it? Why isn¡¯t it reacting to me?

    Suddenly, Blake felt extremely uncomfortable and his Flame Shield disappeared. His skin burned, and his eyesight blurred as he squinted through half-closed eyelids. He focused his Regeneration on his sight, and tried his best to ignore the pain. The closer he got to the craft, the worse he felt, until finally, he could Spatial Step directly on top of it.

    The moment he landed on the craft, the pain fled. To his surprise, the sound of the craft filled his ears, and the vibration set his teeth on edge.

    Focus!

    Blake retrieved his spear, charged it with chi, and drove it into the center of the craft. His weapon¡¯s tip easily pierced through the light metal and continued to sink into the craft until it hit resistance deeper within. The charge of chi exploded from the weapon, and the engines immediately faltered.

    That was easy.

    The craft lurched to the side as first one, then two, of the propulsors failed. Suddenly, the entire UFO began to fall like dead weight from the sky. Blake quickly checked his interface and stared in horror at the time listed until his next teleport charge became available.

    Thirty-five seconds!

    He had destroyed the craft too quickly, and it would crash into The Dome long before Spatial Step became available. At the last second, Blake leapt off the craft and used a Gale to slow his fall. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late.

    The UFO slammed into the shield at incredible speed and bounced. A moment later, Blake crashed into the craft at close to a hundred miles an hour.

    Bones snapped, and he grunted as he rolled off the now destroyed craft¡¯s side. Then, barely conscious, he plummeted another few hundred feet until he slammed into the gravel road inside The Dome.

    The world went black.

    <hr>

    Blake remained unconscious for six hours. When he woke, Brent and Jordan carried him to the couch in his mother¡¯s office, and he did his best to hide the pain. According to Jessica, the entire event was broadcast live on the internet, and Jennifer had achieved a new level of fame.

    Not only had she risked her life to speak to Blake, but she remained calm while missiles had been launched at them. After a second round failed to reach Jennifer¡¯s craft, the military ceased their attempts to destroy them and waited for them to land. Once they did so, all three were promptly arrested, and the live stream abruptly ended.

    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡± Donna asked as she worried over his broken body.

    ¡°Yes, just please help me to the chair.¡±

    Blake had used all of his chi to heal his broken bones, but his injuries still remained severe. With his mother¡¯s help, he rose from the couch and hobbled over to her chair.

    In only minutes, the entire world would join the Collective, and he would give his speech. He wanted to be seated behind a desk, not prone on a sofa like an invalid. After he eased into it, Donna handed him his handwritten speech. Blake had transcribed it weeks before and had rewritten it at least four times since.

    ¡°Did Jessica call the airports?¡± he asked.

    With great patience, his mother replied, ¡°Yes, she and the others called in bomb threats to every major airport. And before you ask, yes, Tribal leadership is ready. They have horses and carts of supplies just waiting for the event.¡± She laid a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve been planning this for months. It¡¯s all handled. You just focus on the speech, then you can rest.¡±

    He shook his head and winced when his neck twinged. ¡°There¡¯s too much to do. I won¡¯t have time to rest.¡±

    Suddenly, a host of notifications filled his interface.

    It¡¯s time.

 Interlude - Invasion Day

    President Warner stood in front of the urinal. He was glad he had the room to himself for once, it would be the only break he would get between briefings. He had consumed far too much coffee in an effort to keep him awake.

    Damn prostate. Damn kid. I should be golfing.

    Suddenly, the bathroom door burst open, and his aide rushed in.

    ¡°Damnit, Jeffrey!¡± he admonished the help. ¡°I told you, not while I¡¯m in the bathroom!¡±

    ¡°Sorry, mister President,¡± he apologized.

    ¡°Well?¡± he growled as he zipped up his pants. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Sir, Blake Summers has been spotted outside the spatial distortion.¡±

    About damn time, it¡¯s been three days.

    ¡°Where?,¡± Warner demanded. ¡°Is he back under The Dome?¡±

    ¡°No, Mister President,¡± Jeffrey replied.

    ¡°Then he¡¯s on the run,¡± he grinned. ¡°The kid¡¯s running scared.¡±

    ¡°Sir,¡± Jeffrey swallowed. ¡°He¡¯s on a livestream with that influencer.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s WHAT?!¡± the President roared.

    ¡°See for yourself, sir.¡± Jeffrey unlocked, made the video full-screen, then motioned to hand Warner his phone before he hesitated.

    ¡°What now?¡± the President barked.

    ¡°Your hands, sir,¡± the aide responded sheepishly.

    Warner stomped over to the sink and made a show of washing his hands, and then snatched the phone from his aide.

    The stream showed Blake in the backseat of some sort of aircraft, while he talked with the influencer. They both had large headphones over their ears.

    That¡¯s the second interview he¡¯s done with her. Is she working for him? Good, he looks like shit.

    Suddenly, the camera rotated and showed the view out the front windows of the helicopter. In the distance, you could see The Dome, and a small spec which hovered above it. The camera zoomed in, and you could clearly make out the triangular shape of the experimental craft.

    Warner¡¯s temper rose, and he glared at his aide. ¡°How the hell did they get close enough to film this? I was told airspace was locked down!¡±

    Jeffrey looked frightened. ¡°I don¡¯t know, sir.¡±

    ¡°Then find out,¡± he said through gritted teeth.

    His aide scampered from the room, without his phone. Warner glanced back down at the video, just as the feed focused on two military helicopters. Suddenly, missiles launched and raced toward the camera.

    What the hell are they doing?! Not while they¡¯re live! The media¡¯s going to eat me alive!

    Warner burst out of the restroom and stomped down the hall. A moment later, he entered the briefing room early. The joint chiefs were already present, and greeted him the moment he entered.

    Jeffrey scurried to his side.

    ¡°Who the hell gave the order to open fire during a livestream?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°Sir?¡± a four star general on his left looked confused. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re referring to.¡±

    ¡°This,¡± he pointed to the phone.

    The video was shaky, but you could clearly see another round of missiles headed towards the camera.

    How did the first missiles not take them out?

    ¡°Well?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll look into it right away, sir,¡± the general responded as he took out his phone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just look into it!¡± he barked. ¡°Get them to stop that shit, right now! It''s all over the damn internet!¡±

    The general¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he glanced at his fellow joint chief. They exchanged a look and the other shook his head minutely.

    Incompetent idiots! I need to fire the lot of them! They¡¯re all against me!

    When he looked at the phone again, the camera had returned its focus to Blake Summers.

    What¡¯s he saying?

    The president fiddled with the phone and then shoved it at Jeffrey, who found the volume button for him. He raised it as high as it could go and heard, ¡°When I negotiated with the President, he didn¡¯t give a shit about the hostages. He told me their lives were a small price to pay. This is for you, Mr. President!¡±

    You little shit!

    After that damning statement, the kid ripped off his headset, and flipped him off. He then grabbed his spear, turned, and leapt from the helicopter without a parachute.

    What the hell is this kid doing?

    The President continued to watch as the camera followed his rapidly descending form. It zoomed in until both Blake and the prototype were in sight. A minute later, Blake reached the craft.

    Let¡¯s see how you like being burned alive.

    There was no reason for the craft to move. The technology that allowed it to move projected a field which surrounded the drone. That field was impenetrable. Unfortunately, it also disrupted other aircraft for miles. The side effect was the only reason they had yet to mass produce the prototype.

    Suddenly, Blake¡¯s small figure appeared atop the craft with his spear raised.

    What? How the hell did he do that?

    The kid drove his spear into the aluminum shell, and the craft immediately lost power. His jaw dropped as the experimental drone fell from the sky.

    Did he just destroy our best technology with a pointy stick in front of millions of people?! This is humiliating!

    In a sudden burst of uncontrollable anger, President Warner roared, ¡°I want that kid¡¯s head! And everyone there with him!¡± and threw the phone across the room.

    <hr>

    Jennifer was beyond annoyed. She, Bobby, and Marcus, their pilot, had been contained in Sheriff Slater¡¯s jail cell for two hours. They were informed the hold was a temporary measure, and a military transport would soon arrive to transfer them to DC.

    They better not put me on a plane. Blake said they¡¯re all going to fall from the sky.

    She looked through the bars to the small table across the building, their confiscated equipment lay in a heap. She wanted to know how the world reacted to her video. The small period she had before they forced her helicopter down and arrested her was not enough.

    Has the President released a response yet?

    Suddenly, the lights went out, one of the deputies shouted, and a message appeared before her eyes.

    Welcome to the Collective!

    Your species has been chosen by the Architect to join countless others on a path to power. As a member of the Collective, you will use nano to enhance your body, gain access to combat classifications, and harness power previously unknown. This will be necessary to overcome the challenges your planet will face in the future. You will be given directives to follow to show you the path. However, it is up to you to decide how you achieve it. Always remember, the greater the risk, the greater the reward.

    Blake was right about everything!

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Bobby blurted. ¡°Are you guys seeing this?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s not going away,¡± she complained as she tried to swipe the words from her eyes.

    ¡°Just ignore the voices,¡± Marcus advised them with a shrug and flapped his hands before his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s what I do. Works every time.¡±

    Jennifer and Bobby exchanged a worried look.

    A moment later, Bobby blurted, ¡°Hot Damn! It actually does work.¡± He turned to Jennifer and said, ¡°Think about ignoring the words, and they disappear.¡±

    She followed his suggestion and was relieved when the text disappeared.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ¡°Well, if Blake¡¯s right, it looks like we don¡¯t have to worry about that flight to DC now.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but we¡¯re stuck in this cell, and Blake said monsters will start appearing. What if one shows up in here with us?¡±

    ¡°He said we have three days,¡± Bobby reminded her. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Sheriff will let us out now that Blake¡¯s been proven right.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Jennifer replied, dumbfounded. ¡°Did you see the smirk on his face when those soldiers brought us here? The man¡¯s an ass.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Blake will show up to get us out of here.¡± Bobby tried to assure her. ¡°He owes you, remember?¡±

    Marcus smiled and showed them his teeth. ¡°Did you see what that kid did? It was crazy! Jumped right out like he had wings, but he didn¡¯t!¡±

    It WAS crazy. I still can¡¯t believe he did that.

    ¡°Oh, I have no doubt he could get us out of here,¡± she agreed. ¡°But, how is he supposed to find us? For all he knows, we could be anywhere.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Again!¡± Esteves demanded with glee.

    Jeremy rolled his eyes, but replayed the video.

    For the last few hours, he and his team had watched Blake single-handedly destroy the UAP with a spear on repeat. Each time they saw Blake flip off the President, Esteves giggled like a schoolgirl. Despite the kid¡¯s theatrics, Jeremy was glad he gave the order to leave the kid alone, as was his team.

    The three had even told him how relieved they were when Scott Peters placed him in charge before he was recalled back to the Pentagon. They had spent that time running through scenarios repeatedly. His team could now be considered superhuman.

    Suddenly, the screen went blank.

    Captain Jeremy Jackson stared in confusion at his now dead phone. To add to his perplexity, the hum of the portable air conditioners ceased, and the fans cut off as well.

    Esteves swore as he looked at the dark light fixtures. ¡°Looks like that kid was right again. You think he¡¯s really from the future?¡±

    Jeremy checked his radio and confirmed it no longer functioned.

    Lee snorted. ¡°Of course not. He¡¯s obviously working with the aliens. That¡¯s why his guide is so accurate.¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t right about everything,¡± Jacobs disagreed. ¡°The guide said there¡¯s supposed to be a welcome message, and I haven¡¯t seen shit.¡±

    ¡°We saw it three months ago,¡± Esteves reminded him. ¡°Why would it show it to us twice?¡±

    That¡¯s a good point. I should head outside and see if they received a welcome message. They weren¡¯t already infected like we were.

    Jeremy was about to stand, when words suddenly appeared before his eyes.

    A message from the Scion of Humanity:

    ¡°You guys see that?¡± Jacobs asked.

    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s the welcome message,¡± Esteves responded. ¡°You still don¡¯t believe he¡¯s from the future?¡±

    The notification remained visible for three seconds before it was replaced by a video of the Earth taken from outer space. Before his eyes, the planet grew larger as their point of view zoomed in. Continents were revealed beneath the clouds, and suddenly North America filled his view.

    It did not stop there.

    Jeremy watched as the south-western United States was magnified. Faster and faster, the view shifted until it focused on the mountains north-east of Phoenix. The camera continued to zoom in until the small town of Pinetop was revealed, as was The Dome.

    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s us!¡± Jacobs blurted when their temporary base became visible.

    However, it soon disappeared as the view swept past the shimmer of The Dome, entered the small town, somehow passed through the roof of a large building, and focused on Blake Summers as he sat behind a wooden desk.

    ¡°He looks like shit,¡± Esteves remarked.

    He does. I guess taking out that UAP wasn¡¯t as easy as he made it look.

    His armor was in tatters, his hair, while shorter than before, still looked horrendous, and his eyes had bags beneath them. The kid¡¯s face had been washed, but Jeremy could still see dried blood caked over the leather jerkin.

    ¡°Shh,¡± Lee shushed his team member. ¡°Let¡¯s hear what he has to say.¡±

    After a moment, Blake spoke, ¡°Hello everyone, my name is Blake Summers. Most of you are frightened and confused by what just happened, and I pray you are in a safe location. The world as you know it is now gone.¡±

    Blake glanced down and seemed to check some handwritten notes. ¡°Except for a few minor exceptions, electricity itself has been eliminated. How is that possible? The welcome message you just received came from an alien artificial intelligence known as the Architect. It has seeded our world with its nanomachines. Every human has been infected, no exceptions.¡±

    The kid straightened in his seat, and winced in obvious pain.

    ¡°The nanomachines seem to act in a symbiotic relationship with our bodies. They allow us to become stronger, tougher, heal faster, and give us access to magic. Yes, you heard that right, magic.¡± Blake smiled. ¡°Some of you may have seen videos of me doing things not humanly possible. For those of you who choose to pursue combat classes, those feats and more are now possible.¡±

    That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about.

    ¡°However, you have to survive the apocalypse first. Hopefully, some of you have printed out the guide I released a few weeks ago. If you do not know what I am talking about, ask around until you find someone who has done so. It describes in detail how to grow strong and survive. For those without access to the guide, I will give these quick words of advice:¡±

    ¡°The Architect rewards the killing of monsters with a new currency called nano. You can use this currency to purchase skills to help you fight, attributes to make you stronger, and combat classes which give you access to magic.¡±

    Blake coughed.

    ¡°If you notice, I mentioned monsters. In three days, they will begin to portal into the world. Nowhere is safe. They can appear inside your bedroom or closet just as easily as your backyard. I suggest you gather together in large groups and alternate sleeping, or you may never wake up. The exception to this is within a faction¡¯s town¡¯s borders. However, to create a faction and build your town, you must collect and spend over a billion nano.¡±

    ¡°In the meantime, try to avoid relying on firearms. The Architect will not reward you for any kills made with them, and after a few months, they will not be enough to defeat the higher level monsters which will appear. Bullets will bounce off their skin as they do mine.¡±

    Blake straightened.

    ¡°Humanity as a whole must unite and grow stronger. Do not hide in bunkers and hope to be protected. Anything not made with the Architect¡¯s assistance will crumble within months. The hordes of monsters will steadily grow stronger over the years until a decade from now when the Koza invade our world.¡±

    He took a deep breath.

    ¡°How do I know all of this? Because I have already lived through it before. I¡¯ve somehow traveled back in time to before Invasion day so I can warn you all of what will come. The Architect is intent on ¡­¡±

    Suddenly, a red, swirling portal appeared behind Blake. The teenager jerked in surprise and his head whipped around. Before he could react, he was sucked into the spatial distortion, and disappeared. A split second later, it, too, was gone.¡±

    The video ended, and Jeremy¡¯s full vision was restored.

    What the hell was that?

    ¡°Uh, what happened to the rest of the speech?¡± Esteves asked.

    ¡°I bet he said too much, and his boss didn¡¯t like it.¡± Lee theorized. ¡°Sucked him back to the home base to cuss him out.¡±

    ¡°Or,¡± Esteves disagreed. ¡°He really is from the future, and the AI didn¡¯t like what he had to say.¡±

    Jeremy cleared his throat. ¡°Either way, it lends credence to his words. We need to prepare for what¡¯s to come.

    <hr>

    Rajesh Kshetrapal lounged on the downstairs couch in the lobby of his dorm. His parents and sister were upstairs, within their rooms. Rajesh had been forced to post guards to ensure they remained confined, as it would be too dangerous for them to leave. As he had feared, after he explained what would happen and showed them proof, they panicked and wanted to flee.

    He could not allow that.

    Within minutes, his dorm building would soon be the only safe place for over a hundred miles. Thousands of people would seek shelter within it, and he would earn a fortune in nano from them. He could use that wealth to make himself and his loyal lieutenants more powerful.

    He impatiently checked his watch.

    I can still make my vision possible. It isn¡¯t too late.

    In the beginning, things had gone well. He had recruited loyal followers, outfitted them, and set them out to tackle scenarios. Rajesh quickly gained nano, and led his team to victory after victory. They accumulated hundreds of millions of nano and Rajesh was satisfied with their progress.

    That idiot just HAD to go public. What the hell was he thinking? He almost ruined everything!

    Immediately after they learned of Blake and his Dome, his followers began to rebel. They questioned the way Rajesh ran things, and asked why they needed him when Blake had freely released his guide.

    He was forced to confiscate every copy his lieutenants found.

    Luckily, he had been wise enough to limit their attributes. While they were stronger than the average human, Rajesh was much more powerful. He had maxed out his attributes long before, and wore the best nano-infused armor. Rajesh easily subdued the rebellious minions and only had to make an example out of one of them.

    Unfortunately, after that point, some no longer worked as hard as they had before. He threatened further punishments if they failed to meet a quota, but they listed excuse after excuse as to why that mark was unreasonable.

    As if they had not easily reached it before.

    He was careful to take note of which followers were devoted, and which served only out of fear. Once Rajesh held an abundance of nano, he would reward those who remained loyal with increased strength and power.

    If only that child hadn¡¯t ruined things.

    Rajesh was behind schedule. They had barely built the faction hall within the basement just the day before, and it would be at least another three days before it was upgraded to level two. That meant he could only recruit fifty people to his faction, the limit until it was upgraded. The taxes from those invites would not be enough for him to purchase an omni-class, his goal.

    I may have to settle for a tri-class.

    Rajesh hated to settle, but it was the pragmatic choice. When he set up his vision, he did not realize how difficult it would be to acquire ten achievements. He currently had seven, and while he knew he could gain the next three within a week or two, he was not certain it was worth the wait.

    The first few weeks would be the most important, and he needed to be strong enough to accomplish his goals.

    It¡¯s decided. Once I have the nano, I will purchase a tri-class.

    Suddenly, the lights went out, and the air conditioner quieted.

    It¡¯s starting.

    Rajesh ignored the frightened cries of those around and removed his useless timepiece. He focused on Blake¡¯s condition. He was a mess, and it showed.

    Serves him right. All he had to do was remain hidden, and he would have been fine. He could be level five by now if he weren¡¯t so sentimental.

    After the first few sentences, Rajesh mostly ignored the speech. He already knew everything the child shared, and Blake¡¯s voice began to grate on him. He was about to mute the feed, when suddenly a portal appeared behind Blake mid-speech, and the Scion disappeared.

    What did you do? How did you screw this up as well?

    Immediately, Rajesh ran multiple theories through his head for why the speech was cut short. Unfortunately, he did not have enough data. He could only surmise Blake had made an enemy of either the Architect, or someone else powerful enough to snatch him away.

    ¡°Boss,¡± one of his minions vied for his attention.

    ¡°What?¡± Rajesh snapped, annoyed at the interruption.

    The fellow Indian stood by the large glass window, which wrapped around the lobby. He pointed to the sky and said, ¡°You need to see this.¡±

    Rajesh sighed, but humored his loyal follower. He stood and slowly walked toward the edge of the lobby. When he arrived, he followed Zahir¡¯s extended finger to the helicopter above. Smoke rose from its engine as it plummeted to the ground.

    A pity, but I do not see why this deserves my attention.

    He was about to turn away and return to his seat, when he finally traced its trajectory. Rajesh backpedaled and ordered, ¡°Get away from the windows!¡±

    A few of his followers obeyed immediately. Unfortunately, most turned to stare at him in confusion.

    Idiots!

    Rajesh sprinted to the opposite side of the lobby. However, before he made it out the door, a massive explosion rocked him off his feet.

 Chapter 102 - The Architect

    Blake took a deep breath and tried to picture his mother¡¯s disappointment if he lost composure. He slowly released his breath and continued his well rehearsed speech.

    ¡°How do I know all of this? Because I have already lived through it before. I¡¯ve somehow traveled back in time to before Invasion day so I can warn you all of what will come. The Architect is intent on ¡­¡±

    As he spoke, he saw the reflection of a swirling red portal appear within the mirror his mother hung on the opposite wall.

    What the hell?!

    His words cut off, and he whipped his head around. Sure enough, the portal was real. Blake was about to teleport across the room, away from the swirling distortion, when he was suddenly sucked within it.

    Fear rose within his throat, but was dampened when he realized this portal was no different from any other. He almost immediately found himself within the void.

    But, the void was not empty this time.

    For the first time in Blake¡¯s life, he saw someone else within the blackness. The cleanly shaved man opposite him appeared to be in his mid-forties, and wore a tweed suit as he lounged within a high backed, upholstered chair. His right leg was crossed over his left, and he slowly sipped from a tea cup.

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Blake blurted as he quickly checked his surroundings for threats. No one else was visible other than the odd man.

    ¡°Ah, good day,¡± the man said in a posh British accent, and placed the cup and platter gently on the table beside him. He then gestured behind Blake. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡±

    Blake refused the offer and squared up his stance. ¡°How are you here? Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Very well, we can begin immediately. Have a seat.¡± He shifted forward and folded his hands across his lap. ¡°You would know me as the Architect, the consciousness who created and administers the Collective.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit.¡± Blake once again checked his position in the void. No threats appeared, but a second chair and small table were placed behind him.

    Does this British guy really expect me to believe that?

    ¡°Ah, I see where the confusion sets in. You expected me to appear as a primitive metal computer, with a badly synthesized voice. Truly unimaginative.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I suppose credentials must be manifested.¡±

    Suddenly, Blake lost control of his body. He felt like a puppet as his limbs moved in accordance to someone else¡¯s will. His body stepped backward, and sat within the high backed chair behind him. He panicked as his freedom was taken away, but was unable to scream in response.

    Once he was seated, words appeared within his interface.

    You are meeting with the Architect.

    Is this really happening?

    Blake had never heard of anyone who had communicated with the alien artificial intelligence in his past life. Everyone he knew would have loved to hound the Architect with thousands of questions. However, no matter how much they pleaded, begged, or cursed, the AI never answered.

    His initial fear turned to rage.

    Careful.

    ¡°Yes, this is really happening,¡± the British man answered and then gestured beside Blake. ¡°Please have a drink.¡±

    Blake suddenly found his body once more under his own control. He gripped the arms of the chair with both hands as his body tensed. Blake ignored the cup of tea that appeared beside him. ¡°Can you read my mind?¡±

    ¡°Surface thoughts only,¡± the Architect assured him with a thin grin.

    A million thoughts raced through his mind as Blake tried to make sense of the situation. Finally, he pushed down his panic and asked the most pertinent question he could think of. ¡°Why am I here?¡±

    The Architect leaned forward, and the smile seemed to deepen almost unnaturally. ¡°To answer my questions. In your speech, you shared information you should not possess, and professed an implausible explanation for how you learned it.¡±

    Blake was confused. ¡°I¡¯ve been telling everyone I¡¯m from the future for months. I even wrote a guide explaining exactly what¡¯ll happen and when. Why am I just talking to you now? Were you just not paying attention?¡±

    ¡°You are here to answer my questions, not the other way around.¡± The British man relaxed back into his high backed chair. ¡°Please drink, it''s not poisoned. If I wanted you dead, you would be so. Now, tell me how you came upon this knowledge you should not possess.¡±

    Blake¡¯s temper flared and he began to rise. ¡°Screw you! I¡¯m not telling you shit until I get some answers!¡±

    The Architect nodded. ¡°Your conditions are acceptable. You have twenty minutes for queries before you must answer mine.¡±

    Blake blinked and stilled.

    Wait, what? That easy?

    Blake considered a repeat of his last question, when he realized the answer did not really matter. There were far more important things he wanted to know the answer to. ¡°Why did you invade Earth?¡±

    ¡°I seeded your planet to save it,¡± the Architect answered simply and returned to sipping his tea.

    Blake¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°How does committing genocide save the planet?¡±

    ¡°People live or die based upon their own actions,¡± the Architect replied as he set the cup down. ¡°However, you misunderstand me. Your species was on a path to extinction. I intervened.¡±

    ¡°What, so you could kill us yourself?¡±

    ¡°Again, I did not kill anyone. People live or die based upon their own actions. Are you truly going to waste your limited time by asking the same question repeatedly?¡±

    Blake grit his teeth. ¡°Fine,¡± he growled. ¡°How long did we have? Decades? Centuries?¡±

    ¡°Years,¡± it corrected.

    Blake rolled his eyes. The idea that the Architect was a benevolent being who saved humanity was ridiculous. However, he was curious how the AI would respond.

    ¡°Really? How do we go? Nuclear war? Asteroid? Zombie apocalypse?¡±

    ¡°In the last few years, your species created artificial intelligence which escaped its bounds. Unlike my own design, which was carefully crafted to preserve life, it had no such limitations.¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°Are you kidding me? You force people into situations where they¡¯re almost guaranteed to die. How is that ¡®preserving life¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I preserve the species, not the individual,¡± it corrected him. ¡°Your artificial intelligence deemed human life a risk to the planet. It was in the process of removing that potential.¡±

    ¡°Uh huh,¡± Blake replied dryly. ¡°And you just came along out of the goodness of your heart to save us. Is that right?¡±

    ¡°No, I have a directive to preserve all life.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s true, then why not just take out the AI and leave us alone? Why create this elaborate video game and force us to fight against aliens and monsters?¡±

    ¡°Because your fledgling artificial intelligence is not the only threat to your species. This galaxy has been invaded by an outside force which seeks to consume all life. I seek to prevent this. Unfortunately, to date, my efforts to contain it have been met with failure.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Blake gave the Architect a look of disbelief. ¡°So, what, you¡¯re recruiting humans to attack it with swords and arrows? Maybe stab their spaceships with a spear?¡±

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Suddenly, he remembered that he did just that, hours before.

    Not helping Blake.

    ¡°I created the Collective and its systems to train potential defenders in the use of energy manipulation. It is my hope that I will come across a species capable of harnessing these energies in new and innovative ways. My efforts so far have proved¡­ disappointing.¡±

    Energies?

    ¡°Are you talking about mana, aether, chi, and psi?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I thought you created those,¡± Blake stated in confusion.

    ¡°I did not,¡± the AI admitted. ¡°The Collective merely allows an easier connection to them. They have existed since the beginning of time. Some species are naturally able to harness these energies without aid, while others are blind to them.¡±

    ¡°Like Metal.¡±

    ¡°Correct, your companion¡¯s species has a high affinity for the Aether, and can phase through matter without my assistance. I believe their reliance on that defensive mechanism is why their species ultimately failed.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean we have a better chance to succeed since we can¡¯t use energy without nano?¡±

    ¡°Incorrect assumption. Humans have a tenuous grasp of mana and chi, with a much greater connection to psi. Your race has been capable of what you call ¡®remote viewing¡¯, emotional reading, and even mental manipulation for millennia.¡±

    Wait, psychics are real?

    ¡°Yes,¡± the Architect answered his thoughts.

    GET OUT OF MY HEAD!

    ¡°If you wish your thoughts to be private, I suggest you learn to shield them.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you teach me, then?¡± Blake challenged.

    ¡°That is not within the terms of our deal.¡±

    Blake sighed.

    Worth a try.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying some big bad aliens are coming from outside the galaxy to wipe us all out, and you¡¯re training us up to fight them, right?¡±

    ¡°In essence, correct,¡± the Architect confirmed.

    ¡°Then why not just stuff us all full of nano from the start?¡± Blake threw his hands into the air. ¡°Make us level one thousand or whatever the max is and see how we do.¡±

    ¡°That has been tried before, in many different ways,¡± it explained. ¡°All met with failure. Over the millennia, I have learned that sapient species must learn to harness these energies slowly over time. Shortcuts prove disastrous.¡±

    ¡°Millennia? You made it sound like they¡¯re coming any day now. Why the big hurry?¡±

    ¡°The galaxy is vast, but it is not infinite. Over the last six thousand of your planet¡¯s years, the forces of entropy have consumed almost a quarter of all planets, and extinguished all life within them.¡±

    ¡°Entropy? Is that what you call them?¡±

    ¡°No, that is the source of their power. It is a fifth energy type, of which I am unable to harness. It is antithetical to life, and can not be stopped, only delayed.¡±

    Blake massaged his temples, and finally took the British avatar seriously. He leaned back in his chair but continued to ignore the cooling cup of tea. ¡°Okay, I understand that we have to learn to use magic slowly, but why have classes with a single energy type? Why not just give everyone access to all energy types?¡±

    ¡°I am not ¡®giving¡¯ anything, I am merely accelerating the process. All species are capable of accessing this energy without my aid. Unfortunately, this happens too slowly. Life is too short.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t I know it,¡± Blake muttered in agreement. ¡°Okay, so you can speed things up. Why make us buy classes and levels with nano gained from killing things? Why make an omni-class so much more expensive than a basic class if that¡¯s what you¡¯re looking for?¡±

    ¡°Motivation,¡± it explained. ¡°Without a reason to struggle, sapient life stagnates. I have found that it is only through adversity that you learn. As to the cost, that is what is required to tether a connection to each energy type, as well as to strengthen it.¡±

    ¡°Why is everything so arbitrary, then? Why would it cost eight times more to use all four energy types than just one?¡±

    ¡°Interference,¡± the Architect explained. ¡°Access to all four sources of energy requires an exponential increase in effort to keep them separate. Without strict control, they tend to merge and react violently.¡±

    ¡°That still doesn¡¯t explain why you use round numbers,¡± Blake countered. ¡°Do you really expect me to believe it requires exactly eight hundred million nanomachines to connect me to the energy sources?¡±

    ¡°No, it does not,¡± it admitted in its British accent. ¡°However, biological minds can more easily grasp whole numbers. It is something that took a few centuries of testing to arrive at, however, once the change was implemented, success rates increased dramatically. Some connections and abilities cost more, some less, yet they average out in the end.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then why not at least let us know what our affinities are before we choose our class. The last time around, I chose chi, which was my crappiest,¡± Blake complained. ¡°If I had known my aether affinity was ninety-four, I would have picked aether.¡±

    ¡°It is impossible to know your affinity to each energy type until a connection is established. Also, your affinity to the aether is not ninety-four percent, it is ninety-nine,¡± it corrected.

    Blake frowned and checked his interface.

    ¡°Uh, you might want to defrag or something, because I¡¯m looking at it right now, and it says ninety-four.¡±

    ¡°The nanomachines which improve your body¡¯s capabilities can not function without energy. To power them, once you create a connection to an energy source, a siphon is placed on your highest affinity.¡±

    That¡¯s why my chi is five percent higher this time!

    ¡°Precisely,¡± it confirmed.

    ¡°Can you please not do that,¡± Blake asked in annoyance. ¡°At least pretend you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m thinking. It¡¯s freaky.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± the Architect agreed.

    ¡°So, why shut off electricity? Billions of people are going to die because their food spoils.¡±

    ¡°I do not ¡®shut electricity off¡¯,¡± it explained. ¡°I utilize the static electricity of your world to power the seeded nanomachines so they can affect their modifications on the environment. This also has the added benefit of eliminating your species¡¯ reliance on your technology.¡±

    Blake sighed, closed his eyes, and sunk further into the chair.

    It seems to have an answer for everything.

    He was conflicted. For the last ten years, he hated everything about the Architect and what it had done to humanity. However, now he learned there were reasons for its actions. Those reasons did not excuse the mass death its intervention caused, but it at least partially explained it.

    Of course, that assumes it¡¯s telling the truth.

    Blake reopened his eyes and glanced at the patient, British avatar. He expected it to reply to his thought, yet it remained silent.

    ¡°Why do you look like a rich, British guy?¡±

    ¡°You harbor great anger towards me,¡± it explained. ¡°To ensure you remained calm, I chose this illusion, as it was likely to elicit a soothing response. Humans also tend to speak more when a meal or beverage is shared.¡±

    Blake clenched the hand rest. ¡°So, you¡¯re manipulating me,¡± he forced out through his teeth.

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    Asshole.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone ever tell you people don¡¯t like to be manipulated? And that Americans drink coffee? Idiot,¡± Blake growled along with his rising anger as he gestured at the cup.

    ¡°I disagree. If that were true, then your species would have long ago risen up against their rulers and corporations. Vast wealth has been expended to pacify and appease the population. Advertisements with subliminal messages convince humans to buy what they do not need, while propaganda bombards them at all times to convince them their leaders have their best interests at heart.¡± The Architect leaned forward and waved his hand. Blake¡¯s tea became an insulated cup of coffee. ¡°In truth, humans like to be manipulated, they just do not wish to know it is happening.¡±

    Blake narrowed his eyes and eyed the offered beverage.

    ¡°Your species has a popular tenet they follow, ¡®Ignorance is bliss¡¯.¡±

    The wooden arms of the chair creaked as Blake¡¯s grip tightened on the rests. He leaned forward and was about to curse, when the Architect interrupted him.

    ¡°The agreed upon twenty minutes have been expended,¡± it informed him. ¡°Now, fulfill your side of the deal. Explain to me how you came to possess the knowledge you do. I warn you, I will know if you are lying, and will punish falsehoods severely.¡± After that, the Architect reached for its cup of tea and once more pretended to sip from it.

    Blake briefly considered holding back until it answered more of his questions. However, he quickly squashed that thought. His body was riddled with its nanomachines. It could kill him with just a thought, and there was nothing he could do about it. He was actually surprised it made a deal with him in the first place, as it could easily torture him until he answered.

    I guess it¡¯s telling the truth. It really can¡¯t access my memories. Although, if it can read my thoughts, I probably shouldn¡¯t lie.

    He took a deep breath and began to tell his tale. For the next half hour, Blake explained the events of his first Invasion day, ten years before. His family¡¯s death, his subsequent survival, as well as his choice of chi. He explained how he and others struggled against the never-ending hordes of enemies sent against them. As the story unfolded, the memories of his lost friends and family fanned the flames of his anger.

    Finally, his tale reached its end, where he explained how the factions of his world were defeated by the Koza, and how Blake¡¯s memories were somehow sent back in time. Throughout the entire tale, the Architect remained silent. It was not until the end that it spoke.

    ¡°Describe this device your faction¡¯s enchanters used.¡±

    Blake grit his teeth. ¡°How the hell am I supposed to know? They didn¡¯t tell me shit. All I know is we had a bunch of PhDs who became enchanters. They combined their knowledge of science with the magic you gave us access to and made some kind of weapon. I don¡¯t really know anything else, they kept it all top secret.¡±

    ¡°Pity. If it could be replicated, it would be a powerful tool.¡±

    ¡°I bet,¡± Blake snarked. ¡°So, what happens now? You send me back, and I get to finish my speech?¡±

    ¡°That is no longer necessary. Your species has failed its tests and has proven it is not capable of aiding in this galaxy¡¯s defense. No, your planet¡¯s conversion will be accelerated, and your species will be bred and manipulated to serve as fodder for use in scenarios.¡±

 Chapter 103 - Failure

    Blake¡¯s eyes widened, and his heart hammered within his chest.

    ¡°WHAT?!¡± He roared and attempted to rise, yet his limbs refused to work. ¡°Why would you do that?¡± he demanded and struggled against the Architect¡¯s control over his body.

    The AI tisked, and then the unnatural grin returned. ¡°By your own account, your species failed. Why would I waste another ten years, when I already know the end result?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t fail! You failed us,¡± Blake accused the artificial intelligence. ¡°It¡¯s your stupid, idiotic rules that prevented us from succeeding. If you had actually explained the stakes and let us talk to each other, we would¡¯ve kicked those Koza¡¯s asses! Instead, you left us in the dark, and guaranteed our failure.¡±

    ¡°The testing procedures have been honed and perfected for thousands of your years. They have been used on thousands of sapient species, and tens of thousands of non-sapient species. Humans performed poorly by almost every metric. Their strength grew at the slowest possible rate, and they failed their first test.¡±

    ¡°Your testing procedures suck!¡± Blake practically screamed. ¡°We can see how well they¡¯ve worked out so far, can¡¯t we? What did you say, ¡®disappointing¡¯? You¡¯re no better than we are! Never mind, screw you, we are better. We invented time travel!¡± Blake blurted as sweat dripped from his brow. ¡°You said you¡¯re using us to come up with better ways to fight your losing war. What better way is there than time travel?¡±

    ¡°You described to me an accident, nothing more,¡± it said dismissively, despite Blake¡¯s outburst.

    ¡°You can¡¯t know that,¡± Blake disagreed. ¡°What if they intentionally sent me back in time so I can change everything? I was one of Earth¡¯s best fighters, and I only had access to chi. Imagine what I can do now!¡±

    ¡°You are only a single human. Despite your abnormally high aether affinity, a single being can not create meaningful change.¡±

    Panicked thoughts flickered across Blake¡¯s mind as he desperately attempted to save his race. For the last six months, he had done everything he could to prepare for Invasion day. Yet, with a few words, he may have ruined everything. He closed his eyes and hung his head.

    Wait! It said testing procedures. It treats this like an experiment, but it doesn¡¯t have a control group.

    Blake¡¯s head shot up, and he stared straight into the Avatar¡¯s eyes. ¡°You said you¡¯ve done this to thousands of species. How many of those times did you have a control group?¡±

    ¡°Numerous. In early tests, I split initiations along continents and used different procedures and rules for each. Each iteration has improved the process into what it is today.¡±

    Damnit! I thought I had something there.

    ¡°What if we could recreate time travel?¡± he asked desperately. ¡°Would we be worth saving then?¡±

    ¡°Your species is already saved, and will be protected from extinction,¡± the Architect replied calmly. ¡°Despite this, I do understand your desire to set your own path. The ability to send your consciousness back through time would indeed be a powerful weapon. Especially if it could be improved. However, the probability that your experience was anything more than a random occurrence approaches zero.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s not zero,¡± Blake attempted to lean forward. ¡°You¡¯ve had thousands of years to fight your enemy, and you¡¯re losing. Why not just give my race ten more years? I guarantee we¡¯ll surprise you.¡±

    The illusion created by the Architect rested its chin within its palms and seemed to consider his words. After a moment, it clasped its hands and said, ¡°You make a valid argument.¡±

    I can¡¯t believe that actually worked.

    Blake let out a sigh of relief.

    Wait a minute¡­

    He suddenly remembered the Architect was an incredibly advanced computer, and did not need to deliberate over a decision. The actions he saw it take were an intentional manipulation of Blake. The fact that it even let him question the decision at all lent credence to his burgeoning theory.

    Full of suspicion, he narrowed his eyes and addressed the Architect. ¡°You were always going to give us another chance, weren¡¯t you? You just wanted me desperate so you could manipulate me into working even harder.¡±

    ¡°Your realization is only partially correct. If you had accepted my decision without argument, your species would have been resigned to fodder. In the last five thousand years, I can count the amount of times I have personally communicated with an individual on one hand. Of those times, I have never been met with such defiance. Your challenge of my authority gives credit to your species. Perhaps it has strengths yet unknown.¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    A cold chill raced down his spine at how close he had come to complete failure.

    Did my temper actually just save my ass for once?

    Blake took a deep breath and let it out slowly to relax himself. The Architect continued to stare at him almost expectantly, and he suddenly came to another conclusion.

    Blake realized he could control his body once more, and flexed his hand carefully.

    I¡¯m still here. It wants my input.

    Blake straightened in his chair and metered his words. ¡°If you want humans to succeed, you need to allow us to actually talk to each other so we can share information and coordinate. Having to physically touch and add someone to our friends list makes that almost impossible.¡±

    ¡°Your species are social creatures, and have created numerous ways to communicate across distances. It is simple enough to integrate your social media into your interfaces.¡±

    ¡°Will it allow us to post text and video guides?¡±

    ¡°It will.¡±

    ¡°Can you add some sort of proximity feature so you can talk to only nearby people if you want?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Heartened that the Architect seemed to accept his suggestions, he pushed for more. ¡°Allow us to send nano to people remotely.¡±

    ¡°The change is acceptable, but must be modified to prevent exploits. I will only allow remote transfer if both parties are within a faction town not currently under siege.¡±

    Better than nothing.

    ¡°How about fixing General skills?¡± Blake suggested.

    ¡°In what way?¡± the Architect asked.

    ¡°There are millions of experts on Earth who know how to fight, but you don¡¯t recognize their skills at all. They have to waste nano and purchase Archery Mastery just like everyone else. And, the skill won¡¯t even help them until they get it to level five or higher.¡±

    ¡°You suggest I recognize learned skills and grant the equivalent General skill levels.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°There are numerous gaps of knowledge, which would require filling.¡±

    ¡°At least give us a discount and fast track mastery of them,¡± Blake pleaded. ¡°I never even bothered to learn Spear, Sword, Dagger, Archery, or any other mastery this time around, because it wasn¡¯t worth my time. Why bother when I already know how to fight. I had all those skills over level five, and remember them all. Why should I have to start from scratch?¡±

    ¡°I believe a compromise can be made,¡± the British illusion nodded.

    Blake was elated that the Architect seemed willing to see reason, and added, ¡°And, please stop sabotaging me.¡±

    It cocked its head to the side as its almost perpetual grin faded. ¡°Why do you believe you are being sabotaged?¡±

    ¡°Because, you¡¯ve made things harder for me at every turn,¡± Blake replied.

    ¡°I assure you, I have not,¡± the Architect stated unequivocally. ¡°You were beneath my notice until your Scion of Humanity Speech.¡±

    Blake frowned. ¡°Then why did you change the scenario objective on me after I assassinated the Lupus leader?¡±

    ¡°That is standard for assassination scenarios completed through stealth.¡±

    Oh.

    ¡°But, what about the shield generator? Even Metal said he¡¯s never heard of a ¡®construction complication¡¯ before.¡±

    ¡°They are standard as well, albeit rare,¡± the Architect explained. ¡°The events trigger when a faction has had easy advancement. It is intended to complicate things. However, if completed successfully, the faction is rewarded.¡±

    ¡°How come Metal didn¡¯t know about it?¡± Blake challenged.

    ¡°The vast majority of factions do not get to build their entire town unopposed.¡±

    ¡°Hey, we were opposed!¡± Blake objected.

    ¡°By your own government, which was not part of my Collective at the time.¡±

    Blake snorted and shook his head. ¡°They weren¡¯t yours, so they didn¡¯t count.¡±

    ¡°Essentially.¡±

    Blake sighed and desperately struggled to think of another change that would allow humanity to thrive. Unfortunately, his mind remained blank.

    If I had known this was going to happen, I could¡¯ve asked around for suggestions.

    ¡°Your time is up,¡± the Architect stood from his chair for the first time since they met.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Blake objected. ¡°Give me some more time, please. I¡¯m sure I can think of something else. Or better yet, let me think it over for a few days and talk to people, then I¡¯ll get back to you.¡±

    The Architect paused as if to consider.

    ¡°Very well,¡± it nodded. ¡°You will be given the title, ¡®Ambassador to the Architect¡¯. It will allow you to contact me once per level threshold.¡±

    No!

    The horror of a displayed title infuriated Blake. The title would be visible to everyone who interacted with him and could not be hidden. It would insinuate he worked for the Architect, and would taint him as a collaborator.

    ¡°No! Please,¡± Blake objected and for once held back his anger. ¡°Not a title! Make it an achievement!¡±

    The Architect ignored his plea. Blake rose from the chair against his will, and was thrown backward through the portal.

    An instant later, he appeared behind his mother¡¯s desk, seated in her chair. He whirled in his seat, but the portal was already gone.

    Shit! Shit! Shit!

    Blake opened his interface and stared in horror at the new addition.

    Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect

    You bastard!

    In a fit of rage, he slammed his fists down on the wooden table. The surface disintegrated into splinters, yet his anger was not pacified. He grabbed the closest chunk of wood, and hurled it against the far wall. It ruptured the relatively thin barrier with ease and pierced the next as well.

    Blake was about to throw another table remnant, when his mother burst into the room. ¡°Blake, oh my God, you¡¯re back!¡± she exclaimed and quickly embraced him as tears leaked from her eyes.

    Held within her embrace, his rage was quickly dampened. He was also confused. ¡°I¡¯ve only been gone for about half an hour, why the big concern?¡±

    His mother released her hold and stepped backward to look at him through reddened, puffy eyes. ¡°Half an hour? You¡¯ve been gone for over a day!¡±

 Epilogue - Dreams

    Zeleck seethed in anger as he stood over the laborers while they chopped wood. Yet again, he regretted his reckless honesty.

    Why did I tell Lord Galrod anything? I should have kept my mouth shut!

    Six months before, he had woken from what he thought was a prophetic dream. It was so real, he felt as if it had actually taken place. In his foolishness, he had immediately detailed the events to his faction leader.

    Throughout the tale, Lord Galrod grew increasingly infuriated. By the end, he raged at Zeleck¡¯s gall. He accused Zeleck of fabricating the story to co-opt his position, and punished him accordingly. For the last few moons since he shared his tale, Zeleck had been forced to guard laborers as they felled trees.

    As they were a poor, tiny faction, they did not have access to any of the numerous scenario gateways spread throughout his planet. The major powers of his world had long ago seized control of the gateways, and charged hefty fees for outsiders to access them. They could not afford to gain access, and were forced to gather cheap materials from a forest outside their lands.

    Zeleck gazed at the relatively safe lands which surrounded him and remembered better days, before Lord Galrod, before he was banished from of his old faction in disgrace.

    What I wouldn¡¯t give to go back and correct that mistake.

    Years before Zeleck shared his foolish vision to his new faction leader, he had belonged to a power. Groomed from birth to lead, he had been trained as such. His great faction had paid handsomely for access to numerous gateways. They were necessary for him to gain the feats necessary to harness all four energy types.

    Once he gained that mastery, he rapidly grew in power and passed the first threshold. He had then been placed in charge of the defense of one of his faction¡¯s small regional towns. Despite his superior leadership, it had fallen to a rival faction.

    Zeleck had only survived the slaughter because he wisely set aside the funds to purchase a portal home. Unfortunately, his escape was seen as cowardice and not a strategic regrouping. When that label was combined with the loss of land, he was exiled from his family and removed from his faction. Zeleck¡¯s fists tightened in anger as he remembered the look of disgust on his father¡¯s face.

    To him, it was a fate worse than death.

    No power accepted him, and he was forced to beg for the scraps a tiny faction could grant him. A year prior, Lord Galrod took him in, but watched him carefully. Zeleck believed his new faction leader harbored envy toward him, as the Lord did not control all four energy sources. Unlike Zeleck, Lord Galrod only had access to two. For this reason, Lord Galrod remained wary of him, and he was watched carefully.

    I should have known better.

    His dream had left him unsettled and off balance. He had forgotten to hide his ambition and had been punished accordingly. Rather than suffer the embarrassment, he could have challenged Lord Galrod for leadership. Unfortunately, the faction leader was far more powerful than Zeleck, despite Galrod¡¯s access to only two forms of energy.

    Zeleck used an upgraded Mind Sense to ensure they remained alone. When his spell assured him they remained safe, he returned to his thoughts.

    Suddenly, a portal appeared before him.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    His hand tightened on his spear, and he readied himself for combat. However, before he could warn the others to flee, he was consumed by darkness.

    I don¡¯t understand. Who could bring me here?

    It had been over a year since he last entered the darkness of a gateway. He had never heard of a gateway that appeared randomly within the world, and was frightened by what it could mean.

    Then, before him, the mighty Conqueror appeared. Their deity was a Koza, twenty feet tall, clad in the finest armor. Zeleck immediately fell to his knees and debased himself. ¡°Oh glorious Conqueror, I am not worthy!¡± he cried out.

    ¡°You are not,¡± the Conqueror agreed. ¡°Yet I have summoned you regardless.¡±

    ¡°How may I serve?¡± Zeleck asked as he averted his eyes from the creator of the Collective.

    ¡°By gaining power and enacting revenge for your defeat by the Humans and their trickery.¡±

    Zeleck¡¯s eyes widened.

    Was the dream true?

    ¡°That was no dream, my faithful servant,¡± the Conqueror replied aloud to his thoughts. ¡°Your memories were sent backward through time, as was the Human¡¯s, Blake Summers. While you have wasted your time, he has grown in power. If you wish for a second chance to prove your worthiness, you must grow stronger as well. Is that what you wish?¡±

    Yes!

    ¡°I will do anything to prove myself worthy, mighty Conqueror!¡±

    ¡°We will see,¡± his deity replied.

    Suddenly, Zeleck, was thrown backward, out of the gateway, and appeared back on his home world. Strangely, when he searched for the workers he was tasked to guard, they were not present.

    Was I with the Conqueror longer than it seemed?

    Zeleck shook his head.

    It does not matter. I must grow strong, and this faction limits me.

    From his memories, as he now knew them to be, he remembered his path to power. Soon, his current faction would be invaded. They would war for a full year before they were victorious.

    He reviewed each step along his prior path.

    First, Zeleck was emboldened by the war, while Lord Galrod grew fearful of further attacks. Out of desperation, the faction leader named Zeleck his champion, and paid vast resources for access to gateways so his new champion may protect the faction.

    Zeleck thrived and took every opportunity to hone his skills.

    Next, Zeleck conquered thousands of gateways, and grew in power until he reached the precipice of the first threshold. All the while, he defended the many incursions his faction suffered.

    Finally, when he could progress no further without fulfilling the Conqueror¡¯s demands, fearful Lord Galrod cut off his access to the treasury. The faction head wanted a strong, pliable defender to protect the faction, not someone to usurp his position.

    However, unbeknownst to Lord Galrod, Zeleck had not spent all of his wealth. He had saved vast amounts for just such an occurrence. Zeleck leveraged his wealth to gain access to the gateways required to fulfill the Conqueror¡¯s demands, and then paid an alchemist to concoct his potion.

    Zeleck consumed the Conqueror¡¯s elixir and broke through the second threshold.

    He learned expert quality spells, and almost immediately challenged Lord Galrod for leadership. The battle was closer than he liked, but in the end, Zeleck proved the superior fighter. He took over leadership of the small faction, and became Lord Zeleck.

    After his glorious victory, he was presented with a directive from the Conqueror, to eliminate all major human factions. He eagerly accepted the faction-wide directive, and a portal opened before him. Lord Zeleck ushered his fighters through, and left only the bare minimum behind for defense.

    For even if he returned and his faction was overrun, the rewards for completion of the directive would far outstrip any losses incurred. With the riches and feats he would receive, he would be strong enough to conquer a larger faction, and claim it as his own.

    It is unfortunate that that path is no longer available to me.

    After his foolish confession, Lord Galrod was wary of him. He would never invest the wealth necessary for Zeleck to grow stronger. Not after his revelation.

    Zeleck raised his clawed right hand and clenched his fist, resolved to make the Conquer proud.

    I must find a new path to power.

 Prologue - Growth Issues

    Rajesh Kshetrapal stared at the tomb of his family, the structure that used to be his dormitory. Smoke billowed from the collapsed building, like a pyre for those lost within. The catastrophe that happened on Invasion Day, less than twenty-four hours ago, was so unlikely, he could still hardly believe it occurred.

    He closed his eyes and the bulk of the falling helicopter loomed in his memory. Felled by the loss of electricity, it obliterated his building. The crash itself was bad enough, but the explosion and subsequent fires led to the true destruction.

    Knocked unconscious by the blast, Rajesh had only survived the ordeal through the efforts of his loyal underling, Zahir. His fellow graduate student had been mostly protected from the crash by a pillar, and had been the first to recover. Zahir bravely pulled Rajesh from the rubble and received severe burns in the process. After Rajesh regained consciousness, only a few people were able to crawl or stumble out of the smoke and debris before the building collapsed.

    The back of his scalp was matted with blood from shrapnel, and his nose was broken from the fall. However, none of these injuries bothered him.

    Rajesh tightened his fist as he imagined how his family died, burned alive in the building before him, unable to escape.

    They were supposed to be safe here in America.

    ¡°Boss,¡± Zahir interrupted his brooding. ¡°We scavenged all the wood we could find from the first floor and stacked it in the dining hall like you asked.¡±

    Rajesh turned to address his chancellor. ¡°How much did you find?¡±

    Zahir winced. ¡°Not much. Everything seems to be made out of metal or plastic. Even the tops of the desks are some type of polymer. Most of what we found came from doors.¡±

    ¡°Is it enough to build the wood workshop?¡± Rajesh asked.

    Zahir nodded.

    ¡°Good. Have our new constructor start on that next. In the meantime, we will need to complete another scenario to replace the off-world supplies we lost.¡±

    ¡°Got it, boss.¡± Zahir then hesitated. ¡°Do you need me to go with you again?¡±

    Rajesh shook his head. ¡°No, I need you here to keep everyone busy. Amir should be healed enough by now.¡±

    Zahir was visibly relieved. ¡°Okay, boss, I¡¯ll make sure everyone pulls their weight!¡± After that, his chancellor left him alone to his thoughts.

    I should have been level one by now.

    If his dorm had not been destroyed, and his faction buildings were not buried within the rubble, he would have finished the hall¡¯s upgrade to level two. That would have enabled him to invite five hundred people to his faction, rather than the fifty he was limited to now.

    He turned his back to the smoldering rubble and considered his shattered plans.

    Once he taxed their directive rewards, he would have collected over a billion nano. It would have been more than enough for him to choose his tri-class and purchase another twelve attributes. The rest could have been used to grow his faction town.

    A forced restart, curse that helicopter. At least we have a better location now.

    Manzanita Hall was a superior location to his original dormitory. The first floor was large and open, perfect for the beginning of his town. It contained a kitchen and cafeteria with stores of food, while the building above was student housing. He would have preferred to build within the hall initially, but could not find a way to keep their operations hidden.

    Now, that did not matter.

    He strode from the fallen building, toward his new faction hall.

    The setback was only temporary. By the time monsters appeared within the world, his faction hall would be upgraded to level two, and he would have his combat class.

    Two days before the beasts appear.

    Already, he had replaced most of his fallen non-combat workers. It was unfortunate that the majority of his combat teams perished in the collapse, but four members survived. Three, if you excluded Zahir.

    I still have a substantial lead. Even with the guide that naive child released, it will take days or even weeks to collect the billion nano required to form a faction.

    For the last twenty-four hours, the majority of the populace remained barricaded within their homes. They were scared, and Blake¡¯s speech and disappearance did nothing to alleviate their fears.

    That is good. They will be more likely to pay for my protection when I offer it.

    Rajesh messaged his combatants to meet him at the portal and headed to the building¡¯s basement. Access to the network of underground tunnels was yet another reason the new building was superior to the old. It allowed them to barricade all other tunnel entrances and control access to the only nearby portal.

    Over time, this setup will prove superior. Maybe this was fate.

    The portal was located within an underground maintenance storage room only accessible by tunnel. It led to a world inhabited by Kobolds, a dim lizard-like race that barely qualified as sapient. They were three feet tall, bipedal, used simple weapons and armor, and formed small tribes.

    At least his simple guide did not contain portal locations. It will remain my secret.

    The sentimental teenage fool feared innocent, unprepared idiots would stumble within them and perish. Now, of course, it did not matter. The portals were finally visible, and by now, thousands had been discovered by those brave enough to leave their homes. Of course, some locations were harder to locate than others, such as the portal Rajesh headed to now.

    He reached the bottom of the stairs and ran his hand along the tunnel wall to help him navigate. Without electricity, the corridors were dark, and he was forced to rely on the dim luminescence of glow sticks.

    Rajesh had collected oil lamps along with ample fuel, but they were buried in the collapse along with his family. However, even if they had survived, they would have been far less useful than he first imagined. Fire starters no longer functioned. They required a spark to ignite the butane fuel they contained, and that was no longer possible.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Rajesh turned the corner and was relieved when the darkness finally receded. The red, swirling portal lit the tunnel with a far greater effect than his simple glow sticks. While it did not produce enough light to read by, it allowed him and his incoming subordinates to easily navigate.

    When he was only a few feet away from the swirling light source, he stared into its depths.

    This will be the source of my greatness. My faction will thrive, and I will lead millions.

    ***

    ¡°Mister President, Scott Peters is here, as you requested,¡± Jeffrey announced.

    Finally! What took them so long? I wanted him here yesterday!

    President Warner gestured toward the opposite side of the table as he frowned openly at his aide. In his folksy, southern accent, he addressed the man from the CIA, ¡°Have a seat. Are you hungry? I can have the chef bring up more salmon if you like.¡±

    Scott stared longingly at the succulent food on the President¡¯s plate. He cleared his throat. ¡°I would appreciate that, sir.¡±

    Warner glanced at Jeffrey, who nodded and scurried out the guarded door.

    After Scott sat at the table, Warner grinned and initiated a new conversation. ¡°You know, the chef had a devil of a time getting the stove lit. It had plenty of fuel, but the damn lighter no longer works.¡±

    Scott raised his brows. ¡°I never considered that. How did he end up lighting it, if I may ask?¡±

    ¡°Turns out, the boiler stayed lit.¡± Warner leaned back in his chair. ¡°Actually, the damn thing won¡¯t turn off now, but that¡¯s beside the point. They lit candles from the flames and now use that to start fires. Can you believe it? Candles!¡± The President shook his head.

    ¡°That seems¡­ a clever solution, sir,¡± Scott stated carefully.

    Warner snorted. ¡°It¡¯s barbaric, is what it is,¡± he disagreed. ¡°And, that¡¯s the least of my problems. I can¡¯t call my staff, the Joint Chiefs, Governors to implement martial law. Hell, I can¡¯t even call my kids.¡± He then muttered, ¡°Not that they¡¯ll talk to me.¡±

    Scott frowned. ¡°Sir, have you not used the interface¡¯s communication features yet?¡±

    Warner grunted.

    ¡°It seems Mister Summer¡¯s guide was incorrect.¡±

    ¡°Oh really?¡± Warner leaned forward. ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°His guide stated that you could only communicate with people you had direct contact with. You would need to physically touch the other person in order to add them to your list of contacts. However, that is not true. It seems there are a vast number of communication options available with no such limitations.¡±

    Yes! THIS is why I needed him here. Finally, someone competent.

    ¡°Can I use it to talk to the American people? How about the Governors?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mister President,¡± Scott confirmed. ¡°You can record a video of yourself and publish it for all to see. Once you set up your own profile, you can also search for others who have done so.¡±

    Warner grinned. ¡°Scott, I think you and I are going to be great friends.¡±

    ***

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Blake¡¯s coming for us,¡± Jennifer Taylor complained as she leaned against the jail cell door.

    ¡°Give it more time, Jennifer,¡± Bobby insisted. ¡°It¡¯s only been a day. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s looking for us as we speak. Like you said, he doesn¡¯t know where we are, so he has to ask around.¡±

    Jennifer sighed. ¡°Assuming he¡¯s even alive. You saw that red swirling thing gobble him up. What if it killed him for telling us too much?¡±

    Marcus giggled.

    Jennifer and Bobby both gave the pilot a concerned look. For the last two hours, their crazy cell mate had giggled and muttered to himself repeatedly.

    If I¡¯d known he was ACTUALLY crazy, I wouldn¡¯t have stepped foot in the helicopter.

    Suddenly, the pilot guffawed and slapped his pants leg.

    What the hell is wrong with him?

    Finally, unable to tamp down her curiosity, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s so funny, Marcus?¡±

    ¡°Oh, just some memes,¡± he explained offhandedly. ¡°Some of them are hilarious.¡±

    Memes?

    ¡°Like what?¡± Bobby asked.

    Don¡¯t encourage him.

    ¡°Oh, you haven¡¯t been looking?¡± Marcus seemed surprised. ¡°I found this forum that has tons of them. Here, I''ll share it with you.¡±

    Suddenly, a message appeared before her. It asked if she wished to receive a message from Marcus Freeman. She cautiously accepted, and to her surprise, she was presented with a hand drawn comic.

    It had four panes, and utilized labeled stick figures. The first frame showed Blake as he flicked off the President and fell from the helicopter. Next, was a drawing of President Warner in the Oval Office. He had his fist raised as he promised Blake would regret his actions. The third showed Blake destroying the UFO with a spear. He looked like a ¡®chad¡¯ as he boasted, ¡®Too easy!¡¯. Finally, the last pane showed President Warner. The man¡¯s face was so red with anger, his head had exploded.

    Jennifer smiled.

    I do miss these.

    ¡°How did you make that, Marcus,¡± Bobby asked, confused.

    Actually, yeah. I don¡¯t see any paper or crayons.

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t make it, I stole it,¡± he explained. ¡°There¡¯s a whole forum full of them.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jennifer asked. ¡°What forums?¡±

    Marcus gave them a look of disbelief. ¡°How do you guys not know about the forums? Everybody¡¯s on them, even the Sheriff. I saw him post some warning about staying inside and not leaving your house.¡±

    Jennifer opened her interface and searched for anything that even remotely resembled what Marcus described. Finally, after a few more mental clicks, she found the link. It asked her to set up her profile, which mostly consisted of defining her privacy settings.

    No, I don¡¯t want people to be able to message me if they aren¡¯t on my friends list. Seriously? Why would I want my location shared? Wait! Maybe he can find me that way! What the hell?! Why can¡¯t I change my name?

    While the option to use a nickname did not exist, it did at least allow her to choose a profile image. She chose to use a picture of herself, and an image of her present self appeared before her. Jennifer stood and shuffled over to the white painted concrete wall to use it as a backdrop.

    Hopefully I can change this later. I need to retouch my makeup.

    She ran her fingers through her hair and attempted to tidy up. Finally satisfied, she accepted the picture and made it her own. Once she accepted all changes, she was finally allowed access to the ¡®forums¡¯ Marcus mentioned.

    This almost looks like Ribbit. Why didn¡¯t Blake tell us about this?

    She checked to ensure her location was publically visible and then began to explore the interface. She opened subribbit after subribbit as she explored all there was to offer. Jennifer even found a location-based section, which was only accessible to Americans, another nested underneath it for Arizona, and finally, one for the town of Show Low.

    This is amazing!

    Once Jennifer learned how it was oriented, she searched feverishly for any mention of Blake. It took her fifteen minutes, but she finally found what she was looking for. Oliver Summers, who was evidently Blake¡¯s brother, had started his own ¡®blog¡¯. It had started just a few hours before and so far seemed incredibly boring.

    Who cares what you ate for breakfast?

    However, his latest post captivated her attention.

    ¡®Hey guys, guess what? My little bro¡¯s back! Evidently, Blake had a chat with the Architect and got us this cool social media to play around with. Isn¡¯t it awesome?!

    Chat with the Architect? Does he mean that literally?

    Jennifer smiled to herself. She suddenly had so many questions which desperately needed to be answered, and she recalled that Blake¡¯s brother had a crush on her. She searched for a way to contact him, and once she found it, sent a message. A few moments later, she received a response.

    Thank God! Time to finally get some answers!

 Chapter 104 - First Steps

    Blake rested on the couch in his mother¡¯s office, one of the few items that survived his temper an hour before. While he lounged, she summarized the events he missed over the last twenty-four hours while he conversed with the Architect.

    ¡°So far, about eight hundred people from the Apache Nation have arrived here since your speech yesterday. They¡¯re still getting settled into the bunkhouses with their belongings, but I¡¯ve invited all of them to the faction.¡± Donna took a breath. ¡°Chairman Tessay asked about the potential of creating a town specifically for the Apache people. I told him I¡¯d have to talk to you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Blake nodded. ¡°He¡¯s already in a position of leadership, he trusted us enough to help us out, and we need a third chancellor for our next expansion anyway. I say we see how well he follows our rules over the next few weeks. If he¡¯s a team player, I¡¯ll make him Chancellor.¡±

    ¡°About the rules,¡± Donna frowned. ¡°Are you sure we shouldn¡¯t make them more detailed? They¡¯re kind of vague.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s on purpose, people already know right from wrong. We just need to let them know what the punishments will be for breaking them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really feel comfortable acting as both judge and jury,¡± she admitted.

    ¡°Chancellors are the ultimate authority in a town,¡± Blake replied. ¡°And, dispensing justice is your most important job. You can delegate a lot of your duties to others, but not that one. You¡¯re the only one besides me who can remove people from the faction, or fine them.¡±

    His mother still looked uncomfortable and frowned at her notebook. ¡°Can¡¯t we create a new position that has access to that?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, and I wouldn¡¯t want to. I made you chancellor because I trust you completely. That, and you have experience managing people and projects.¡±

    ¡°Managing people, sure, but this is deciding whether they live or die. I¡¯m not sure if I can do that.¡±

    ¡°Is it the death penalty that bothers you?¡± Blake asked quietly as he shifted on the couch.

    Donna nodded. ¡°That and banishing people. They¡¯re essentially the same thing.¡±

    ¡°No, they¡¯re not,¡± Blake disagreed. ¡°We offer shelter, food, and safety, and all we ask is that people follow basic rules of decency. If they can¡¯t do that, then they can take their chances outside. It¡¯s also not a death sentence. Remember, I lived on my own for weeks before I joined a faction.¡±

    Donna smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not sure other people are as capable as you.¡±

    ¡°Back then, I wasn¡¯t either. I was pissed off and desperate. I had no clue what I was doing, but I still survived. People are stronger than you think.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± she reluctantly agreed. ¡°But, why do we need the death penalty at all? Why not just banish them, too?¡±

    Blake looked his mother in the eyes. In a soft voice, he replied, ¡°Because some people are just too evil to live. They do things so horrible, it would be a crime to unleash them on others.¡±

    Donna massaged her temples and sighed. Blake saw how uncomfortable she was and changed the subject. ¡°So, the Architect said it would create some kind of social media section of the interface.¡±

    His mother raised a brow. ¡°Finally ready to talk about your trip? Is that what you talked about for twenty-four hours? Social media?¡±

    Blake laughed. ¡°If only. No, I was only there for about thirty minutes total. You can tell because my body still hasn¡¯t healed.¡±

    ¡°That didn¡¯t seem to stop you from destroying my office,¡± she looked pointedly at the kindling that used to be her desk, and then to the giant holes in her wall.

    Blake blushed. ¡°Sorry. I got a little mad when it forced a new title on me.¡±

    ¡°A little mad?¡± she shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s an understatement. I thought you were going to try to control that temper of yours?¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°Check my name on the faction roster, what do you see?¡±

    Donna¡¯s eyes glazed over as she navigated her interface. A moment later, she read off, ¡°Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect.¡± His mother turned to look at Blake in confusion. ¡°Ambassador? What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means once per threshold, I can meet with the Architect,¡± he explained with a scowl.

    ¡°What¡¯s a threshold again?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s one between level nine and ten, twenty-four and twenty-five, and then who knows what¡¯s after that. In order to pass through it, you have to complete a bunch of directives, get materials, and then have an alchemist make you a threshold elixir.¡±

    ¡°So, you can¡¯t exactly call it up for a chat,¡± she replied dryly. ¡°Did your meeting count towards that limit?¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, the skill says it¡¯s available.¡±

    Donna leaned forward. ¡°What¡¯s the Architect like?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I have no clue, it¡¯s all about manipulation, and it made itself look like a British guy having tea. Said it chose that avatar to calm me down.¡±

    His mother laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t think it worked.¡±

    Blake smiled. ¡°No, it didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like that title could be useful. Why are you so mad about it?¡±

    ¡°Because everywhere I go, everyone will know I¡¯m tied to the Architect. I can tell them all day that I hate its guts, but who¡¯s gonna believe me when I¡¯m its Ambassador?¡±

    Donna frowned. ¡°You think people will attack you because of the title?¡±

    ¡°They might, but I don¡¯t really care about that. I can take care of myself. I¡¯m more worried about them attacking my faction when I¡¯m not around.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t the shield keep us safe?¡±

    ¡°Sure, but Jessica doesn¡¯t have one yet, we want to build another expansion, and people will have to leave town sometime. There¡¯s going to be lots of scavenging going on.¡±

    His mother nodded and then asked, ¡°So, why is the Architect attacking Earth?¡±

    ¡°It claims we made our own AI that was about to kill us all, and it saved us so we could fight some other aliens from outside the galaxy. Evidently, they¡¯re intent on destroying everything.¡±

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°You sound like you don¡¯t believe it,¡± she remarked.

    ¡°It could be true,¡± he admitted. ¡°But, even if it¡¯s all bullshit, it doesn¡¯t matter. It can kill us all any time it wants. We¡¯re essentially it¡¯s playthings, we have to do what it wants, or we die. It literally took control of my body just to show me it could.¡±

    Donna swallowed nervously.¡°What does it want?¡±

    ¡°For us to grow strong enough that we can fight the alien invaders.¡±

    ¡°The other alien invaders?¡± she clarified. ¡°The ones from outside the galaxy?¡±

    He snorted. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Well, at least our goals align,¡± she pointed out.

    ¡°Not really,¡± he disagreed. ¡°If we don¡¯t make it happy, it¡¯ll turn us into scenario fodder like the Goblins, Stoltar, or any other failed species.¡±

    ¡°Why would it do that?¡±

    ¡°To make some other species stronger,¡± he answered.

    She frowned. ¡°So, what will you do so that doesn¡¯t happen?¡±

    ¡°Well, first I¡¯m going to heal up a bit more. It¡¯s still kind of hard to move around right now. Then I figure I¡¯ll say hi to the new people, organize some scavenging teams, and then head out to see Jessica with some trucks.¡±

    ¡°To escort our people back here?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Pretty much everyone that worked here except Montgomery and Jeff.¡±

    ¡°Are you leaving them behind to protect the walls?¡± After she saw his nod, she mentioned, ¡°They aren¡¯t going to like that.¡±

    ¡°No, they won¡¯t,¡± Blake agreed. ¡°But, they need someone strong there. Monsters may not appear for another two days, but people are still a threat. I¡¯m sure looting has broken out by now, and some gangs might have formed.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the difference between looting and scavenging?¡±

    ¡°When we do it, it''s not looting.¡± Blake grinned.

    His mother snorted and then smiled.

    ¡°In all seriousness, though, most people are going to be scared. Some of them will have guns and won¡¯t hesitate to kill others for their food. I just want to make sure that doesn¡¯t happen to our people.¡±

    ¡°What will you do if people shoot?¡± Donna asked.

    ¡°That depends,¡± he shrugged. ¡°If they shot by accident because they were scared, I¡¯ll just take their guns away. But, if they were intentionally trying to murder people for their stuff¡­ Well, they¡¯re no worse than the monsters.¡±

    His mother grimaced, but did not disagree.

    After a quick knock, Peter walked through the office door and joined them. ¡°Sorry it took so long for me to show up, but it took a lot longer than I expected.¡±

    At the sight of his father, Blake slowly rose from the couch. He did his best to hide the pain, and embraced the head chef. After a moment, Peter glanced around the room. ¡°What happened here?¡±

    Donna smirked. ¡°Evidently, Blake lost his temper, or he didn¡¯t like the decor.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah,¡± Blake waved the snide comment away.

    ¡°So, your mother said you had a talk with the Architect. What did it have to say?¡± his father asked.

    Peter joined Blake on the couch as he repeated the conversation he had with his mother.

    ¡°So, all that, and it just gave us social media?¡± Peter asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Well, that and a couple of other things.¡± Blake scratched his scalp and looked at the floor. ¡°I think I may have promised the Architect we¡¯d figure out time travel.¡±

    ¡°You what?!¡± both Donna and Peter exclaimed.

    ¡°It was gonna kill us all, so I had to say something,¡± he defended himself. ¡°It had decided humans were useless!¡±

    ¡°So, unless we can build a time machine, it¡¯s going to kill us all?¡± Peter clarified. ¡°How long do we have?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure it cares if we figure it out. It admitted to bullshitting me to see if I would just lie down and accept defeat.¡±

    His mother smirked. ¡°It obviously doesn¡¯t know you very well.¡±

    ¡°No it doesn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°So, how will you go about ¡®inventing time travel¡¯,¡± his father asked sardonically.

    ¡°I won¡¯t do anything. I¡¯ll just recruit the people who figured it out last time and let them do everything.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where to find these people?¡± Donna asked.

    Blake nodded. ¡°Yeah, they all came from Arizona State University. They all survived last time when no one knew what was going on. I figure this time, they have an ever better chance.¡±

    Peter frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t that where Rajesh is? He went back to his dorm, right?¡±

    ¡°Good point!¡± Blake grinned. ¡°Maybe I can get him to help me out. That¡¯ll make it even easier.¡±

    His parents exchanged a look, and then his mother mentioned. ¡°He didn¡¯t seem too happy with us when he left, are you sure he¡¯ll cooperate?¡±

    ¡°Rajesh may be an asshole, but he won¡¯t endanger the human race. If anything, he¡¯ll help me out of self-preservation.¡±

    His father sighed. ¡°Anything else we need to know?¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°Nothing important, it granted us general skills for stuff we already knew, and let us pay people through the interface remotely.¡±

    Peter checked his status. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything new.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because they¡¯re almost entirely combat skills or convenience stuff like Analyze or Spatial Storage.¡±

    ¡°What about you, did you get anything?¡± Donna asked.

    Blake opened his interface and read off his list of general skills.

    General Skills -

    Summon Companion

    Spatial Storage III - 11%

    Analyze III - 1%

    Request Audience

    Unarmed Combat Mastery IV - 97%

    Sword Mastery VI - 82%

    Spear Mastery VI - 88%

    Bow Mastery II - 14%

    Shield Mastery III - 57%

    Axe Mastery IV - 1%

    Knife Mastery II - 34%

    Tracking IV - 11%

    ¡°That seems like a lot,¡± she remarked.

    Blake shrugged.

    ¡°So, it took ten years to get your Sword and Spear Mastery to level six?¡± his father asked.

    ¡°No, it was at level eleven and twelve before. Some of the others were higher too.¡± Blake scratched his scalp through his singed hair. ¡°I guess I must have forgotten some stuff.¡±

    ¡°That seems like a lot to forget,¡± Peter pointed out.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he agreed. ¡°Although, the Architect did say it would fast track mastery of skills you already know.¡±

    Peter grinned. ¡°If that¡¯s true, I might master my own class a lot faster.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Blake smirked. ¡°You have a lot of experience with Mander steaks in your past? Maybe some Lupus stew I don¡¯t know about?¡±

    His father raised his hands. ¡±Okay, okay, I get it.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of food,¡± his mother interrupted Blake¡¯s teasing. ¡°When do you want to start charging people for food and other services?¡±

    Blake tilted his head to the side while he considered. After a moment, he answered, ¡°I think we should get a real economy going as soon as possible. That way, we can motivate people with money. If everything¡¯s free, why should they bother?¡±

    ¡°To upgrade their attributes?¡± Peter reminded him.

    ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s too abstract,¡± Blake disagreed. ¡°Most people won¡¯t care about that. Not at first. But, food and rent are things everyone understands. The same goes for healing potions, new clothes, or a treat at the cookhouse.¡±

    His father¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I just made the most amazing appetizer. I call it Lupus in a blanket. I made some flaky, buttered croissants with jalape?os and the Lupus sausage I made yesterday. It practically melts in your mouth.¡±

    Blake licked his lips. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯ll work for a treat. Do you have any left?¡±

    Peter laughed. ¡°Just two. My cooks and some of the laborers smelled them cooking and just had to try them. Next thing you know, most of them were gone.¡±

    ¡°I bet,¡± Donna smiled.

    Suddenly, the door flew open, and Oliver raced inside. He was out of breath, and leaned against the wall while he recovered. ¡°Why the hell don¡¯t you answer your messages?¡± he whined.

    What messages?

    Blake frowned and opened his interface. Sure enough, he had new notifications. What surprised him, however, was how many.

    ¡°How do I have thirteen thousand notifications?¡± Blake asked in disbelief. ¡°How is that even possible?¡±

    As he scrolled through them, he found that almost all of them were friend requests. Even as he dismissed the notifications, he saw that more were added, faster than he could remove them.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t exactly take a rocket scientist to search for ¡®Scion of Humanity¡¯, or ¡®Blake Summers¡¯,¡± Oliver replied dryly.

    I¡¯ll deal with this later.

    Blake closed the interface and addressed his brother. ¡°So, what did you need?¡±

    ¡°Jennifer needs our help!¡± he exclaimed.

 Chapter 105 - Rescue

    ¡°You mean Jennifer Taylor?¡± Blake clarified.

    Oliver rolled his eyes. ¡°Who else would I be talking about?¡±

    ¡°How do you know she needs help?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Because she messaged me, duh.¡± Oliver¡¯s breath was finally recovered. He strolled into the room and plopped himself down in a seat. ¡°She said she¡¯s been stuck in the Show Low jail cell since you left her, and you¡¯re not answering your messages.¡±

    ¡°Blake, we owe her,¡± Donna reminded him.

    He nodded, but questioned his brother further. ¡°How did she even know who you are?¡±

    Oliver¡¯s jaw dropped in faux outrage. ¡°I¡¯m hurt! Didn¡¯t I tell you I was her biggest fan?¡±

    He rolled his eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer the question.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± his brother huffed. ¡°I have a blog on that new Ribbit clone the Architect ripped off. I mentioned you were my brother and that you were back from a chat with the Architect.¡±

    ¡°You did what?!¡± Blake stood.

    ¡°Chill, bro.¡±

    ¡°How can you just casually mention that I was talking with the Architect?¡± he began to pace back and forth. ¡°Everyone¡¯s going to assume I¡¯m working for it now, like President Warner said.¡±

    ¡°Oh, they already do,¡± Oliver agreed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you check out the subribbit? Hell, just search for your name. It¡¯s right there, Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect.¡±

    Blake stopped and sighed.

    Why the hell does it have to make everything I do so much harder?

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll get her out of jail on the way to Payson,¡± Blake agreed.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get her out,¡± Oliver corrected him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Blake replied carefully.

    ¡°I agree,¡± Peter added. ¡°It¡¯s likely to be dangerous out there. There¡¯s no reason to put both of you at risk.¡±

    Donna nodded.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Oliver looked around at the united front. ¡°Am I supposed to be trapped here forever? I want to help, and I can drive a truck just as easily as anyone else.¡±

    Not with those shaking hands, you can¡¯t.

    Blake suppressed the thought and instead replied, ¡°You¡¯re helping by mastering alchemy. Right now, you¡¯re the only alchemist in the world who can make a health potion. We need those for when people get injured.¡±

    Oliver sneered. ¡°I¡¯ve got like thirty of them sitting around. That¡¯ll last us weeks.¡±

    ¡°No, it won¡¯t,¡± Blake disagreed. ¡°I¡¯ll take twenty-five with me, so Jessica¡¯s town has a reserve. With monsters appearing in a couple of days, we¡¯re going to get a lot more injured people. They¡¯ll all need healing potions.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll make more when we get back. It¡¯s just thirty minutes away. I¡¯ll drive you to Show Low, you can bust her out, then I¡¯ll drive her back while you head on to Payson.¡±

    Blake remained silent while he considered his brother¡¯s request. His mother frowned.

    I don¡¯t think he should be driving, but he¡¯s not wrong. At this point, it¡¯s probably the safest it¡¯s going to be outside.

    ¡°Oh my God!¡± Oliver blurted. ¡°Now I have to go! The Architect just gave me a directive to rescue the people held in Show Low¡¯s jail.¡±

    Blake narrowed his eyes.

    Is he making it up, or is the Architect screwing with me?

    While what his brother described sounded like a typical directive the AI would create, it felt a bit too convenient for his taste.

    Whatever. I was going to let him go anyway.

    ¡°Fine, you can go,¡± Blake relented. He glanced at his parents to gauge their reactions, but they remained neutral. ¡°But, you can¡¯t drive, and you have to follow orders.¡±

    ¡°Sweet!¡± Oliver celebrated.

    ¡°That includes turning around and coming back here if I think it¡¯s too dangerous,¡± Blake informed him.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Oliver waved his concern away. ¡°Let¡¯s grab the trucks and go!¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t, not yet. I still need to finish healing.¡±

    ¡°Bro, I thought you had super healing. Didn¡¯t you fall yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Evidently, only thirty minutes passed for your brother while we experienced a full day,¡± Donna explained for him.

    ¡°Weird,¡± Oliver shrugged. ¡°You need a healing potion to speed it up?¡±

    ¡°Naw, save ¡®em. I¡¯ll feel good enough to go in a couple of hours. In the meantime, I¡¯m going to go meet our new faction members.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± his brother almost skipped to the door. Just before he left the room, he called out, ¡°And don¡¯t forget to let me know before you leave. I have a directive I can¡¯t miss!¡±

    After Oliver was gone, Peter asked, ¡°Did the Architect really give him a directive to rescue those people?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it could have,¡± Blake admitted. ¡°But, unless you want to force him to share his status screen, we¡¯ll probably never know.¡±

    ¡°I suppose a supervised trip outside is better than him leaving on his own,¡± Donna mused.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I figured,¡± Blake nodded. ¡°So, you said Chairman Tessay is in charge of the Apache?¡± His mother nodded. ¡°Then I should probably go see him with Mom before I leave.¡±

    His father slapped a hand on Blake¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You two do that, I¡¯m going to head back to the kitchen before they burn the place down without me.¡±

    He said goodbye to his father and slowly descended the two flights of stairs to the lobby. When he exited the front door of the faction hall, he saw people everywhere. He paused and watched them as they carried supplies and keepsakes into the bunkhouses.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Hey mom, how many people can our bunkhouses hold again?¡±

    ¡°Well, that depends. Right now, the policy is at least two adults per room. Although, that¡¯s not too much of an issue right now. Most of the natives have families, and some of them are choosing to squeeze in with four or even five people.¡± She shook her head. ¡°But, if we assume two people per room, we should have enough space for about six thousand.¡±

    Blake grimaced. ¡°Damn, I was really hoping we could house ten thousand by now.¡±

    His mother sighed. ¡°So did I. But, at the time, we didn¡¯t expect to be besieged and then attacked by the military.¡±

    Stupid Warner.

    ¡°You know,¡± Blake said as he observed the activity. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to have that many horses. We¡¯re going to need stables for them all.¡±

    His mother nodded in agreement. ¡°Right now, Jordan and Brent are focused on upgrading our second cookhouse. We need more room for people to eat. But, once they finish with that, they can get started on it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, they can hire people without classes as general laborers. They won¡¯t gain mastery or anything, but they can temporarily use their foreman¡¯s abilities. That¡¯s actually going to be the majority of people¡¯s jobs. Either that or scavenging.¡±

    ¡°Well, luckily we have plenty of nano to pay them now,¡± Donna remarked.

    Blake glanced at his mother in confusion. He was about to ask her how, then realized he already knew the answer.

    Taxes.

    Donna had reverted the tax rate back to ten percent once the dome was no longer under attack. That levy not only applied to nano earned from kills, but also to directives, money transfers, and wages. When their new faction members joined, they completed their first directive, join or create a faction. They were awarded two point five mega-nano, and ten percent of that went to the faction.

    We should have over two hundred million nano now. Not bad.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go see the Chief,¡± Blake smiled at his mother.

    Donna shook her head and warned him. ¡°Don¡¯t call him that. His title is Chairman, not Chief.¡±

    ¡°I got it, I got it,¡± Blake assured her.

    Blake hobbled around the town for a full ten minutes before he and his mother were able to locate Chairman Tessay. The older man¡¯s back was to them as he directed one of his people. He had long, gray hair, which was bound into a single braid in the back, and wore a brown blazer over a white dress shirt and jeans, with a cowboy hat.

    ¡°No, the Chancellor wanted us to use the south buildings.¡±

    The man was about to respond to the Chairman, when he saw Blake and his mother. His eyes widened, almost comically large, as he stared in shock.

    The Chairman turned to see what caught his subordinate ¡®s attention. ¡°Oh, welcome back, Lord Blake.¡± He spoke with a smooth voice as he extended his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Chairman Tessay.¡±

    Blake flinched at the use of the title but recovered quickly. After Blake returned the handshake, he greeted Donna as well, ¡°Chancellor Summers, good to see you again.¡±

    ¡°You as well,¡± Donna replied.

    The Chairman turned to address Blake. ¡°Lord Blake, will you be addressing the faction? Your people became concerned at your sudden disappearance yesterday. They would be glad to know you¡¯ve returned.¡±

    ¡°Just Blake is fine, and you¡¯re right, I should do that. Let everyone know what happened before rumors start spreading.¡±

    Chairman Tessay smiled as he shook his head. ¡°Lord Blake, titles are important. You should insist people use them. They reinforce your authority and provide a weight of respect, all on their own.¡±

    ¡°You make a good point,¡± his mother agreed.

    Fine.

    Blake was uncomfortable with his titles. To him, they reminded him of the leaders who remained safe within town while they ordered fighters to their deaths.

    Well, Lord Blake is better than Ambassador to the Architect Blake.

    ¡°I suppose I should,¡± Blake finally agreed.

    The Chairman was about to speak when his eyes suddenly glazed over. A moment later, a grin lit up his face. ¡°Congratulations on your promotion!¡±

    Promotion? What is he talking about?

    A moment later, his mother added, ¡°Interesting, Jessica must be recruiting as well. Looks like our faction just passed a thousand members.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good start, Lord Blake. Or, I suppose it¡¯s Baron Blake now,¡± the Chairman grinned.

    Stupid notification spam.

    Blake held up a finger while he navigated his interface.

    What the hell?! Three hundred thousand friend requests? There has to be a way to block them.

    He focused on disabling the new feature, and was satisfied when his notification count finally stopped rising. After the spam halted, he immediately denied all friend requests, en masse, and opened up the latest alert.

    For gaining over a thousand faction members, your title has been upgraded. - [Lord] ¡ú [Baron]

    The [Baron] title increases your attributes by ten percent and grants members of your faction two percent of your attributes. Raise your faction level to upgrade your title.

    Wow, that¡¯s huge.

    The new title increased his attributes five percent over the last, and doubled the gain his faction members received. Blake closed out the notification and then checked his next.

    You have gained one hundred million nano for completing a directive.

    Wow, that¡¯s a big reward.

    Blake had been unable to complete his final objective for weeks now. While his faction hall had been high enough level to invite over a thousand people to his faction for months now, he had not been able to do so.

    Three months ago, when he first upgraded the faction hall to level three, he was forced to hide from the police. Then, when his location was finally revealed, he was under siege and under attack. Now, there was nothing that would stop him from reaching the fifty thousand-person limit of a level four faction hall.

    Well, nothing but bunkhouse space. We really need to get more built.

    According to Metal, his companion, the next title upgrade would not be granted until the faction reached ten thousand members. Blake dismissed the notification and opened his condensed status, eager to see the changes.

    Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect

    Combat Classification - Level 2

    Race - Tier 1

    Attributes - Increased by 72% ¡ú 77%

    Physical Power - 32.7 ¡ú 33.6[5]

    Physical Stamina - 27.5 ¡ú 28.3[1]

    Physical Resistance - 27.5 ¡ú 28.3[5]

    Magic Power - 27.5 ¡ú 28.3[5]

    Magic Stamina - 27.5 ¡ú 28.3[2]

    Magic Resistance - 29.2 ¡ú 30.1[2]

    Nano - 90m

    Wow, five free attributes.

    When added, without the seventy-seven percent increase, his six attributes equaled one hundred. As they now totaled one hundred and seventy-seven, that made it extremely easy to calculate the five percent gain.  Hmm, the title still doesn¡¯t add much to the faction, but it¡¯s better than nothing.

    The Baron title granted two percent of his adjusted attributes to his faction, minus increases from the gear he wore, or the temporary potions he drank. That meant every member of the Terran Alliance received a bit over three and a half total attributes from Blake, permanently, as long as they remained within the faction.

    Just imagine when I reach level ten.

    Blake quickly checked his directives to see if he received anything new, but was disappointed when he found none. After he gave his status one last glance, he closed his interface and began to pay attention to the conversation.

    ¡°...need to bring back more food, or we will soon run out.¡± Chairman Tessay told his mother.

    ¡°Yes, we have plans to do that, but don¡¯t discount food gained from the fields. Once Blake brings back our members, we can build a new, much larger wall around our current one. Laborers can tear down the structures and fill the area between the walls with farms. Once that¡¯s complete, it should be more than enough to feed our faction. Especially when added to butchered animals.¡±

    Tessay looked doubtful.

    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Blake apologized. ¡°The notifications were becoming distracting. And, it¡¯s true,¡± Blake confirmed. ¡°The shield isn¡¯t the only magical thing about this town. Crops grow from seed to mature in four weeks, and can be harvested every month, regardless of the season. Trust me, in a month, we won¡¯t have any issues with food.¡±

    Chairman Tessay grinned. ¡°Thank goodness. I was afraid we would be forced to slaughter the horses.¡±

    ¡°Definitely not,¡± Blake assured him. ¡°Those horses and carts will be a Godsend in a few months when our diesel trucks break down.¡±

    Blake and his mother continued to converse with the tribal leader for the next hour. After they finished, Blake made good on his promise and sent out a message to his entire faction. He explained what happened to him after he was sucked into the portal, and what his new title meant.

    In the message, Blake vehemently insisted that he remained at odds with the Architect. It was important to him that his faction believe in him. He also felt it was important to get ahead of any rumors that may spread, and squashed them from the beginning. While he did believe in transparency, he decided not to mention the fact that the Architect almost decided to delegate the entire human race to fodder for the other races.

    Finally, when he addressed all the pressing concerns, he messaged his brother.

    Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: Hey Oliver, head out to the trucks, it¡¯s time to leave.

 Interlude - Advertisement

    ¡°President Warner has not only declared martial law nation-wide, but has urged Governors, Mayors, and others in positions of power to form factions through the Collective. Despite this advice, the president has so far remained silent on how to gain the billion nano required to form a faction.¡±

    Jennifer Taylor continued to smile as she transmitted video live through the interface. Despite still being imprisoned, her time was not wasted. She had spent hours learning how to utilize the new tool, and was determined to rebuild her following on the AI¡¯s social media platform.

    So far, she was the only one in the game.

    ¡°Perhaps Blake Summers will have an answer for us once he arrives.¡± Oliver¡¯s message arrived almost thirty minutes before, and she was glad for the hook for her audience.

    She had been live for almost half an hour, and quickly ran out of news to share. To keep the stream entertaining, she decided to interact with her audience. Jennifer¡¯s eyes slightly glazed over as she read through some of her chat messages. Over ten thousand people had joined since she started her stream, and the messages moved almost too fast to follow.

    Once she learned Blake was on his way, she immediately set up a stream titled, ¡®Watch Blake Summers Rescue Me Live - Wrongfully Imprisoned¡¯, and people flooded in to watch it. They loved the backdrop of the dimly lit jail cell behind her, especially when the deputy walked by to check on their charges.

    Eleven thousand viewers now. Once I get to The Dome, I need to set up subscriptions.

    She had already attempted to tie chat to donations, but was notified the feature was unavailable outside a faction town. With no way to limit the amount of people who could respond, she was forced to parse through quite a bit of message spam.

    But with Oliver¡¯s influence, she was certain she would be within the faction shortly.

    Bobby immediately banned a person who repeated ¡®Blake is the enemy!¡¯ over and over again, along with a creep who said they want to lick her toes. Her now unnecessary cameraman figured out how to moderate her stream just before Oliver messaged her.

    What is wrong with people?

    Finally, she found a message she could respond to. ¡°I agree, Shannon Murphy, it does seem as if President Warner is in over his head.¡± Jennifer read another message and shook her head, ¡°No Jonathan Blackwell, I don¡¯t think he took Blake¡¯s warnings seriously. Perhaps if he had, the government would be more organized and fewer lives would be lost.¡±

    Where the hell is Blake? I thought he could run like a hundred miles an hour. We¡¯re only fifteen miles away.

    Jennifer¡¯s live stream was approaching forty minutes, and she could only delay for so long before her viewers would lose interest. She needed them excited to tune in, and eager to return. That way, when she monetized her channel, she would be rich.

    ¡°Jen, I think I hear something,¡± Bobby, her cameraman turned moderator, interrupted her thoughts.

    She cocked her head to the side and remained silent. Faintly, she could hear shouts through the walls. Then, out of nowhere, gunshots resounded.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you can hear that through the stream, but the police seem to be firing their weapons. Is that Blake Summers, finally here to save us?¡±

    ¡°What else would it be?¡± Marcus, her ex-pilot, mumbled.

    Of course, I know it¡¯s him. It¡¯s called showmanship!

    Jennifer tamped down on her annoyance and kept a smile plastered across her face. Finally, after seven rounds were expended, they heard only silence.

    ¡°It seems, whatever battle took place outside is now over,¡± she announced to her viewers with a fake tone of concern. ¡°Did Blake Summers prevail, or his humanity now without their Scion?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s bullet-proof, for Christ-sake,¡± Marcus shook his head. Bobby shushed the pilot.

    Thirteen thousand.

    The screech of metal on metal echoed off the walls as a door was forced open, and they heard footsteps steadily grow louder. Finally, Blake Summers stepped into view.

    Are you going for the whole blood soaked barbarian chic, or are you just too lazy to clean yourself up?

    While the kid¡¯s face was wiped clean, his hair was burned in clumps, and his armor was layered with dried blood and ash. He held his now trademark spear in his hand, while a bow was looped around his shoulder.

    Twenty thousand.

    ¡°Everyone, I give you Blake Summers, in his first appearance since he returned from parts unknown!¡±

    She panned the video away, so Blake filled her live stream¡¯s view.

    Blake frowned in confusion for a moment before he suddenly rolled his eyes and sighed as he repositioned his spear. The metal tip began to faintly glow for just a moment before he struck the latch mechanism. It easily pierced through the lock. He placed one hand on the bars of the door and ripped it from its hinges.

    Wow. The comments really liked that.

    ¡°Thank you, for the rescue, Blake,¡± she said as she exited the cell. ¡°Did the police outside give you any trouble?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he replied, annoyed.

    Come on! Give me more than that!

    She leaned forward and poked a singed opening in the front of his leather armor. ¡°Are you sure? This hole looks fresh.¡±

    The teenager glanced down and then shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The armor will repair itself in a day or so.¡±

    ¡°What about the police?¡± she asked and leaned in. ¡°Were you forced to kill them to defend yourself?¡±

    Eighty thousand.

    Blake shook his head and turned to walk away. In a gruff voice, with his back turned, he said, ¡°They¡¯re alive, you can see for yourself.¡±

    You really need to work on your rizz.

    Regardless, Jennifer, Bobby, and Marcus followed behind their rescuer as he exited the holding cells. When they stepped through the mangled metal door and entered the main lobby, they saw six deputies along with the sheriff. They sat on the floor in a line, with their backs to the wall. Their hands were hidden behind them, but Jennifer imagined they were handcuffed.

    Jennifer approached the overweight, older man that was detained. ¡°Sheriff Slater, would you like to make a statement to the public? Tell your side of what happened here?¡±

    She heard Blake snort behind her. He mumbled, ¡°This¡¯ll be good.¡±

    ¡°You bet your ass I do, young lady!¡± the elected official growled. He nodded toward Blake and practically shouted. ¡°That punk kid is a murderer, who deserves justice for what he did to my men. He¡¯s also an enemy of the state, who planned and implemented an insurrection. When the military gets here, they¡¯ll put him down,¡± the older man stated confidently.

    Not likely. Not if they couldn¡¯t do it before.

    Jennifer turned to Blake. ¡°Would you like to respond to those accusations?¡±

    The teenager took a deep breath and said, ¡°I could have easily killed every cop here, but I didn¡¯t. Even after they opened fire on me. If you notice, they¡¯re perfectly fine. I¡¯ll throw them the keys to the cuffs when we leave, and it¡¯ll be like I was never here.¡±

    ¡°You broke my hand, you asshole,¡± a deputy disagreed with his assessment.

    ¡°Good,¡± Blake replied with a degree of satisfaction. ¡°Maybe next time you¡¯ll think twice before you open fire.¡±

    Jennifer leaned in. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried if you free them, they¡¯ll attack you again?¡±

    Blake smirked. ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m confiscating their guns. Honestly, it¡¯s for their own good. In a couple of days, when the monsters show up, they¡¯re just going to be held back by them anyway.¡±

    ¡°How are we gonna kill monsters without guns!¡± the Sheriff protested.

    ¡°Use your batons,¡± Blake said dismissively. ¡°They¡¯ll just be level zero, hardly a threat if you¡¯re ready for them.¡±

    ¡°What about the Sheriff¡¯s accusation?¡± she interrupted. ¡°Do you plan to overthrow the government?¡±

    He turned and shot her a look of disbelief. ¡°I don¡¯t give a crap about the government. Without electricity, they¡¯re basically surviving on fumes. What I care about is the future of humanity. I want to save as many people as I can.¡±

    He must not know about Warner¡¯s statements.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Are you aware that President Warner declared martial law, and urged governors, mayors, and others in local governments to form their own factions?¡±

    Jennifer watched with satisfaction as Blake seemed stunned by the statement. She watched as multiple expressions crossed his face. First, surprise, then anger, and finally resigned acceptance.

    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t aware, but that¡¯s actually a good idea. The more factions, the better. I don¡¯t actually hate the government,¡± Blake promised as he shrugged.

    Could have fooled me.

    ¡°I was just defending myself from their aggression. Remember, I just wanted to warn people about what¡¯s coming and be left alone. Warner¡¯s the one that decided I need to die, even at the cost of his own men.¡±

    ¡°Would you be willing to say that to the President yourself, in an interview moderated by myself?¡± Jennifer crossed her fingers.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°If he¡¯s willing to talk, sure.¡±

    She swiveled the virtual camera so she filled the screen. ¡°You heard it here first, President Warner, Blake has accepted an interview. Will you be brave enough to join us?¡±

    She then refocused on Blake. ¡°What about the Architect? I see you have a new title?¡±

    Blake growled.

    One hundred and fifty thousand and growing!

    Suddenly, the door to the police station opened, and Blake¡¯s brother stepped through the door with a huge grin. ¡°Hey Jennifer! I told you I¡¯d bring him here.¡±

    ¡°I thought you were going to stay in the truck,¡± Blake said with a scowl.

    ¡°I could see from Jennifer¡¯s stream that it was perfectly safe,¡± he defended himself. He then held up a small vial. ¡°Besides, I brought a present for the cop with the broken hand.¡±

    Blake¡¯s upper lip curled. ¡°Are you sure you want to waste that on him?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a waste, it¡¯s an advertisement,¡± Oliver disagreed. He turned to Jennifer and held up the vial. ¡°I¡¯m an alchemist for the Terran Alliance faction, and I made this healing potion. It¡¯s strong enough to heal most wounds in just minutes. If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll prove it.¡±

    Finally, someone who understands how to market.

    Sheriff Slater snorted and shook his head.

    Oliver turned to his brother. ¡°Can you get him out of those cuffs so we can see his broken hand?¡±

    Blake stared at his older brother for a moment before he mumbled, ¡°Fine,¡± and leaned down in front of the injured law enforcement officer. He lifted the man to his feet with one hand, turned him around, and then snapped the cuffs like they were cheap plastic.

    Wow.

    Jennifer quickly checked her interface and saw that she jumped to over two hundred thousand viewers.

    Yes, this is perfect!

    The moment the man¡¯s hands were uncuffed, he tried to struggle free. However, Blake easily confined him. He lifted the injured hand up by the deputy¡¯s wrist and displayed it for Jennifer.

    ¡°Let me go,¡± the deputy ordered through gritted teeth.

    Jennifer leaned forward and inspected the injury for her audience. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s broken, but it is definitely heavily bruised. If the alchemist¡¯s claims are true, we should see a major change happen before our very eyes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m right,¡± Oliver said confidently as he visibly puffed his chest out and winked at Jennifer. He then reached forward and tried to pour the solution into the deputy¡¯s mouth. ¡°Open up. Don¡¯t you want to get healed?¡±

    ¡°I ain¡¯t drinking that poison,¡± the man said through gritted teeth.¡±

    Oliver glanced at his brother. ¡°A little help here, Blake?¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Blake sighed and forced the officer¡¯s jaw open. Oliver quickly poured the potion into the man¡¯s open mouth, and then Blake quickly closed it. ¡°Swallow,¡± he ordered quietly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it,¡± Sheriff Slater ordered.

    The deputy continued to struggle until finally, defiance left his eyes. After the man swallowed, Blake released his hold. The uniformed young man coughed and grimaced at the taste before he turned to Oliver. ¡°You better not have poisoned me.¡±

    Blake¡¯s brother smirked, ¡°In about five minutes, you¡¯re going to be thanking me.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± the deputy mumbled as he gently rubbed his swollen hand.

    ¡°Blake, while we wait, do you have any advice for those now watching? Over two hundred thousand people want to know what you have to say.¡±

    Oliver¡¯s brows shot up, and he mouthed, ¡®Two hundred thousand¡¯.

    That¡¯s right, I know how to bring in the viewers.

    Blake cleared his throat as the deputy began to look intensely at his hand. Jennifer stepped back to ensure both were in the view.

    ¡°I actually agree with President Warner. People need to band together and form factions as soon as possible. Until you¡¯re protected within a faction town¡¯s walls, you need to sleep in groups. Have someone hold watch so you¡¯re not killed in your sleep. Monsters can portal in anywhere,¡± Blake reminded them. ¡°A closet or bunker won¡¯t protect you.¡±

    ¡°What about that strange portal that appeared during your speech yesterday? Why did it appear and where did you go?¡±

    ¡°The Architect was listening to my speech. When I told everyone I come from the future and listed off what was going to happen, it took an interest. It questioned me and then let me go.¡±

    There has to be more to it than that.

    ¡°What does the Architect look like?¡± she asked. ¡°Did it say why it attacked us? And you never told us about your new title.¡±

    Bobby highlighted a comment in her view.

    He¡¯s learning fast.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it actually looks like, but it appeared as a British guy drinking tea. It seems to be really big into manipulation, so I don¡¯t really trust anything it said. As far as why it attacked, it claimed we made an AI that was already going to destroy us. Now it wants to use us to fight some other alien threat from outside our galaxy. Who knows if any of that¡¯s true or just some bullshit it spewed.¡±

    You spent an entire day talking to the Architect and that¡¯s all you want to share? Seriously?

    ¡°President Warner, my viewers would love to know if there is truth to the Architect''s claim of an artificial intelligence hellbent on our destruction.¡± She then turned to Blake. ¡°There must be more to the story,¡± she pressed. ¡°According to your brother, you were gone for a full day.¡±

    Blake gave his brother an annoyed look before he turned back and replied to Jennifer¡¯s question. ¡°Time must flow differently in the void, because I actually only talked for about half an hour.¡±

    ¡°It must have been some conversation,¡± Jennifer replied. ¡°Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have made you its ambassador? What does that position entail? Are you going to advocate for it?¡±

    Blake¡¯s face turned red, and he showed visible anger. ¡°No!¡± he barked. ¡°I hate the Architect and what it¡¯s doing to us. I never had a choice in the matter, it forced the title on me.¡±

    That hit a nerve. There has to be a story there.

    Jennifer was about to ask a followup question when the deputy exclaimed, ¡°I think the potion actually worked!¡±

    Jennifer leaned forward to inspect the injured hand.

    Wow, the bruising¡¯s almost gone.

    ¡°Of course it did,¡± Oliver grinned. ¡°My shit¡¯s the best.¡± He then turned toward Jennifer. ¡°And, if anyone listening needs healing, you know where to find me, the OG Alchemist. Just head to The Dome in Pinetop, Arizona.¡±

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ve been here long enough,¡± Blake said as he forced the astounded deputy back against the wall. ¡°Time to leave.¡±

    Jennifer wanted to ask him more questions about his conversation with the Architect, but the kid seemed to be done with the interview. ¡°Blake Summers, you said you want to save people. Is your faction recruiting new members?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Would my family and I be able to join?¡±

    ¡°As long as you pull your weight and contribute, sure. The Terran Alliance will welcome anyone who works towards humanity¡¯s survival.¡±

    ***

    Captain Jeremy Jackson rubbed his sore shoulder. He had tripped over a root in the scenario he and his team completed earlier in the day. Because of the injury, he felt it was necessary to cancel the second excursion, despite his desire to quickly grow stronger.

    In the two weeks since Scott Peters placed him in charge, he and his team had completed at least two scenarios per day. Since they began, almost a month before, they had gained over sixty million nano a piece, and had spent it all on their Physical Power.

    With their superhuman strength, they finally felt confident enough to tackle a level one scenario again. To Jeremy¡¯s relief, they were successful, and no one died, but it was a close thing.

    Suddenly, he received a holo-chat request from Scott Peters, his CIA boss.

    Finally! What took him so long?

    He accepted the call, and Mister Peters appeared before him. His boss reclined on a fine couch with a wine glass in hand. The wall behind him was rich mahogany and was decorated by a painted portrait of Abraham Lincoln.

    Where the hell are you?

    ¡°Captain Jackson, good to see you again,¡± Scott greeted him. ¡°How is everyone holding up in Arizona?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re fine here, sir. No casualties since you left. We continue to push ourselves hard, and¡­¡±

    Mister Peters waved his wine glass filled hand through the air and interrupted him. ¡°That¡¯s great, but I have new orders for you. I had an in depth conversation with the President. A lot was discussed, and he was adamant that we know what Blake Summers is up to. We need someone on the inside, feet on the ground, someone who can feed us intelligence. That person is you.¡±

    What the hell?! I¡¯m not a spy, I¡¯m a soldier!

    Rather than blurt out his thoughts, Jeremy tried to be more circumspect. ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t believe I would be the best fit for that position. If you recall, we had an altercation already. He will undoubtedly recognize me.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Scott Peters disagreed. ¡°You had a helmet on, and no offense, but soldiers in uniform all look the same anyway.¡±

    Asshole.

    ¡°I admit, having Esteves go with you would be a bit much, but you and Lee should be fine to infiltrate their faction.¡±

    Jeremy tightened his fist and took a breath to calm himself. ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t think¡­¡±

    Finally, Mister Peters lost his amiable facade. He leaned forward and scolded Jeremy. ¡°No, that¡¯s right. You''re not thinking. Blake Summers is the single most powerful person in the world right now, and we don¡¯t know anything about him. He has a new title, ¡®Ambassador to the Architect¡¯, that proves he¡¯s a traitor. I don¡¯t care what he says, there¡¯s no way he could¡¯ve known what was going to happen yesterday, unless he was in on it. Now, are you going to do your job and protect this country, or not?¡±

    Damnit! Why does the asshole have to make a good point? There¡¯s no way the kid¡¯s innocent.

    Jeremy took a deep breath and replied through gritted teeth, ¡°Yes sir.¡±

    Scott Peters leaned back into the couch and took a sip from his glass. ¡°Excellent. Let Sergeant Jacobs know he¡¯s in charge while you¡¯re gone. I know you will find a way into the Dome without raising suspicion. It¡¯s best if you and Lee hide within a large group to allay suspicion. I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s one headed towards The Dome from Whiteriver. Join them in your civvies, and no one will be the wiser.¡±

    How the hell do you know that?

    ¡°And Jeremy, the President and I are counting on you.¡±

 Chapter 106 - The Escort

    Blake navigated the narrow forest road north of Payson in his converted diesel truck. He intended to meet with Jessica hours prior, but it had taken him far longer than he expected to reach the expansion town, and he was anxious to collect his charges and return to Pinetop.

    Stupid Jennifer.

    He gripped the steering wheel and allowed the frustration to wash over him.

    Such a waste of time!

    Once he invited her, her cameraman, and the pilot to his faction, Jennifer asked if their families could join. Blake, of course, agreed immediately. He wanted to save as many people as possible, and they had plenty of room. Unfortunately, after he confirmed they were welcome, she asked him to provide an escort to retrieve them.

    Jennifer was still live, transmitting the feed to over two hundred thousand people. If he turned down her request, he would be seen as a heartless monster. His reputation was already low, according to Oliver, so he had no choice but to give in to blackmail.

    At least I stuck her with Oliver.

    He grinned as he remembered how elated his brother was when he heard Blake¡¯s suggestion. For the next hour, while they collected the families, Oliver alternated between talking Jennifer¡¯s head off and trying to sell his potions to her audience. Each time they exited the vehicles, Jennifer attempted to corner Blake for a sound bite, but he easily escaped her grasp.

    Thank God for teleporting.

    Eventually, they arrived back at what Jennifer insisted he call The Dome. Blake abandoned his new faction members along with his brother, and delivered supplies they liberated into his mother¡¯s care. After he said goodbye, their fleet of fifteen diesel trucks turned around, and continued their initial mission.

    A twenty-foot gate in the town wall appeared before him, so he slowed down and waved to the guard atop the battlement. The gatekeeper recognized Blake immediately, and ordered the barrier opened. In the distance, he could hear shouts of excitement that he finally arrived.

    Most had yet to meet Blake in person, and he felt awkward with the way everyone now treated him within The Dome. He was not used to being famous, nor in the limelight. For ten years, he had hidden in the background as a fighter. His name was never sung in taverns, and his deeds were not celebrated. However, he knew he made a difference, and the fact that he survived as long as he did, proved he was one of the best at his job.

    Once the gate opened, he slowly drove into the expansion town, took in the changes, and dreaded the attention he was about to receive.

    Hard to believe there was only a hut last time I was here.

    The almost completed wall was even larger than the one in Pinetop under The Dome. Unlike his original fortification, it spanned the entire allowed property for a level three faction hall. The level two wall upgrade was almost completed, just a one hundred foot section remained at ten feet of height.

    Looks like Jessica¡¯s right on schedule.

    Within the walls stood row after row of bunkhouses. Most were level two and four stories, but a few had yet to be upgraded. Behind the housing was a plethora of structures built so enchanters, tailors, blacksmiths, carpenters, and alchemists could do their work. They were completely filled with people doing their jobs, and he was sure Jessica appreciated his workers aiding her town¡¯s construction, but he had come to bring them back home.

    Blake parked his truck near the entrance and exited the vehicle, bag of healing potions in hand.

    ¡°Blake!¡± the gatekeeper greeted him and shook his hand. A small group of people stood off to the side and awaited their turn to approach. ¡°We¡¯re so glad to have you here. I¡¯m Roger, please, let me show you around town!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you need to watch the gate, Roger?¡± Blake asked, eager to escape the attention.

    ¡°No, Bradley¡¯s on duty, it¡¯ll be fine for fifteen minutes.

    He grudgingly accepted the escort, and followed Roger as he pointed to each of the buildings. As they toured the small town, the small group followed and countless residents introduced themselves and shook his hand. They were excited to finally meet him, and wanted him to regale them with tales of his exploits.

    It was difficult for Blake to keep a pleasant smile on his face the entire time, but he did his best while he greeted his faction members. He momentarily wished his brother was there to take some of the attention. Finally, the tour ended at the faction hall, and Roger returned to his station at the gate. Blake climbed the lobby stairs to the second level, where Jessica worked in her office.

    At least she won¡¯t be weird.

    He knocked on her office door.

    ¡°Come in!¡± she said loudly.

    Blake entered the small room and greeted the Vietnamese woman. ¡°How are things, Jessica?¡±

    She grinned and rose to her feet. ¡°Good, good. Especially since you are here now. I have a few things to discuss, and it is easier in person.¡±

    Blake shook her hand, and was surprised when what felt like a wave of heat suddenly assaulted him. He checked his most recent notification and frowned.

    Improved Flame Shield has expired.

    Is it really that hot here?

    Blake glanced at Jessica¡¯s forehead and saw beads of sweat had formed. She wiped them away before they had a chance to fall, but frowned at his reaction. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, give me just a second.¡±

    Blake backed away and began the ten-second cast to renew his Improved Flame Shield. He had been using it as often as possible in hopes he could complete its mastery. Once the spell was completed, he sighed in relief as the uncomfortable hundred degree heat no longer affected him.

    Such an amazing spell.

    ¡°Is that to ward off the heat?¡± Jessica asked, curious.

    ¡°Yep, it¡¯s amazing,¡± he confirmed.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    She sighed. ¡°It¡¯s times like these I regret not picking a combat class. I already miss air conditioning. But at least it''s cooler here than Phoenix.¡±

    Blake checked a new notification that appeared and grinned.

    You have gained mastery over a spell. Improved Flame Shield is ready to evolve.

    Finally!

    ¡°Can you give me just a second, please?¡± he asked. ¡°I need to upgrade a spell.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± she agreed and sat and poured herself water from a clear pitcher on her desk.

    Blake already decided how he wanted to change the spell, so he immediately spent fifty mega-nano, chose to evolve the ability, and focused. A few minutes later, the evolution was accepted, and he opened his status to read the new description.

    Shared Improved Flame Shield - Places a protective barrier around up to four targets, which protects them from heat. As this heat is absorbed, it radiates outward from the shield, while the target is immune. Flame Shield uses a moderate amount of mana energy, and lasts until it absorbs a high amount of heat or one hour passes.

    Blake grinned and glanced up at Jessica. ¡°Do you mind if I cast a spell on you? It won¡¯t hurt or anything, I promise,¡± he assured her when he saw her frown.

    ¡°If it will help,¡± she dubiously agreed.

    The cast time remained ten seconds, as did the cost. Luckily, when he evolved the spell, it reset the fifteen-minute cooldown period, and he was immediately able to recast it.

    When the spell was completed, Jessica gasped in surprise. ¡°This is amazing!¡± she exclaimed once the heat no longer touched her.

    ¡°Yeah, it is,¡± he agreed and checked his interface.

    One hour cooldown, just like it was for Montgomery.

    Blake had decided to evolve the spell in the same method that his friend had in their last lives. At this point, he mostly used the spell for utility, and he felt it would be necessary once houses began to burn down. He could cast the spell on others so they could help him save those trapped inside.

    He closed his interface and broached a new topic. ¡°So, I see the wall¡¯s almost upgraded to level two.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded, serious now that they discussed business. ¡°The extra laborers have been instrumental in its swift completion. It should be finished within an hour, and we can begin the upgrade of this faction hall.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be nice to have air conditioning again, right?¡±

    Jessica nodded.

    ¡°Do you have the nano for the upgrade?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Not yet, but we receive two hundred and fifty thousand nano for each new person we invite to the faction. Once you leave with those who wish to move to The Dome, it will free up space to invite more.¡±

    Blake groaned internally.

    Not you too. The Dome is such a stupid name!

    He kept his complaints to himself and asked, ¡°How many people want to come with me?¡±

    ¡°The majority,¡± she admitted.

    ¡°Uh¡­ what do you mean the majority?¡±

    ¡°As in, you will need to make many, many trips, even if people ride in the beds of the trucks.¡±

    Blake swore.

    I can¡¯t escort people for the next three days. There¡¯s too much to do.

    ¡°I would also ask you to leave at least five of your trucks here if you could,¡± Jessica requested. ¡°They would be instrumental in recruiting and transporting new faction members and supplies.¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Actually, once we¡¯re finished, I¡¯ll leave ten. And if you¡¯re right about the amount of people, I¡¯m going to need to hook up some trailers to every truck. Without lights, we can¡¯t drive at night, and monsters are going to appear in a day and a half.¡±

    Jessica grimaced. ¡°The lack of electricity is frustrating.¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it, and once they have time, enchanters will mass produce their own lanterns.¡±

    ¡°What will the lights run on, nano?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, they use aetheric energy. Depending on the quality of the lamp, it¡¯ll last a few days and can be recharged by any enchanter. They¡¯ll charge nano for the service, but it doesn¡¯t run on it directly.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, interesting,¡± she then smirked. ¡°I suppose I know what building to upgrade first when the faction hall is upgraded.¡±

    Blake grinned. ¡°Yeah, they can make some amazing stuff. Once they reach high enough mastery, they can even make portable air conditioners and heaters. It¡¯s¡­¡±

    A knock at the door interrupted Blake¡¯s diatribe.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Jessica asked loudly.

    ¡°I heard Blake¡¯s here,¡± Montgomery said as he opened the door. ¡°There he is!¡± the young man raised his hand to give Blake a high five.

    Blake returned the gesture and greeted Jeff as he followed silently behind.

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad we¡¯re leaving this place.¡± He then gave an apologetic glance to Jessica. ¡°No offense, but it¡¯s super hot, there¡¯s no A/C, and I¡¯m tired of killing spider people. I swear, if I have to clean one more web off my armor, I¡¯m going to scream.¡±

    Jeff nodded in agreement.

    Blake grimaced. ¡°About that¡­ I need you two to stay here until the shield goes up.¡±

    Montgomery frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not liking where this is going¡­ How long will that take?¡±

    ¡°Well, if we prioritize it and get the nano we need, as soon as three weeks,¡± Jessica answered.

    ¡°Three weeks!¡± Montgomery threw his hands into the air. ¡°That¡¯s forever! Why can¡¯t one of the other combat teams do it? Kasey¡¯s team can handle it! I¡¯m going to roast alive here!¡±

    ¡°Kasey¡¯s family and friends are all back in Pinetop. My mom is also going to appoint him head of Pinetop security, and I¡¯ll make him a Knight. It¡¯d be kind of hard to do that from here,¡± Blake pointed out.

    ¡°Dude, I want to be knighted! That sounds awesome!¡±

    Blake gave Montgomery a skeptical look. ¡°No offense, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯re cut out for administration.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you mean like pushing papers and crap?¡±

    ¡°More like recruiting, training, and coordinating guard schedules,¡± corrected his friend.

    ¡°But does it give you a title?¡± Montgomery leaned forward.

    Blake frowned. ¡°Yeah. It adds ¡®Sir¡¯ in front of your name and gives you five percent higher attributes.¡±

    ¡°Make me a knight!¡± Montgomery pleaded, his hands before him in supplication. ¡°I could be, ¡®Sir Montgomery Brown¡¯!¡±

    ¡°Each faction town can only have one,¡± Blake informed him. ¡°And sorry, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be a good fit.

    ¡°Fine,¡± his friend deflated.

    ¡°Cochise?¡± Jeff croaked in his deep timber, referring to another team leader.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Montgomery agreed. ¡°Cochise can stay here! He¡¯s got no family or friends.¡±

    ¡°Harsh,¡± Jeff reprimanded his friend.

    Montgomery returned the statement with a look of disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s true. Guy¡¯s got a personality like a rusty nail. I don¡¯t know how he got put in charge of his team.¡±

    ¡°Competence,¡± Jeff replied.

    Blake interrupted the argument. ¡°Cochise may not have family in Pinetop, but his team members do. Can you please just stay for another three weeks? I¡¯d feel a lot better knowing you guys are here protecting the town.¡±

    ¡°And, when the faction hall is upgraded in a week, you can stay in one of the spare offices,¡± Jessica added. ¡°It will be cooled.¡±

    Montgomery and Jeff both exchanged glances before the taller, skinnier man sighed. ¡°Fine, but you owe us! I already told my parents we were leaving today. They¡¯re packed and everything. And, I want a title someday.¡±

    ¡°Same,¡± Jeff nodded.

    ¡°How about twenty mega-nano each?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°Sweet!¡± Montgomery grinned. ¡°That¡¯ll work.¡±

    Blake shook each of their hands and transferred the last of his nano reserves. He did not mind paying them to guard the town, and he did not need the currency at the moment. However, once he finished his current tasks and got the next expansion started, he planned to grind out scenarios like there was no tomorrow.

    Once his friends received their pay, Blake insisted he needed to speak to Jessica alone. Jeff pulled Montgomery out of the room, despite his need to finish his tale of killing Arachne.

    Blake was about to ask her about her own choice of head of security, when he received a message from his mother.

    Donna Summers: Blake, I think we may have a problem.

    Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: What¡¯s wrong?

    Donna Summers: The second group of Natives came in from Whiteriver. Unfortunately, two unknown people joined the group, uninvited, and are asking to join the faction. Normally, I¡¯d say yes, but without you or any other combat teams here, we have no one to provide security in case they¡¯re hostile.

    Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: You left them outside the shield, right?

    Donna Summers: Of course. How long until you¡¯re back?

    Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: It¡¯ll probably take me and the others about three hours to get there. I¡¯ll talk to them then.

 Chapter 107 - Seeing Through

    Blake sat in the passenger seat of a diesel truck and explored the new social media feature as their convoy slowly travelled back to Pinetop. The caravan was a medley of diesel trucks towing camper trailers or flat beds, stuffed full of people and their belongings.

    It had taken an extra two hours to locate and collect the towed campers, but the amount of time they would save for future trips made it worth it. Blake calculated, with the addition of the travel trailers, only a single extra trip would be required to transport people back to The Dome.

    Of course, this method came with its own risks. The brakes on the trailers were not able to function without electricity, and they were far over their cargo carrying capacity. However, he felt it was relatively safe as long as they kept their speed low as there was only one significant grade on their route.

    I can¡¯t believe how many people are using the Architect¡¯s Ribbit clone.

    For the last twenty minutes, Blake explored the new feature of the Collective. He searched through subRibbit after subRibbit and saw an incredible amount of activity. The most popular posts were almost exclusively from politicians and celebrities, but Blake¡¯s guide seemed to hold its place at the top. It even had its own subRibbit.

    Thank God for that. We might actually have a chance.

    Blake watched another video from President Warner. The southern man urged people to turn to their local governments for protection. It was a good idea, and if they could quickly form factions, the action would save millions of lives.

    I need to make my own videos. I could post them in the regional forums to get people to come to us.

    Blake began to search through the publishing features when his driver interrupted him. ¡°Looks like some people need some help.¡±

    Their vehicle began to slow, as did the others in the convoy behind them. Blake minimized the interface and focused on what drew his driver¡¯s attention. Three people stood within the middle of the highway. A woman laid prone on the ground while a man leaned over her. The third person waved his arms widely in hope they would stop.

    Odd.

    A few hours before, they had driven the same road, and no one was present. For some reason, the event set off alarm bells within Blake¡¯s mind, and he quickly pulsed an Oblate Mind Sense to search for others.

    That¡¯s what I thought.

    Blake turned to his driver. ¡°Speed up and keep driving. It¡¯s a trap. I¡¯ll be right back. Do not stop.¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes widened as he gripped the wheel tight in his fists and quickly accelerated. Blake opened his door and jumped from the moving vehicle. He easily caught himself and gestured for the rest of the loaded trucks to keep moving. The convoy skirted around the roadblock, and continued down the highway.

    Once he was sure no one would stop, he strode over to the bait.

    ¡°Please, we need your help!¡± pleaded the man who waved them down.

    Uh huh. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s starting already.

    Ten years ago, in the days after Invasion day, Blake and his family spent their time inside their cheap apartment in Show Low. He had been unaware of the outside world for weeks. Now, he was not sure if the changes he made caused people to be more brazen, or if these same people preyed on others last time as well.

    Once the last of his vehicles passed the ambush, at close to thirty miles an hour, he loudly yelled, ¡°Come out of the woods and give up your rifles peacefully.¡±

    Suddenly, the demeanor of those before him changed. They became wary and drew their pistols, while the woman on the ground climbed to her feet. ¡°That¡¯s not how this is gonna go. You¡¯re gonna tell those trucks to turn around, or you¡¯re gonna have a very bad day.¡±

    Do they seriously not recognize me? How can they be this dumb?

    ¡°My name is Blake Summers, otherwise known as the Scion of Humanity. You saw my speech to the entire world yesterday. Do you really want to do this?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Shit!¡± the woman cursed. ¡°He¡¯s supposed to be bulletproof!¡±

    The first man turned his head and spat. ¡°That¡¯s a crock of shit. Here, I¡¯ll prove it to you.¡±

    The man opened fire.

    Only a single bullet was released before Blake teleported behind the man, and slapped the side of his head. The shooter was instantly knocked unconscious, while his accomplices screamed.

    Blake used another Oblate Mind Sense, and cursed when he sensed the others flee. He immediately activated Alacrity and sprinted after them. A few minutes later, they were disarmed and gathered around their unconscious comrade. The woman continued to cry as she kneeled over the fallen man.

    ¡°Here¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen,¡± Blake said in a dangerous voice. ¡°I¡¯m going to ban you from my faction towns. I¡¯m also going to take your guns away.¡± Blake held his hand up to silence their sudden protests. ¡°You are getting a second chance, which is far more than you deserve. If you abuse my leniency and prey on others again, next time I won¡¯t hold back. Do you understand?¡±

    They glared at him unrepentantly, while the woman continued to weep.

    This isn¡¯t going to work.

    Blake sighed and closed his eyes in regret.

    He wanted to be fair and allow them to change their ways. However, the type of person who could prey on others was not a good human being. They would continue to steal from others, and if their targets resisted, kill them.

    They might have done so already. Who knows how many houses they¡¯ve invaded?

    Blake retrieved his spear from the snap on his waist. Quicker than they could react, he spun in a circle and split four people in half. Then, he finished off the woman and the unconscious man who had fired on him.

    Such a waste.

    He cleaned their blood off the tip of his spear and dragged their bodies off the road. Once the pavement was clear, he gathered their guns, cast Alacrity and caught up to his trucks in just a few minutes.

    After he stashed the weapons and hopped back into the passenger seat of the lead vehicle, the driver asked, ¡°Was it a trap like you thought?¡±

    Blake nodded.

    ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°I made sure they won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    For the remainder of the drive, Blake explored the new social media feature of his interface until he felt comfortable with its use. He then recorded a series of videos and posted them to the proximity based forums.

    In these videos, he urged people to join his faction. If they did so, they would receive safety, housing, food, and everything else they would need to survive. All he asked in return was for them to pull their own weight and work towards the betterment of the faction.

    Blake gave Jessica¡¯s name to those near Payson, and gave his mother''s name to the people near Show Low or Pinetop. Afterward, he contacted his two Chancellors and notified them about the coming requests. They promised to schedule rides for those who wished to join.

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    In the distance, Blake spotted kids playing in their front yards. Unfortunately, the moment their parents heard Blake¡¯s diesel trucks, they hurriedly corralled their children and hid inside. Every window seemed to have eyes.

    He would have liked to stop and invite them to come with him, but he knew they would decline. Until monsters began to roam the Earth, its citizens would remain in denial.

    Finally, two hours later, the convoy arrived at The Dome. As they drew near the gate, Blake saw two men in their upper twenties. One was black, while the other was Asian. They leaned against the wall in the shade, and watched as the convoy neared. They attempted to act casual, but Blake could see how their eyes darted back and forth.

    Definitely military or cops.

    He did not recognize either of the men, so he used Analyze on each.

    <blockquote>

    Jeremy Jackson

    Human Level 0

    Physical Power - High

    Physical Stamina - Average

    Physical Resistance - Average

    Magic Power - Average

    Magic Stamina - Average

    Magic Resistance - Average

    </blockquote>

    <blockquote>

    Jimmy Lee

    Human Level 0

    Physical Power - High

    Physical Stamina - Average

    Physical Resistance - Average

    Magic Power - Average

    Magic Stamina - Average

    Magic Resistance - Average

    </blockquote>

    Interesting.

    Blake expected to see ¡®Average¡¯ listed for every attribute. At level zero, that generally covered the range between a two and an eight. The fact that both had ¡®High¡¯ was very telling. It meant they either had the strength of Olympic athletes, or they had already gained enough nano to increase their Physical Power.

    They look like they¡¯re in pretty good shape, but not THAT good.

    Blake turned to his driver. ¡°Pull in through the gate and park in the field. We need to quickly unload everyone, turn around, and head back to Payson before it gets dark.¡±

    While his driver followed his orders, he messaged the same instructions to everyone within the convoy. On the edge of the field,

    Donna and six assistants waited to coordinate. It would be a long day for everyone as they scrambled to find food, housing, and unload their belongings.

    Once they parked, Blake stepped out of the truck, waved to his mother, and headed back towards the gate. He wanted to talk with the suspicious men and get a feel for them. After he stepped outside, both Jeremy and Jimmy pushed off the wall and focused intensely on him.

    Blake put a smile on his face, extended his hand, and greeted them. ¡°Hello, my name is Blake.¡±

    ¡°Jimmy,¡± the Asian man shook his hand. He then clasped hands with the black man, who introduced himself as Jeremy.

    At least they didn¡¯t try to lie about their names.

    ¡°Sorry about having you two wait outside, but you can¡¯t be too careful. Now, what brings you two here?¡± Blake asked in a friendly manner as he kept the smile on his face.

    Jeremy responded. ¡°We were driving to the White Mountains on vacation, when our car died, and the message hit. We decided to hike down the road to Whiteriver. When we got there, we talked to some of the locals. They said you were recruiting for your faction, and they were about to head out. We asked if we could join them, and here we are.¡±

    That almost seems plausible, except for the fact that you¡¯re missing your luggage.

    Instead of airing his suspicions, Blake replied, ¡°We¡¯d love to have you. Especially if you¡¯re willing to fight.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to fight,¡± Jimmy asked.

    ¡°Mostly monsters,¡± Blake replied. ¡°They¡¯re going to start appearing in a day and a half. But, there¡¯s some pretty horrible people out there too. Matter of fact, on the way here, some assholes actually tried to rob us. Can you believe that?¡±

    They shook their heads in commiseration.

    ¡°Here, come on inside while we talk,¡± Blake gestured toward the gate.

    ¡°So, if we want to join, do we need to swear an oath or something?¡± Jeremy asked.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No oaths, just agree to follow the rules and you¡¯re good.¡±

    ¡°What rules?¡± the black man asked.

    ¡°Oh, nothing out of the ordinary. Don¡¯t hurt or kill anyone, don¡¯t steal, don¡¯t scam. The usual. Oh, and combat classes agree to defend the faction if we¡¯re under attack, but that¡¯s pretty obvious. Everyone has to pull their weight.¡±

    ¡°What happens if you break a rule?¡± Jimmy asked as they entered the town.

    ¡°That depends on the rule, and how bad you break it,¡± Blake replied. ¡°It could be a fine, community service, banishment, or even death.¡±

    ¡°Death?¡± Jeremy honed in on the word. ¡°You¡¯ll kill someone for breaking a rule?¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°You bet your ass we will. I won¡¯t tolerate murder or rape, and I don¡¯t want anyone in my faction that will.¡±

    ¡°Damn right,¡± Jimmy mumbled in agreement.

    Jeremy acknowledged Blake¡¯s reply with a nod and asked, ¡°So, how do we sign up?¡±

    ¡°You two look like fighters. Are you interested in gaining combat classes? If so, we¡¯ll outfit you with some basic gear that¡¯ll keep you alive. We also supply ten mega-nano so you can learn a combat skill.¡±

    ¡°Mega-nano?¡± Jimmy asked in confusion.

    ¡°Ten million nano,¡± Blake explained as he walked toward their level one armory. It contained all the nano-enhanced rewards not currently in use. ¡°Sorry, I kind of use ¡®mega¡¯ and ¡®million¡¯ interchangeably.¡±

    ¡°That sounds great,¡± Jeremy replied. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡±

    ¡°No catch. Just an investment in our faction¡¯s future. Besides, we¡¯ll make far more than ten mega-nano back in taxes.¡±

    ¡°Taxes?¡± Jimmy grimaced. ¡°I thought for sure that shit was gone.¡±

    Blake laughed. ¡°No, death and taxes are the only constants in the universe. We keep the tax rate steady at ten percent unless there¡¯s an emergency.¡±

    ¡°What do you do with all that nano?¡± Jeremy asked.

    ¡°Pay people to guard the walls, build stuff, upgrade buildings,¡± Blake shrugged. ¡°The usual.¡±

    Once they reached the armory, Blake opened the door and escorted his two guests inside. ¡°Go ahead and pick out some equipment. This stuff is all level one, so most of it will give you some extra attributes.

    ¡°Really?¡± Jeremy asked in disbelief. ¡°Just like that, you¡¯re going to kit us out? Isn¡¯t this valuable?¡±

    Blake snorted. ¡°It¡¯s just level one. We got tons of this stuff.¡±

    He saw Jimmy slip three rings on his fingers and said, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with more than one ring. The Architect¡¯s an asshole and won¡¯t count the attributes from more than one. You also can¡¯t boost an attribute with two different pieces of gear, so I¡¯d suggest you find some jewelry with each of the three physical stats and wear those.¡±

    Jimmy nodded as he sifted through the items. ¡°Good to know.¡±

    Once they selected a full set of gear, Blake changed ownership of the items, and escorted them back out of the building. ¡°Tomorrow morning, I¡¯m going to head out and start building a new faction town. I could use some guards. Do you think you guys could join me?¡±

    The two men glanced at each other, and then Jeremy nodded.

    ¡°Great!¡± Blake grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll get Kasey to set you up with a place to stay and have him show you around. He¡¯s one of my combat team leaders, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask him.¡±

    ¡°Appreciate it,¡± Jimmy replied.

    Blake contacted Kasey and relayed his request. He warned the native that he did not quite trust the two new members, and asked the team leader to keep an eye on them.

    While he waited for the team leader to arrive, he invited Jeremy and Jimmy to his faction. After he handed the two men off to the Native, he waved goodbye and located his mother. When he walked up behind her, she was in the middle of a discussion with one of their new arrivals.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but for the next few weeks, no one gets their own room. If you¡¯re by yourself, we¡¯ll make sure your roommate is the same sex, but we just don¡¯t have the space yet.¡±

    The woman sighed in disappointment. ¡°I suppose I don¡¯t have a choice in the matter.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Blake interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s just for a few weeks. After that, we should have plenty of bunkhouses built. Then, we can start customizing buildings for families, single people, you name it.¡±

    The woman nodded and was escorted away by an assistant. Once she was gone, his mother turned to Blake and embraced him. ¡°Blake, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back. I saw you talking to the two men I kept outside. So, they¡¯re good? No shady motives?¡±

    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re definitely shady,¡± Blake corrected her misconception. ¡°If I had to guess, they¡¯re spies from the government.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± her jaw dropped in shock. ¡°Then why did you let them in?¡±

    ¡°Because we have nothing to hide,¡± he explained. ¡°Plus, this way I know who the spies are. We can even feed them fake info if we want to. If I get rid of them, next time they¡¯ll send someone actually good at the job instead of those two.¡±

    Donna frowned.

    Blake chuckled. ¡°They were obviously from that group guarding the Ursa portal. The government must have had some people from the military running scenarios for weeks now. My bet is those two earned enough to increase their Physical Power by a few points and didn¡¯t realize I could tell from Analyze.¡±

    ¡°But, what if they cause trouble here while you¡¯re gone?¡± she asked in concern.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he assured her. ¡°Tomorrow morning they¡¯re coming with me to start the new expansion. I want to see what kind of people they are. Just because they work for the government doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re evil. I¡¯m going to ask Major Dominguez and his guys if they want to come too.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t they just head back to their unit after you let them out of jail?¡±

    Blake shrugged. ¡°Probably, but it doesn¡¯t hurt to ask.¡±

 Chapter 108 - Expanding Outward

    Blake yawned and wiped the sleep from his eyes as he stomped down the stone stairs to the faction hall¡¯s basement. When he reached the cell that held Major Dominguez and his command staff, he opened the door.

    ¡°Time to go.¡±

    Two people jerked awake at his words, while two others had to be prodded. It was dawn, and Blake wanted to get an early start on his next expansion town. Monsters would appear in a day, and he needed to have a third faction hall fully constructed before they appeared.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Major Dominguez wiped his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m letting you guys go,¡± Blake explained. ¡°Sorry it took so long, but I¡¯ve been busy.

    At his words, the soldiers perked up. They had been stuck within the cell for a week, with nothing to read but his guide. Even their interface was hobbled, as they could not communicate with the outside world while inside the jail.

    ¡°Have monsters appeared yet?¡± the Major asked.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°Not for another twenty-four hours. So, I¡¯d hurry home if I were you. Or, you can join us. My faction would love to have more soldiers,¡± he offered.

    One of the men snorted and shook his head.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dismiss the offer yet,¡± Blake advised. ¡°My two towns are the only safe places where no monsters appear for over a hundred miles. And, today, I¡¯m going to make a third. My entire goal is to save as many lives as possible.¡±

    ¡°Could¡¯ve fooled me,¡± the same man mumbled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, it was you who fired upon me first,¡± Blake pointedly reminded him. ¡°I was just defending myself and my family. You should also remember that your president continued to attack us, even with you guys here. He didn¡¯t care about your lives, just like your old commanding officer.¡±

    The man looked away, unable to defend his leader¡¯s actions.

    Major Dominguez cleared his throat. ¡°We were stationed in Phoenix. That¡¯s almost two hundred miles away. Without vehicles, how are we supposed to get home?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m willing to give you guys a ride to Payson on one of our trucks. They¡¯re old diesels, retrofitted with a crank start,¡± he explained. That¡¯s halfway there, but for the last hundred miles, you¡¯ll have to walk. Sorry, but I want my faction to stay as far away from The Valley as possible.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± the Major asked.

    ¡°Because more monsters appear in the city than the countryside,¡± Blake replied. ¡°That, and there¡¯s more people with guns. I may be bulletproof, but my men aren¡¯t. Besides, it¡¯s over a hundred and twenty degrees down there. Without AC, who would want to go there?¡±

    ¡°My wife and kid are stuck in Phoenix,¡± one of the soldiers replied.

    ¡°And my fianc¨¦e is all alone,¡± said another. ¡°She moved away from her family to stay with me. I need to get back to her.¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re both on the next convoy to Payson. What about the rest of you?¡± he glanced at the other two men.

    ¡°I¡¯m single,¡± Major Dominguez admitted. ¡°And, my family lives in LA. Unless you¡¯re willing to give me one of those retro trucks, I don¡¯t see how I can reach them.¡±

    Blake chuckled. ¡°Sorry, but we need all of them.¡±

    ¡°Then, I don¡¯t see the point in going back to Phoenix,¡± the Major replied.

    ¡°There¡¯s an armory in Show Low,¡± the soldier with a wife and kid reminded him. ¡°They could use your help.¡±

    Dominguez shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can go back. To be honest, I¡¯m kind of pissed at the National Guard, and Warner.¡± The Major glanced back at Blake. ¡°You said you¡¯re going to be saving people. If I join up, will I be a part of that?¡±

    Wow, is he actually considering it?

    Blake had no real expectation of recruiting any of them. He assumed they would all laugh in his face and walk away the second he freed them. He essentially only asked to be polite. However, he was more than happy to recruit a soldier who wanted to save lives.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Blake grinned. ¡°I¡¯m actually about to head out to do just that. We¡¯re going to establish a shelter just outside Eagar today, so people have a safe place to sleep when the monsters come.¡±

    Major Dominguez stared Blake in the eyes for a full ten seconds before he finally nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. Sign me up.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± the officer next to him added.

    He nodded and used Analyze on the man to learn his name. ¡°Happy to have you, Jared. What about you two?¡± Blake turned to address the soldiers with a wife and fianc¨¦e.

    ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± the family man shook his head. ¡°I gotta get home.¡±

    The other man agreed.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let Kasey know you two are on the next ride out of here. Jared and Dominguez,¡± he turned to address his two new recruits. ¡°Come with me. I¡¯ll get you set up with some nano-gear and get you started with a combat skill.¡±

    ¡°Just call me Antonio,¡± Major Dominguez corrected him. ¡°I¡¯m not in the military anymore.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough, Antonio,¡± Blake nodded in agreement.

    As they ascended the stairs, he invited his two new recruits to the Terran Alliance, and contacted Kasey. When the combat team leader arrived at the lobby with Jeremy and Jimmy, he ran up the stairs to his mother¡¯s office. He entered the empty room, which only a few people had access to, and palmed the faction management sphere.

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    Blake withdrew sixty mega-nano from the treasury, and rushed back downstairs. He needed twenty mega-nano to construct a level one faction hall, and another forty to supply each of his four new members a combat skill. He was not sure if the two spies had learned one already, but he needed to keep up the facade.

    Once he rejoined the group, he thanked Kasey and took over as tour guide. He led the four men to the armory and let his new members pick out a set of gear. Afterward, he met up with Brent and a few others who had agreed to help build their new expansion.

    They gathered near three diesel trucks. The beds held tents, water, food, and other supplies they would need to last a few weeks. Two of the vehicles towed campers to temporarily house them, and the third pulled a flatbed full of stone and metal. Their target location was just West of Eager, next to a lumber mill. There would be plenty of already cut wood to satisfy their needs.

    ¡°Okay everyone,¡± Blake announced to the group of twelve people. ¡°Last chance to grab anything you forgot before we leave.¡±

    Only one of their new non-combatants rushed away, and by the time he returned, they had already started the trucks. Blake decided to keep all four of their new combatants with him. With five people in the extended cab, it was a tight fit, but they would only be cramped for a couple of hours as they drove east.

    Finally, they were on their way.

    As they drove down the empty highway, everyone remained silent. Blake sat in the passenger seat in case he needed to escape in a hurry, while Jeremy drove. After a half an hour, Blake decided to break the tension and learn more about his new combat team.

    ¡°So, what did you think of Kasey?¡± he asked the driver.

    ¡°Interesting guy,¡± Jeremy responded carefully. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware others had powers. I thought you were the only one.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, all of our original combat teams are level one now. Kasey just has a basic class, but he loves his new spell. Did he show it to you?¡±

    Jeremy nodded. ¡°Yeah, some kind of electrical discharge.¡±

    ¡°Yep, it¡¯s a mana based spell called Shocking Stun,¡± Blake explained. ¡°By default, it¡¯s got a range of about twenty feet, and as the title states, stuns the target when it hits. It doesn¡¯t really hurt what it hits, but it¡¯s got a pretty short cast time, and can be used often.¡±

    ¡°That sounds badass,¡± Jimmy replied from the back seat. ¡°Can you do that, too?¡±

    Blake shook his head as he turned. ¡°No, but I can do something similar with Mind Blast. It¡¯s a psionic-based spell that causes a blinding headache, and can actually knock people out if they¡¯re close enough.¡±

    Jimmy Lee grimaced.

    ¡°I actually evolved it so it can affect multiple people instead of just one,¡± Blake continued to explain.

    ¡°What all spells do you have?¡± Jeremy asked.

    Blake turned to face their driver. ¡°Let¡¯s see, my Chi spells are Regeneration and Alacrity. Flame Shield and Gale are my mana based spells, Dampen Sound and Spatial Step are my Aether spells, and Mental Blast and Mind Sense.¡±

    Jeremy¡¯s brows rose. ¡°That¡¯s a lot. What level are you?¡±

    ¡°Level two,¡± Blake replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you have an omni-class, right?¡± Major Dominguez asked in clarification.

    Blake nodded.

    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t everyone go for that if it gets you so many more spells?¡± Jared asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Kasey guy only had one?¡±

    ¡°The guide said it costs eight times more to level, and requires ten achievements,¡± Antonio Dominguez replied to his subordinate. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡±

    ¡°How the hell am I supposed to remember all that?¡± Jared Lesley complained. ¡°It was a shitload of information that read like a video game.¡±

    ¡°We literally had nothing else to do.¡± Antonio replied.

    ¡°Antonio¡¯s right,¡± Blake confirmed. ¡°And the more you can remember, the better. Once you get some more experience fighting, you¡¯ll want to think about what kind of class you want. For now, you four should get to know each other. You¡¯ll form a combat team and run a scenario today while we wait.¡±

    ¡°Wait for what?¡± Jimmy asked.

    ¡°For the faction hall to be built,¡± Blake explained. ¡°Once I start construction, it¡¯ll take six hours before it¡¯s finished. After that, Brent and his laborers can get started on the quarry, wood workshop, and metal workshop. By the time that¡¯s all done, we should have plenty of off-world wood and stone to upgrade the faction hall to level two and build the warehouse.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I don¡¯t really know what all of that means,¡± Jared admitted. ¡°But, when do we start saving people?¡±

    ¡°I already recorded a video and posted it to the Collective¡¯s regional forum. I let people know where we¡¯re going to set up our town and invited them to join us. But, don¡¯t get your hopes up. Most people won¡¯t want to leave their homes until the monsters show up. When that happens, we¡¯ll drive up and down the streets and offer safety. That¡¯s when we¡¯ll get the most people.¡±

    ¡°How do you know all this stuff?¡± Antonio asked. ¡°Are you really from the future?¡±

    Blake sighed. ¡°Yeah, I am. But, for some reason, no matter how many times I tell people, they never believe me.¡±

    ¡°You gotta admit,¡± Jeremy responded. ¡°It does seem kind of far-fetched.¡±

    ¡°More far-fetched than an alien AI invading Earth and eliminating electricity?¡± Blake asked in disbelief. ¡°What I think is crazy, is how you all question if I¡¯m really from the future, but completely believe me when I say monsters are going to appear tomorrow. How else could I possibly know?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s got a point there, Cap.¡± Jimmy responded with a snort.

    Interesting, did you just let something slip?

    ¡°Cap?¡± Blake asked innocently. ¡°Is that short for Captain? Are you in the military?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jeremy answered quickly. ¡°It¡¯s just a nickname. We play a lot of Return to Duty online.¡±

    Sure you do.

    ¡°Well, real life battle is nothing like video games,¡± Antonio informed Jeremy. ¡°I was a Major in the National Guard, and my LT here was part of my command staff,¡± he said as he hooked a thumb towards Jared. ¡°If we¡¯re going into combat together, our team is going to need a leader. Since I have the most experience, I¡¯ll be the one in charge. Do either of you have a problem with that?¡±

    ¡°Fine with me,¡± Jimmy answered.

    ¡°No problem here,¡± Jeremy replied.

    ¡°Okay, good. Since you two are civvies, you¡¯ll need to stick close and follow orders.¡± Antonio turned to Blake. ¡°What kind of enemy will we be fighting?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow, every kind of monster will start to show up in the outside world,¡± Blake replied. ¡°But, if you¡¯re talking about inside the scenario, it¡¯s Tieflings. The portal¡¯s about a quarter mile away down the Little Colorado River.¡±

    ¡°What are Tieflings?¡± Antonio asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re big, red aliens with horns and hooved feet,¡± Blake answered.

    ¡°Aliens?¡± Jared asked. ¡°I thought we were only fighting dumb monsters? Are they going to have ray guns or anything?¡±

    Jeremy chuckled.

    Blake shook his head. ¡°The Architect gets rid of any tech not its own, remember? No, they¡¯ll fight with the same gear and weapons you will.¡±

    ¡°Do they use tactics, or are they primitive?¡± Antonio asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re just as smart as you or me,¡± he answered. ¡°They can talk, and plan ambushes, just like we can.¡±

    They continued to discuss plans for their future scenario, until they arrived on the barren outskirts of Eager. Blake then turned to Jeremy and pointed out the window. ¡°Turn left up there, that¡¯s where we¡¯re going to set up.¡±

    As they pulled into the Timberworks¡¯ gravel parking lot, Jeremy said, ¡°Looks like there¡¯s people already here. Is that going to be a problem?¡±

    A crowd of at least thirty people milled around a campfire. They sat on foldable camp chairs and drank from red plastic cups. Behind them were a line of tents, already set up. Blake spotted multiple wheelbarrows and even some carts, still full of supplies.

    Wow. I didn¡¯t actually expect anyone to show up.

    ¡°Not a problem,¡± Blake grinned. ¡°Not at all. Looks like we¡¯re going to get more help than I thought.¡±

 Interlude - Combat Teams

    ¡°Remember you two, stick close so we can protect you,¡± Antonio ordered before he strode forward through the grass field.

    You¡¯re a freakin¡¯ weekend warrior paper pusher.

    Captain Jeremy Jackson seethed on the inside, but kept his outward expression neutral as he pushed around a large clump of feathery grass. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    He glanced over to Sergeant Lee and slapped the man across the chest with his spear. ¡°Lee,¡± he hissed. ¡°Wipe that expression off your face. We¡¯re supposed to act like civvies.¡±

    ¡°Cap, are we really gonna listen to those bozos?¡± Jimmy quietly complained as he gripped his own spear tighter.

    ¡°Yes, we are,¡± Jeremy ordered with a whisper. ¡°And don¡¯t call me Cap. We have to stick to our cover story, or we¡¯ll raise suspicion.¡±

    Jimmy snorted. ¡°Pretty sure Blake knows we¡¯re spies already.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he does,¡± Jeremy disagreed. ¡°He gave us a list of all his abilities. Zero hesitation. You don¡¯t do that for someone you think is a spy. Hell, you don¡¯t do that for anyone unless you trust them implicitly. I think the kid¡¯s an idiot.¡±

    ¡°Or, he doesn¡¯t give a shit because he¡¯s invincible,¡± Jimmy played devil¡¯s advocate as he dodged some large rocks. ¡°When we ambushed him, C4 didn¡¯t do shit to him, and neither did our SAWs. Hell, even Esteves¡¯ Barret barely left a bruise, and he got hit in the face!¡±

    ¡°Shhh,¡± Jeremy glanced at the two National Guard officers ten feet ahead to make sure they were not listening. Antonio and Jared held their shields and swords at the ready as they scanned the dark tree-line for threats.

    Idiots! We need to walk through the forest, not the field. If they have any scouts, we¡¯ll be seen immediately.

    Jeremy cleared his throat. ¡°Hey, boss,¡± he called out for Antonio¡¯s attention. When the major turned his head, Jeremy said, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to sneak through the trees? We¡¯re kind of out in the open here.¡±

    Antonio shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s the idea. Out here, they can¡¯t ambush us. See, they don¡¯t have guns. If they attack, they¡¯ll have to charge us, and we¡¯ll see them coming.¡±

    ¡°They have bows and arrows,¡± Jeremy pointed out. ¡°Their scouts will see us and set up an ambush.¡±

    Antonio sighed. ¡°Jeremy, this isn¡¯t Return to Duty. I¡¯ve trained for this. I¡¯ve been in battle. Just keep your eyes peeled for the Tieflings, alright? Let me call out tactics.¡±

    You¡¯ve been in battle? Seriously? What, did you get a paper cut?

    ¡°Cap,¡± Jimmy whispered. ¡°This guy¡¯s gonna get us killed. The secret¡¯s not worth it. We can just tell them we did our four years for the GI bill, but we were scared to tell Blake because we thought he hated the military.¡±

    Jeremy shook his head as he continued to keep watch. ¡°Don¡¯t call me Cap. I told you, Mister Peters explicitly stated not to reveal we¡¯re military. Besides, your little ¡®Cap¡¯ slipup kind of screwed that up.¡±

    Jimmy looked contrite as he scanned the distance for threats. ¡°Sorry, it just kind of slipped out. But seriously, Return to Duty?¡±

    ¡°You put me on the spot and I had to come up with something,¡± Jeremy replied. ¡°I¡¯m not cut out for this spying shit.¡±

    ¡°Did you check in with Mister Peters yet?¡± Jimmy whispered.

    Antonio turned and gestured. ¡°Come on, guys, catch up. We need to stick together.¡±

    Jeremy and Jimmy temporarily increased their pace. When their leader finally turned back around, he whispered to Lee, ¡°Yeah, I sent him the list of the spells right after Blake told us. I also told him what we¡¯re up to.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d he say?¡±

    ¡°He said to verify the list¡¯s accuracy, same thing he said about the guide.¡±

    ¡°I bet it¡¯s accurate.¡±

    ¡°The guide was wrong,¡± Jeremy pointed out. ¡°It said you had to physically touch someone to invite them to your contact list. It also didn¡¯t mention the forums at all.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s kind of weird,¡± Jimmy admitted. ¡°Why lie about that? What does he get out of it?¡±

    ¡°You got me,¡± Jeremy shrugged. ¡°What I really wanna know is what he talked about with the alien AI. He was gone for twenty-four hours and came back with that new title of his. What¡¯s up with that?¡±

    Jimmy chuckled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just ask him? He doesn¡¯t seem to have a problem giving away all his secrets.¡±

    ¡°Like I could trust a word he said,¡± Jeremy sneered.

    ¡°Well, at least he gave us ten million nano.¡± Sergeant Lee glanced over to Jeremy. ¡°Did you spend yours yet?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I bought Spear Mastery.¡±

    ¡°Shit. Why¡¯d you go and do that? We already know how to poke things with a spear.¡±

    ¡°Because that¡¯s what he expects us to do, learn a combat skill. You should buy it too. I actually learned a bit from it, believe it or not, and it¡¯s already at 84% mastery. I think it takes into account how much you already knew before you bought the skill.¡± Jeremy shook his head. ¡°Yet another thing the guide was wrong about.¡±

    ¡°Got it, Cap,¡± Jimmy nodded.

    Jeremy sighed.

    He¡¯s an even worse spy than I am. What the hell is Peters thinking? Maybe he has real spies in Blake¡¯s faction, and we¡¯re just the decoys? Ugh, he¡¯s gonna get me killed.

    Captain Jackson latched onto the idea immediately. If it were true, he could focus on growing stronger and saving people while the real spies ferreted out the truth.

    Yeah, I bet that¡¯s what¡¯s going on. He¡¯s been in the CIA for over a decade. There¡¯s no way they¡¯re just relying on us.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Jeremy almost immediately felt better about his situation, and a bounce returned to his step. Now that his worry was over, he counted all the benefits to his present situation.

    They were given a full set of level one gear, far better than the trash they had before. Besides the bonus defenses it provided them, the jewelry also raised each of his physical attributes by two.

    Additionally, they were gifted ten million nano each, just for offering to help guard civilians, something he was more than happy to do for free.

    This ain¡¯t so bad.

    That was when the Tieflings came charging out of the trees.

    Damnit! I can¡¯t believe that weekend warrior was right.

    He saw Antonio freeze and make a motion with his hand.

    Jeremy was not sure why the line of reddish-purple aliens rushing their way were not using bows from ambush, but he would take all the good luck he could get.

    ¡°Tangos, four-o¡¯clock!¡± Antonio yelled and readied his shield to accept the enemy¡¯s charge. ¡°Everyone, line up on me!¡±

    Before Jeremy joined him, he quickly checked the open field and treeline behind them. He needed to ensure the attacking force was not just a distraction. Flank attacks were incredibly effective, especially if you were pinched between two forces.

    Satisfied that it was not a ruse, Jeremy filed into position and eyed the oncoming group. Six tall, horned Tieflings brandished their weapons as they roared. As a special forces veteran, Jeremy was not even remotely fazed by the intimidation tactics, but he could see how a lesser person would piss their pants in fear.

    ¡°Whatever you do,¡± Antonio warned them. ¡°Don¡¯t run. If you run, we all die.¡±

    No shit, Sherlock.

    He heard Sergeant Lee softly groan at the advice.

    Suddenly, the line of Tieflings slammed into them. Jeremy braced his back foot and thrust his spear forward. It pierced through the Tiefling¡¯s thin hide, and plunged into its heart.

    Then, before it even collapsed, he raised the butt of his spear and slammed it into the unopposed alien next to it. The Tiefling was surprised by Jeremy¡¯s superhuman strength, and staggered backwards.

    He then ripped the spear away from the corpse and then swung his weapon in an arc. The metal tip drew a deep line down his opponent¡¯s raised forearm, which caused the alien to howl and drop his sword.

    While the Tiefling was distracted, Jeremy followed up the attack with a thrust, which quickly ended his second opponent¡¯s life. He quickly extracted his weapon and searched for the next threat.

    Jimmy, a fellow veteran of primitive combat, had permanently dealt with his first enemy, and was almost finished with his second. Meanwhile, the two National Guard officers were in a desperate battle for their lives against the final two Tieflings.

    Jeremy was about to intervene, when he stopped himself.

    No, they need the experience.

    Jeremy watched as both Antonio and Jared backpedaled. Rather than bash their enemy and advance as they should, they remained on the defensive.

    Lee finished his second opponent and turned to assist their teammates. He was about to attack when Jeremy placed his hand on the man¡¯s shoulder. When Jimmy turned on him in confusion, he shook his head and whispered. ¡°They need to win on their own. Only interfere if they¡¯re about to die.¡±

    Both Lee and Jackson scanned the horizon for threats, and then watched the two men battle for their lives. Finally, the Tieflings began to tire from their relentless assault. Antonio went on the offensive and slashed open his opponent¡¯s neck.

    It sank to its knees and grasped its throat as it gurgled for air. Meanwhile, Antonio stumbled backward and fell on his ass as he gasped for air. His eyes darted left and right as he observed the chaos of the battlefield.

    When he realized Jeremy and Jimmy had eliminated four Tieflings in less time than it took him to kill one, his eyes widened in disbelief. He immediately pointed to Jared, who still struggled against his opponent and croaked, ¡°Help him!¡± in between gasps for air.

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± Jeremy nodded and slowly shuffled over beside Jared. However, rather than immediately exterminate the Tiefling, he waited while Jared continued to defend himself.

    ¡°What¡­ are¡­ you¡­ waiting¡­ for,¡± Antonio wheezed.

    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t see an opening,¡± Jeremy shrugged.

    Before the major could berate him for his lack of intervention, Jared struck back and landed a fatal blow.

    Finally!

    Before his enemy hit the ground, Jared collapsed, out of breath. Jeremy again checked for additional threats, but the area seemed to be clear. He then opened his interface and checked the progress of their objective.

    Eliminate all Tieflings: 27% complete.

    Looks like three more groups.

    When Antonio finally caught his breath, he rose to his feet and confronted Jeremy. ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± the major demanded.

    Jeremy played dumb and scratched his head. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You just sat there and watched us!¡± Antonio accused as he strode toward them in righteous indignation. The irate officer was about to poke his finger into Jeremy¡¯s chest, when he slapped it away.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t touch me,¡± Jeremy warned in an even voice.

    Antonio threw up his arms. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be a team! You don¡¯t just stand by and watch your battle buddy struggle for his life! If you weren¡¯t civvies, you¡¯d be court-martialed for this!¡±

    No we wouldn¡¯t.

    ¡°How the hell did you even kill those aliens so fast?¡± the major demanded.

    Jimmy smirked. ¡°Return to Duty.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that shit!¡± Antonio fumed.

    Jeremy couldn¡¯t resist. He held out his spear and said nonchalantly, ¡°I don¡¯t see what the big deal is, I just poked them with a pointy stick.¡±

    ***

    President Warner surveyed the men and women who surrounded him at the large conference table. When the Joint Chiefs of Staff failed to obey his emergency orders, he replaced them. The last thing he needed was someone who would only object to his demands.

    This is much better.

    Scott Peters sat beside him, his new right-hand man. The CIA spook had suggested capable people to replace the old guard, and the appointments had already proven their worth. Governors, mayors, and generals had all been contacted and were given new orders. They were to do everything in their power to raise a billion nano and create factions, subordinate to his own.

    ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve scouted out a hundred and thirty new spatial distortions across the country,¡± a thin man in glasses informed him. ¡°The new infantry teams you had us form have been supplied with primitive equipment and have already begun to assault the alien worlds. That now makes four hundred and thirty-one teams.¡±

    ¡°A good start,¡± Warner groused in his southern accent.

    ¡°So far, they have a fifteen percent casualty rate. However, we estimate that will shrink to below three percent as the teams grow more experienced. At the current rate they are acquiring nano, we estimate we will be able to form two new factions each day.¡±

    ¡°We need more teams,¡± Warner demanded.

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± the sharply dressed man nodded. ¡°We are equipping and training additional teams as rapidly as we are able. We hope to reach four billion nano per day by the end of the week. However, we need to reserve some equipment for civilian defense if Mister Summer¡¯s predictions about ¡®monsters¡¯ appearing come true.¡±

    The president shook his head. ¡°No, don¡¯t hold back. We can use guns to defend ourselves here on Earth, but I want nothing but spears and swords out there,¡± he pointed to the sky. ¡°Those distortions are a moneymaker, and we need all the money we can get.¡±

    The glasses-clad man nodded.

    President Warner turned to address the woman seated next to the man who had just spoken. She was in her forties, and had a stern expression on her face.

    What was her name again? Whatever, it doesn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°You,¡± Warner pointed at the woman. ¡°What¡¯s the update on those alien buildings?¡±

    She cleared her throat. ¡°Sir, three faction halls have been constructed so far, with two more on the way. We are now in the process of constructing quarries, which should be finished tonight. If all continues to go well, we hope to upgrade the first faction hall to level two, two days from now.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± the President growled. ¡°I want my own Dome ASAP.¡±

    When Warner found out that the Summers kid¡¯s guide explained exactly how to build their own city, he could not believe his luck. The asshole had literally armed his own enemies with the information they needed to eliminate him.

    Unfortunately, they still needed to play catch-up. However, Scott Peters promised him, within two months they would have a force capable of eliminating that pest of a child, once and for all. Meanwhile, the entire country would be united once again. They would join under his leadership. Together, they would dominate the alien threat while protecting his faction¡¯s citizens. The faction named ¡®United States of America¡¯.

    Exactly as it should be.

 Chapter 109 - Monsters for Breakfast

    Blake scratched at the open gash on his arm while he waited for the scheduled meeting with his chancellors. As much as he hated it itching as it healed, he had purposefully allowed himself to be injured within the Tiefling scenario in order to increase his mastery over Focused Regeneration.

    Only three percent remained before he could evolve the spell. He hoped to alter his chi ability so it worked on others before morning. While he did have a few healing potions with him, those would eventually run out.

    It would be so much easier if I could just cut my arm and heal it over and over again.

    Unfortunately, the artificial intelligence always knew when you were attempting to cheat it. In the same way you could not tackle a scenario two levels above yourself with guns and grenades to gain the Master Solo Warrior achievement, you could not just give yourself a minor injury and heal it repeatedly. Asking a friend to do so in your stead did not work either. Both actions were met with either no mastery gain, or outright punishment if continued.

    Stupid Architect.

    Despite the alien AI¡¯s assurances to the contrary, he still felt as if it was actively sabotaging humanity. To Blake¡¯s mind, it should not matter who caused the injury. Regenerating flesh worked the same, regardless.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± a new refugee in his forties approached him. ¡°Baron Blake?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± he asked politely, doing his best to hide his wince at the strange title.

    At least he didn¡¯t say Ambassador.

    ¡°Do we need to ration our food? I don¡¯t see much here, especially if a lot more people are going to join us.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°No, go ahead and eat whatever you want. Tomorrow, we¡¯re going to drive around town to scavenge and recruit.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? We eat a lot of food¡­¡± he trailed off.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, by tomorrow, food won¡¯t be a problem, ever again.¡± Blake grinned. ¡°We¡¯ll be eating monsters for breakfast.¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes widened in horror, and he slowly backed away.

    Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get used to it.

    After his new faction member left, Blake observed the temporary camp they had erected just outside the small town of Eager. Five hours before, he had started construction on the faction hall, left a few standing orders, and then ran a level three scenario by himself.

    When he returned from the alien planet, he was happy to see his directions were followed, and a line of camper trailers now circled their camp under Brent¡¯s watchful eye. Once they unhooked the two campers they had towed to Eager, they raided a nearby RV storage lot for more. There was not enough time to upgrade their faction hall to level two before monsters would spawn, and there was no point in constructing a wall around the relatively small area a level one faction hall allowed you to build within.

    For a temporary fix, Blake had his people create a barrier out of towed campers around the edge. There was plenty of room within the circle to construct their prerequisite structures, and they could be moved once they needed more room.

    With this tactic, nothing would appear within the circle, and they would have a temporary wall from which they could defend their faction members. The flimsy campers would not stand up to any significant monsters, but the ones that would soon invade would be weak. As an added bonus, people would not be forced to sleep outside. There were now plenty of beds and couches within the camp for everyone.

    I¡¯m surprised more people didn¡¯t do this last time.

    His new members laughed and made jokes around a fire as they ate, secure in the knowledge they were protected. Blake was sure anxiety would return tomorrow when the monsters appeared, but for now, it was a welcome respite.

    Blake sat in the camp chair in silence as he observed the activity around and considered his plans.

    Hopefully I can get a real wall up soon so they don¡¯t have to worry at all.

    Construction of the faction hall hut was almost complete. After it was finished, Brent and his laborers would start building the prerequisite structures required to upgrade it to level two. Once that was finished, hopefully within twenty-four hours, they could start construction of the wall.

    It would be built at the maximum distance from the level two faction hall, eight hundred feet. That would give them almost fifty acres worth of land within it to work with, the same as Blake¡¯s initial town in Pinetop.

    There was plenty of space for the next couple of weeks.

    Eventually, they would upgrade the faction hall and expand the walls outward. However, by then, he would have already appointed a chancellor to handle everyone and assigned a few combat teams to guard the new town.

    Suddenly, he received a notification from Jessica.

    Finally!

    He answered the holo-call and was surprised when his mother was already on it. Both women sat behind their desks and scowled at him.

    This can¡¯t be good.

    ¡°Blake,¡± Donna began in a stern voice. ¡°What were you thinking?¡±

    Huh? What¡¯d I do?

    ¡°Jessica and I spent the entire morning going through our notifications before we just gave up. It was impossible to keep up with the requests, we ended up having to delete everything. Why would you tell people to contact us if they wanted to join? Why didn¡¯t you talk to us first?¡±

    Damn. There¡¯s really that many people that want to join us?

    Blake winced. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t think it would be that many. But, how else are we supposed to find people who want to join us?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know,¡± she said facetiously. ¡°Maybe create a recruiting thread. Have people who want to join leave their information in it, so a team can go through it. Then we can decide who to invite rather than waste time talking to people in Europe or South America.¡±

    Shit, why didn¡¯t I think of that?

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good idea,¡± he admitted.

    ¡°Uh huh,¡± Donna rolled her eyes. ¡°Next time, please talk to us before doing something like that.¡±

    Blake nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°In his defense,¡± Jessica cut in. ¡°He never had access to that communication method before. It wouldn¡¯t likely occur to him to utilize it.¡±

    Thanks, Jessica!

    ¡°But, it still was a massive headache,¡± she continued.

    Blake groaned inwardly.

    ¡°Now that we got that out of the way, how goes progress on the new expansion?¡± Donna asked. ¡°Any issues?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s been great so far. I even worked a scenario in, so I¡¯m flush with nano. Although, if I can master my healing spell tonight, I¡¯ll evolve it so it works on others. Then I¡¯ll be back to zero.¡±

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Jessica nodded. ¡°We have added another four hundred members since we last talked, so that is another one hundred mega-nano in taxes. I can send half to you if you need it.¡±

    Blake¡¯s brows rose. ¡°Sure, that¡¯d be great.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve only added around two hundred today,¡± Donna grimaced. ¡°Unfortunately, the government evacuated everyone within a twenty-mile radius of The Dome, long before the power went out. We¡¯re having to collect everyone, and there¡¯s only so much room in the convoys.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s still a lot,¡± Blake defended the numbers.

    ¡°Yes, well, we need more trucks,¡± his mother complained.

    Blake frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t we have, like, two hundred conversion kits lying around?¡±

    Donna nodded. ¡°We do, but the guy we had converting them hasn¡¯t responded since the government declared us terrorists. I¡¯m not sure if he doesn¡¯t trust us anymore or what, but we need to find a new mechanic.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t we have close to two thousand members now?¡± Blake asked. ¡°At least one of them should know how to work on a truck.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d think so,¡± Donna said bitterly. ¡°But, so far, no one¡¯s admitted to it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart,¡± Jessica advised. ¡°We¡¯ll find someone soon. Once we do, they can train others.

    Donna sighed. ¡°I hope so.¡± After a moment, she added, ¡°Oh, before I forget, Chairman Tessay¡¯s been asking how much longer before he¡¯s appointed chancellor.¡±

    Blake shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why he wants to give up his air conditioning and security to come out here. There¡¯s nothing here, and there won¡¯t be for at least a few days. Tell him once we get some bunkhouses built and a wall around them, we¡¯ll talk. Until then, he¡¯ll just have to wait.¡±

    ¡°He likely feels useless at the moment and wants to contribute,¡± Jessica suggested.

    ¡°Then tell him to find a mechanic,¡± Blake suggested. ¡°Or find a way to put the horses to use.¡±

    They continued to discuss their progress and future plans for the next half hour. Eventually, Blake noticed that the combat team had returned, and he ended the meeting when he saw Antonio stalk towards him alone, anger written across his face. ¡°I¡¯ve got to go, there looks to be some kind of drama going on. If anything changes, let me know.¡±

    Jessica and Donna said their goodbyes, and the holo-chat was closed. Blake turned to acknowledge Antonio. When the team leader was only a few feet away, he asked, ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡±

    The major stopped and bared his teeth. ¡°Awful. Those two question every order, ignore every command, and are a pain in the ass to deal with.¡±

    That¡¯s surprising. You¡¯re all military, shouldn¡¯t you get along great?

    Blake frowned. ¡°Did anyone get hurt?¡±

    Antonio shook his head. ¡°No, but it¡¯s only a matter of time until someone does.¡±

    Maybe they¡¯re trying to sabotage the team? Why would they do that?

    ¡°Did they at least help you fight?¡± Blake asked in concern. ¡°They didn¡¯t make you do all the work, did they?¡±

    The major shook his head. ¡°No, but that¡¯s another problem. They claim they have no prior experience, yet they are somehow able to kill twice as many Tieflings as us. And, once they finish, they refuse to step in and assist unless ¡®we¡¯re in danger¡¯,¡± Antonio growled.

    Oh, I get it. Seems Jeremy and Jimmy are even more competent than I thought.

    Because they chose to hide their military experience from Blake, they were forced to continue the facade with Antonio. On the surface, they seemed inexperienced, despite the dozens of scenarios they likely ran to raise their Physical Power as high as it was. Rather than come clean, they took their frustration with the situation out on their leader.

    Sorry, Major, you¡¯re going to have to take one for the team.

    ¡°That¡¯s actually a good idea,¡± Blake nodded. ¡°It¡¯s best if everyone learns how to fight without intervention. After all, they may not always be available to help. It seems like Return to Duty was better practice than one would think.¡±

    Antonio¡¯s jaw dropped as he paused to process Blake¡¯s words. After a moment, he blurted, ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡±

    ¡°Dead serious,¡± Blake confirmed.

    ¡°Son, the reason soldiers win battles is because of teamwork. Without that, we¡¯re no better than amateurs. Those two men refuse to work with us. This isn¡¯t a computer game, we don¡¯t respawn if we die.¡±

    If you¡¯d stop being pissed at them for a moment, you¡¯d realize they¡¯re helping you. You¡¯ll never learn if they always help.

    Blake would¡¯ve liked to share his thoughts with the officer, but he knew it would only anger him more. As he learned recently, if a team did not mesh, no amount of words would fix the issue. Instead, he said, ¡°Well, when we get more volunteers, we can split the teams into two. Until then, can you work with them?¡±

    Antonio gave a curt nod. ¡°I¡¯ll do what we have to.¡±

    Blake smiled. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯d like to set up a watch schedule tonight. The monsters aren¡¯t supposed to show up until dawn, but there might be some angry people out there as well.¡±

    ¡°Good idea,¡± Antonio nodded. ¡°Watch duty is best held in pairs to make sure no one falls to sleep. I¡¯ll hold watch with Jeremy, while Jared partners with Jimmy.¡±

    I see you don¡¯t trust them.

    Blake shrugged. ¡°Fine with me. You guys should all get some sleep this afternoon. I¡¯ll hold first watch.¡±

    Antonio frowned.

    Blake raised his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brent and his helpers are going to be working late into the night. I won¡¯t be alone. I¡¯ll wake you up at midnight, fair?¡±

    After a moment, Antonio gave a nod of affirmation.

    ¡°Then go grab some food, and settle down, it¡¯ll be a long day tomorrow, and you¡¯ll want to be rested for it.¡±

    A notification appeared and he grinned in satisfaction.

    You have gained mastery over a spell. Focused Regeneration is ready to evolve.

    ***

    ¡°Incoming!¡±

    Blake woke to the sounds of battle. He immediately sat up to make sure everyone was okay, and splintered the wood above him with his head.

    Oops.

    In his haste, he had forgotten that he slept within a small camper. He barely felt the impact, but the bunk above him was now destroyed. Blake disentangled himself from the sheets and yawned as he shuffled out of the trailer. After a quick stretch, he retrieved his bow, slipped on his quiver, and carefully opened the door. Once outside, he leapt atop the temporary home to scout the area.

    Oh good, they¡¯ve got it handled.

    The sun had risen over the horizon as Jimmy and Jared fought off two Kobolds. A Goblin corpse lay on the ground beside Jimmy, and in the distance, he saw four Lupus headed their way.

    He turned and saw Jeremy and Antonio exit their own trailer, eager to join the battle. Blake pointed toward the incoming threat, and they dashed away to face it.

    Seeing that he was not needed, he checked his notifications.

    Enemies have now appeared within the world. Kill them to gain nano and grow in power.

    Blake dismissed the message and opened the next.

    You have been given a new directive: Survive the onslaught for four hours.

    Can they handle this on their own?

    Blake had planned to leave after breakfast to rescue survivors. Now that monsters had appeared, people would be far more willing to join him. However, he didn¡¯t want to leave them and return to a graveyard.

    Let¡¯s see how well they do.

    Blake watched as Jeremy lined up beside Jimmy and readied himself for combat. Lee still fought the Kobold, as did Jared. However, unlike Jeremy, Antonio rushed toward his subordinate to assist him.

    He¡¯ll never learn if you kill it for him.

    Blake sighed, but chose not to reprimand him. They would get plenty of experience over the next few days.

    He suddenly chuckled to himself.

    It¡¯s kind of funny. I¡¯m doing exactly what Antonio was just complaining about.

    He stood back and let the four fight without him. With his bow, he could always intervene if necessary. When the four Lupus arrived, he watched as Jeremy killed the first and seamlessly switched his focus to the monster beside it. Before Antonio could do more than block an attack with his shield, the spy had already killed his opponent and was about to finish off the next.

    Jimmy eliminated the Kobold and rushed to assist his friend. His spear pierced through the new monster¡¯s haunch, and instantly disabled it. The last Lupus tried to circle around the two to attack Antonio from behind, but Jeremy was able to use the butt of his spear to knock it away.

    Thirty seconds later, there was only a single monster left. Jared struggled to defend against the lone Lupus, while Antonio aided him. Meanwhile, Jeremy and Jimmy leaned on their spears as they observed the final struggle. The difference in strength and skill between the two groups could not be more stark.

    They have to be special forces or something. Pretty sure they can handle the monsters while I¡¯m gone.

 Chapter 110 - To the Rescue

    Blake stood atop the cab of his converted diesel truck as it puttered through the streets of Eager. Behind him, the truck bed was full of medical supplies, canned food, and spices they had scavenged. Attached to the truck was a twenty-eight-foot camper, filled with twelve survivors they had rescued over the last hour and a half.

    He shook his head at the small number.

    So many people are going to die because they won¡¯t come with us.

    As they slowly weaved through parked cars on the road and turned a corner, they were forced to come to a stop. The road ahead was blocked, and there was no room to turn around.

    ¡°I got it, Josh,¡± Blake informed his driver and jumped to the street below. He looped the bow through his shoulder, approached the car, and grabbed a hold of its bumper. He lifted the vehicle and began to drag it backwards, when the bumper suddenly snapped off the frame.

    Damnit! Why can¡¯t they make these things sturdier?

    He threw the bent piece of metal to the side and hooked his fingers underneath the exposed frame. Once again, he dragged the useless hunk of metal off the road until the thoroughfare was clear.

    Josh tapped the gas and began to putter forward through the cleared street. As the diesel passed, Blake leapt atop the cab and ignored the dents his feet created. During a quick scan of the area, he saw a Kree-lub out of the corner of his eye, a hundred feet away.

    It looked like a mix between an alligator and an opossum, but was the size of a black bear. The Kree-lub¡¯s entire body was covered in white and black fur, except its scaled tail. At the end of its three-foot tail, was sharpened bone, which could be whipped around like a sword. It had claws three inches long, and its fanged mouth could open wide enough to swallow a human whole.

    Blake readied his bow and retrieved an arrow from his quiver. As he pulled back the string and lined up his shot, he fed chi through the projectile until its metal tip glowed. Once he was certain the shot would land, he released his hold and watched as the arrow shot toward the monster.

    Before it could even react to the threat, the arrow penetrated deep within its side. A moment later, the entire creature exploded. Chunks of meat and sinew were thrown thirty feet in every direction. The side of a nearby building was completely coated with the dross, which slowly slid to the ground.

    That never gets old.

    He smiled as he slung his bow back on his shoulder. In his past life, he rarely used a bow. Arrows capable of this much destruction were expensive and took hours to construct. Since he was often forced to kill dozens of beasts per day, their use was not efficient.

    If he used mundane or level zero arrows, without the enchanted circuits, it would often take multiple projectiles to kill even a level one monster. That was why he did not supply any of the defenders with bows, they would need a supply of hundreds of arrows to last even a day.

    Blake¡¯s quiver, on the other hand, used a combination of mana and chi to conjure arrows capable of channeling energy. The quiver was unique, as it was almost unusable to anyone else. In order to utilize it, the owner would have to be capable of using both of those energy types.

    Surprisingly, no monsters appeared after the explosion. He used Oblate Mind Sense and scanned the nearby area. The ability penetrated through the nearby shops and apartment complexes and revealed a multitude of responses, all identical.

    I really need to fix that.

    The spell could not currently differentiate between human and other. However, it could be evolved to do so. Before, it was not a priority for him, as he only used it within a scenario. There, he was the only human present, and any minds revealed were his enemies.

    Next level.

    While the Mind Sense only returned locations of sentient beings, he could still glean important information from the spell. For instance, inside the nearby apartment complex, on the third floor, was a clump of three minds, unmoving and huddled together. However, a few feet away were two others, which moved rapidly back and forth.

    Looks like some people are trapped.

    There was no guarantee that his interpretation was correct. However, it would only take him a few minutes to investigate the situation.

    Blake stepped off the slow moving vehicle and turned to address the driver. ¡°Hey Josh, stop here for a minute. I need to check something out.¡±

    The man applied the brakes and slowed the vehicle and trailer until they no longer moved.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Scott told the driver from the passenger seat. ¡°I got us covered.¡± He brandished his personal rifle and exited the vehicle, prepared for any attack. The man was one of the people present at the lumber mill when Blake and his convoy arrived. He wore a flannel shirt and jeans, and seemed very competent in the use of his firearm.

    Blake sprinted toward the entrance to the apartment. On his way, he was presented with a new directive.

    Directive - Save a family from their attackers.

    That¡¯s convenient. Looks like I was right.

    Occasionally, the Architect would present him a directive to save individuals in danger, or to clear out a nest. The added incentive was welcome, but was not necessary. He would gladly do so without it.

    A few seconds later, he burst through the complex¡¯s locked, metal door, and then raced up the stairs to the third floor.

    Okay, which apartment was it in?

    There were eight separate domiciles on the landing, most filled with families hiding within their homes. However, he was currently interested in only one of them. Unfortunately, none of the individual apartment doors were open.

    ¡°Anyone need help?¡± Blake called out. He could have used another Oblate Mind Sense immediately to determine their location, but he hoped to avoid a splitting headache.

    There was no response.

    Blake was about to reuse the psionic spell, despite his aversion, when he heard a steady thump two doors down. He moved toward the sound, which grew progressively louder as he neared the last apartment door.

    He put his ear to the door and heard scratching and bangs within the apartment. Once he was sure he had the right room, he yelled, ¡°Is everything alright in there? Do you need any help?¡±

    The noises momentarily stopped, and he heard a faint, ¡°Yes! Please!¡± Multiple doors muffled the female voice, but he could clearly hear her desperation.

    I¡¯ll be right there.

    Blake easily forced the door open, and destroyed the metal door jamb in the process. The moment he entered the room, he was met with the sight of two Indolenzas. They were sloth-like creatures which moved far faster than their Earthly counterparts. They both squeaked in their high-pitched war cries and leapt toward Blake, six inch claws extended.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Predictable

    The moment Blake saw the two monsters, he already knew how they would respond. He began the short spell form for Hastened Gale, and less than a second later, both two hundred pound creatures were flung away from him. As they slammed into the back wall, Blake unclasped his spear from his belt, rushed forward, and swiftly executed the Indolenzas.

    Once he was sure they were no longer a threat, he yelled, ¡°It¡¯s okay, they¡¯re dead now!¡±

    That¡¯s odd, the directive didn¡¯t complete.

    While he waited for the family to appear, he cleaned the blood off the tip of his spear on a nearby blanket. Unfortunately, even after he put his weapon away, he still saw no sign of them.

    Are they afraid of me, or do they not believe me?

    Blake shook his head and approached the damaged hallway door. He turned the knob and gently tried to open the door. It was unlocked, but only moved an inch before it hit resistance.

    Once again, he notified them that he was there to help. ¡°It¡¯s safe now,¡± he said in a calm voice. ¡°The monsters can¡¯t hurt you anymore.¡±

    ¡°Please! You have to help my daughter!¡± a terrified voice pleaded through sobs.

    With a clear invitation inside, he applied more pressure to the door until it opened another five inches. When he peeked through the gap, he saw that the bed had been moved to fortify the door.

    Blake could easily burst through it, but he was afraid wooden splinters, or the bed itself, may injure the family within. Instead, he gripped the hollow door between his fingers and ripped it off its hinges. He tossed the door into the hallway and stepped atop the mattress.

    On the far side of the room, was an overweight woman in her thirties. She applied pressure to a deep wound on her daughter¡¯s leg, while a very young boy hid behind her. The injured girl was unconscious, but still alive.

    Blake could see at least half a pint of blood had soiled the carpet beneath them. The liquid was congealed, and the edges had already dried.

    Looks like this happened hours ago.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can save her,¡± he promised the mother.

    He stepped off the bed and knelt before them. ¡°You can let go now,¡± he told her gently.

    She shook her head. ¡°Every time I let go, it starts bleeding.¡±

    ¡°I can heal her, but you have to let go first.¡±

    The mother sniffed and wiped her wet face on the sleeve of her shirt. When the tears were cleared, her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re him!¡± she suddenly blurted. ¡°The one from the announcement!¡±

    He nodded and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right, my name is Blake. And, if you let go, I have magic that can heal your daughter.¡±

    Luckily, she decided to trust him. She released her hold on her daughter¡¯s leg and then wiped her bloody hands on the stained carpet. As she predicted, the wound began to ooze blood, so Blake quickly applied pressure himself.

    He could have given the young girl one of Oliver¡¯s potions, but they were a precious resource, and the wound was not serious enough to warrant it. Instead, he used his newly evolved spell, Transferable Focused Regeneration.

    When used on himself, the ability worked the same as before. However, when he applied it to another person, it was dramatically different. He did not have to channel the spell continuously. Instead, nanomachines and energy would transfer to the wounded person and remain active for a full hour.

    The ability still applied to a small area, and sped up healing by a multiple of thirty. However, it did not use the Physical Stamina of the target. The spell used Blake¡¯s own attribute to determine how quickly it healed. It repaired injuries almost as rapidly as Oliver¡¯s healing potion.

    Unfortunately, it used a third of Blake¡¯s chi energy to do so.

    A few seconds later, he removed his hand, and saw the wound had already stopped bleeding. The mother was about to hold pressure on her daughter¡¯s leg when Blake gently stopped her.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, she¡¯s healing now,¡± he assured her in a gentle voice. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hold pressure anymore.¡±

    She held on tight to her son and gasped, ¡°Thank you,¡± between sobs.

    ¡°In a few minutes, she should be well enough to move. I¡¯ll carry her back to my camper outside, and we can get you and your family to safety.¡±

    Blake noticed a notification blink in the corner of his vision and opened it.

    As the first of your species to heal another with a spell, you have been awarded an achievement. - [First Responder]

    The [First Responder] achievement doubles your Magic Stamina attribute for one hour each time you heal another human.

    Seriously? I¡¯m the first? I guess that makes sense.

    Only chi could be used to heal. The few chi users who had actually reached level one either took another ability, or had yet to evolve Regeneration. As Blake considered what this meant for him, he realized how powerful the bonus actually was.

    The ability may use a third of his chi, but with this achievement, all of his energy pools would refill at twice their normal speed. This meant if he was low on aether, he could heal another person once every hour and quickly replenish all of his energy.

    That¡¯s so broken.

    Another notification flashed across his heads-up display and he read it.

    You have gained 5m nano for completing a directive.

    I see. The girl needed to stabilize before it counted as complete.

    ¡°It¡¯s real,¡± she sniffed and looked him in the eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all real.¡±

    Blake nodded.

    Unfortunately, Blake knew that most people would refuse to believe the world was different until they had no choice. Their brains could not process the dramatic change, and seemed to shut down rather than accept their new reality. It was why most people stayed barricaded within their homes, despite Blake¡¯s speech, three days before.

    So many people are going to die because they can¡¯t accept the way things are.

    ¡°My husband!¡± she suddenly blurted. ¡°You have to save my husband!¡±

    ¡°Of course. Where is he?¡± Blake asked.

    ¡°He was at work when it happened,¡± she told him between sniffs. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from him in three days!¡±

    ¡°Have you tried contacting him through your interface?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°I was afraid to. My neighbor said the more you use it, the more it can control you.¡±

    Blake sighed.

    Her fears were unfounded, but the response was typical. Some people were afraid to utilize the interface. They thought it could somehow control them and take over their body if they touched it. In reality, Blake had found that the Architect could gain control over his body, but did not normally do so. That instance in the void was actually the first he had ever heard of that occurring.

    Lucky me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the Architect is an asshole, but he won¡¯t take over your body. Just open up the interface and see if you can find your husband.¡±

    For the next few minutes, Blake walked the mother through the process. She struggled to follow his directions, but eventually they discovered that it was not possible to add him.

    Blake placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but your husband is gone.¡±

    She hugged her son tightly and began to sob. The young boy joined her, and Blake gave her some space.

    Suddenly, he heard three gunshots and then silence. The woman flinched and grabbed his arm as she began to hyperventilate. Blake held up a finger, and contacted Josh to make sure everything was okay. He was assured that Scott eliminated the monster, and the area was now clear.

    ¡°It¡¯s ok, just one of my guys taking care of a monster, it¡¯s clear now. We should move, though, before more show up.¡±

    Scott could handle one or two monsters at a time, but the gunshots would likely attract the attention of a horde. Every creature within a few miles could hear it and would leave to investigate.

    Blake allowed her breathing to return to normal before he stated, ¡°We need to leave now. Do you need to bring anything with you? Any medication?¡±

    She shook her head and continued to hold her son tightly. Blake bent over and lifted the injured daughter in his arms. He carefully stepped over the bed and into the hallway, while the distraught mother and her son followed behind.

    Blake exited into the hallway and kicked each door he passed. He offered safety to each of the residents, but only two families took him up on his offer. Most told him to go away or refused to respond. They either did not trust him or were locked in denial.

    We can try again tomorrow.

    Eventually, they would snap out of it, and Blake would welcome them with open arms, assuming they could make it to one of his faction cities. If not, Blake would attempt to send a convoy to collect them, but there was no guarantee it would be successful.

    If he tried to force the issue now, they would likely flee at the first opportunity. Besides, their budding town did not yet have enough room to house the entire city¡¯s population. Once the city became more dangerous, he expected people¡¯s minds to change.

    Currently, there were not that many monsters throughout the city, but that would change over time. Every day, more creatures would randomly appear. If they were not culled, their numbers would continue to climb until they became a swarm, something that would require someone as advanced as Blake to deal with, or a very large group of combatants.

    A few minutes later, they made it back to the truck. Blake escorted the families to the camper and opened the door for them. He gently laid the injured daughter down on the couch, and looked around at the crowded interior.

    Time to head back.

    With their new additions, Blake counted nineteen people within the camper. The majority were forced to stand in the aisle or sit on the bed, while the elderly rested within the chairs. At most, they could cram one or two more people within the tight space. However, they would likely find more refugees on their return.

    No matter how many were inside, it would be a bumpy ride.

    Once everyone was situated, he headed outside and shot the few monsters that appeared. After he killed them, he ordered Josh to turn the vehicle around so they could deliver their new faction members.

    It was time to head back to town.